Hi,A few days ago I asked about ‘Marilyn Times Five’. I managed to find a copy (http://www.download-finished.com/archive/bruce-conner-marilyn-times-five-1973mpg.html). The copy that is being offered here is glitched and I don’t imagine it is anything like the original.It further promoted a discussion with the Australian filmmaker Peter Tammer. Who then emailed me this. Please read below and feel free to add your opinions.
---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Peter Tammer <[email protected]> Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2020 at 08:45 Subject: Darko, here's what I'm starting to write, just first draft, and I'll invite others to add into it: To: Darko Duilo <[email protected]> As you know I like to share my enthusiasm for films from many genres which inspired me in my youth, about 1960-63, when I was just starting out on my life-journey in film. I've written essays about some of them, e.g., Nanook of the North. I also like to share my love of these films on Facebook via the Armchair Traveller. Recently I posted "Report" by Bruce Conner, just a few months ago. I was lucky to get a passable copy of that film from Youtube which I forwarded to you yesterday. I also tried to get copies of: Marylin Times FiveValse Triste and other films e.g., Soliloquy by Steve Dwoskin, a film I loved when I first saw it at the Melb. Film Fest in the late sixties. The only copy I can find of Soliloquy (BFI collection ) is simply TERRIBLE. The photography comes over grubby, grainy and mushy when it was not like that in it's original print copy. The audio is beyond belief, infiltrated by some buzzing noises and squishy incomprehensible voice. There are many other cases I could mention e.g., Frankfilm by Frank Mouris. Copies of Frankfilm on the net are soft and muddy, shaky (poor registration in the copy process) etc. Another case is "Tango" which is on the Armchair site. Dirk de Bruyn has told me it was shot in 35 mm, but you would never know it from the copy we have. However the film is just so great, and it's far better to have some copy rather than no copy at all, even if it's not like the pristine original release version. Now here's my argument: one reason these films are being withdrawn from YouTube and other sources is that the estates of the artists are claiming them as "property", the same way paintings and sculptures gain value in monetary terms, whereas novels by great writers of the past and music compositions by the great composers, are free to everyone, except where performance, recordings and recording rights come into play. In the case of classical music, novels, poetry, etc... these great works are not denied to lovers of the arts. But in the visual art world, only the rich, or richly endowed museums, can hoard the work and deny access to the greater part of humanity. Including us who value the work for its own intrinsic value and not as property to be bought and sold. So Darko, this is my starting point. You can circulate this to your friends. If we can find other examples to add to those I have given here, let's have them. We must make some effort to keep these works accessible to people other than the filthy rich and their cronies. PT
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