I start out on a quest. Thus, again I am speaking of a man in the past, a hero-maker, a storyteller, an image-maker, with whom I was vitally concerned 鈥 gradually; I didn鈥檛 know any initial point I was concerned with in general, but I was concerned with heroes. Just like a warrior, this poet would start when it was time to start, not knowing really particularly where. And then where he found himself 鈥 places that began to tell him where he was bound 鈥 he then, of course, began to know about where he was after all.
叠谤耻肠别听叠补颈濒濒颈别
This programme presents two works that explore the imagistic heroic with which Baillie identified. Together with Mass, Quixote and To Parsifal are the last in which the filmmaker was not only learning technique, but discovering himself, often by way of these heroic聽forms.
Bruce Baillie, Quixote, USA 1965, 16mm, colour and black and white, sound, 45聽min
Originally intended for two simultaneous screens and encapsulating the filmmaker鈥檚 first period of work, Quixote is a kind of summary and conclusion of a number of themes, especially that of the hero 鈥 depicting Western orientation as essentially one of conquest. The film is conceived in a number of different styles and on a number of simultaneous聽levels.
鈥楾he Vietnam War was an essential expression of our American (Occidental, Christian) way of comprehending the world, ourselves, history; that is a reason for its thematic appearance in Quixote. The presentiment at the end of the film is of the end we have created for ourselves.鈥
叠谤耻肠别听叠补颈濒濒颈别
Bruce Baillie, To Parsifal, USA 1963, 16mm, colour, sound, 16聽min
鈥楾ribute to the hero, Parsifal 鈥 the European legend as basic structure, as well as the hero 鈥 鈥淗e who becomes slowly wise.鈥 (Wagner, Parsifal) 聽Promised land, I suppose 鈥 the last temptation 鈥 time, flesh, etc 鈥 Off the coast, at sea, the mountains and the 鈥 slow freight trains through the passes; the Wagnerian spirit, ancient Christian legend. Compassion for nature, pursuit (of Eternal Life) through the heroic form.鈥
叠谤耻肠别听叠补颈濒濒颈别
Introduced by Garbi帽e Ortega, series聽curator
Tate Film is supported by LUMA聽Foundation