THE FILM
(1966)
Experimental short / UBU Films / 16mm
B&W film / 12 min
Direction, Cinematography:
John Clark / Michael Pearce / David Perry / Garry Shead / David
Stiven / Albie Thoms / Roger Whittaker /
Editing:
Michael Pearce / David Stiven / Gary Shead
Cast:
John Clark / John Firth-Smith / Judy Firth-Smith / Susan Howe
/ Rosemary Jaynes / Michael Nessler / Michael Pearce / David Perry
/ Garry Shead / David Stiven / Albie Thoms / Roger Whittaker
"An improvised happening filmed with four cameras."
[Mudie]
"Some of [these] films ... have a lot to tell us about
the avant garde scene where film making was often and event. In
this film Gary Shead is seen painting pubic hair on a female nude
portrait; this was considered so shocking that the film was banned
for obscenity. The irony is that this is so minor a part of the
film that one could easily miss it. While The Film was
attributed to Thoms, it was very much a UBU collective effort.
Gary Shead was offered an out-dated batch of stock and invited
other Sydney filmmakers to share it (which explains why some parts
of the film don't appear to be correctly exposed). It needs to
be viewed in context given that it was an improvised 'happening'
which was filmed simultaneously with four cameras, with directors
appearing in the film and operating the cameras, filming each
other with various lenses, film speeds and exposures."
[Lisa French - Notes for The
Censored and Celebrated Film Festival, National Gallery of
Victoria, May 1997]
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