Re: [rumori] Prelinger and his archives


From: Vicki Bennett (peoplelikeusATmistral.co.uk)
Date: Mon Jun 04 2001 - 09:49:26 PDT


Hii

>also, the more i look at the films themselves the more i
>think, ok, great, its wonderful as a historic document. but
>dare i say it, as collage source material maybe they're not
>that great. i mean, that's a matter of opinion but, let's be
>honest, that sort of 50s educational/industrial/propaganda
>film thing is sooooo cliched. EVERYONE uses these sorts of
>films. From "Atomic Cafe" to the Tape-beatles to the latest
>video by Downer (trendy american alt-metal band). granted
>when "Atomic Cafe" and "Grand Delusion" were done, it wasn't
>a cliche yet, but i think the last 10 years of mainstream
>"rebellious" advertising has pounded the last nails in the
>coffin. it's so EASY to make fun of this stuff now. haha,
>look at the uptight american 50s family! haha, look at them
>doing atomic bomb drills! ha. ha.

I wouldn't dream of using archive in cliched ways, because that would
lack imagination and only appeal to the kind of retards that smoke
lots of grass and discuss what childrens programs they remember from
when they are young..

My main regret with Rick Prelinger's list is that it is all American.
And frankly, THAT is a cliche if anything is.

>Maybe it's good that it's not THAT easy to use these files,
>because if it was, every half-assed videoartist wannabe in
>the world would be chopping up "Duck and Cover"....

I feel a certain apprehension with sourcing from something that I
know lots of people must be sourcing from, but at the same time once
again hope that this is a starting point using this material. Roll
on there being 1000's of films available in the next few years
because god knows I don't want to rub shoulders with any particular
genre, it's bad enough being compared to people who I've little in
common sonically as it is. Why is there an assumption that just
because you are evading copyright that you actually might sound like
those people?

>(by the way, Vicki, i think part of the incredible strength
>of your work is that it's very British. you're really
>recycling your own specific culture, which is really great.
>not to say you shouldnt be commenting on american culture,
>since the imperialism of the american media machine is
>making that everyone's culture whether they want it to be or
>not. but it's something to think about. and i'm interested
>in knowing why these films seem to be such a great resource
>to you...)

Like I say, GIVE ME EUROPEAN FILMS. In fact I will bother you no
longer with this talk and write and ask direct. It was only last
year that I used any American voices in my work because I am European
and am fed up with America's influence on our cute little continent.

>there are so many ways the site could be better. what about
>the simple feature of providing lowres realmedia or
>quicktime clips to watch so you can decide which ones you
>like before spending the time downloading these monster
>files? that's just one idea off the top of my head. what
>about a search engine? etc etc etc.....

Yes, sure... but frankly, I'm not a web designer, I make videos and
don't need any more than a database. If I want a subject I type
apple/f.

Vicki
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