Film Analysis | Film Reviews

Shorts from the Underground Film Revolution

1 Aug , 2002  

Written by Chris Cooke | Posted by:

Reviews of the films showing in August and September at the Underground Film Revolution.

Hairdo

To those of us whose ideal haircut involves a quick, cheap trip to the nearest barber shop, an elaborate hairdo seems an extravagant and perhaps garish sight — an awkward, unnecessary, and at times amusing oddity. But not so for the Boston-area hair stylists in “Hairdo” a documentary by John Capron, Jonathan Sahula, and Caroline Toth. Their dreams are filled with elaborate curls and loops wrapped in a hairspray sheen. “Hairdo” chronicles their recent trip from the LIBS Beauty School in Malden to New York City to take on the finest stylists in the region in a day-long curler-filled competition. As expected, things don’t go as planned, but our fearless clan of hairdressers faces up to the challenge with a refreshing optimism. They seem a little too small-town for the locale, but what they lack in chic they make up for in enthusiasm, cheering their creations on over the hustle and bustle of the event floor. The store manager tells them before they leave that they are all winners just for trying, and the message rings loud and true. Never sagging or tangled, “Hairdo” keeps it hold throughout.

A Visit from the Incubus

Anna Biller’s “A Visit from the Incubus,” on the other hand, may either tickle your funny bone of just leave you scratching your head. A professor of mine once pounded into my head the difference between true camp and the more self-conscious variety. True camp happens when an artist produces work that is so poorly conceived or executed that it’s unintentionally funny (as in the films of Ed Wood, for example). With self-conscious camp, the artist means the work to be so bad it’s funny (as in the films of John Waters). It’s impossible to believe “A Visit from the Incubus” was made with wholly serious intentions. The film explores the theme of female sexuality in the context of Old West, with dusty sets and stiff, mannered acting, all preceded by a witty song about the perils of incubi. Women are warned not to leave open their windows at night, or they might receive an unexpected guest — an incubus who will violate their bodies as they sleep. None of this can be serious. Problem is, it’s not consistently rip-roaring hilarious either. Having gone either too far or not far enough, the film occupies an uncomfortable nether-region in the realm of camp, leaving you unsure whether you are really supposed to laugh or just concentrate of your popcorn for a while.

Small Things, Caught & Peep Show and Tell

Female sexuality gets a quicker and funnier, if still uneven, treatment in “Small Things,” “Caught,” and “Peep Show and Tell,” a trio of short-short films by Michelle Barczykowski that explore the ramifications of pornography, control, and, of course, G.I. Joe. Yes, Barczykowski’s favorite macho action figure plays a central role in the saucy striptease “Small Things,” and Mr. Joe returns — along with some plastic handcuffs and squirt pistols — in “Caught,” Barczykowski’s very own version of the TV show “Cops.” The final piece consists entirely of an interview with a peep-show stripper, shot on location from her point of view. Playful, insightful, at times shocking, these short films will stick in your head and not let go.

Camouflage Pink

Carolyn Caizzi’s “Camouflage Pink” tells a pleasant tale of a high-school crush, with a twist. When her best friend is asked to the prom — by of all things, a boy — Raina (Kavita Krishna) can’t believe it. Perched on her bed, surrounded by Georgia O’Keefe and Ani Difranco posters, she rants and raves over the phone about the evils of all that is prom. Raina stomps around school in camo-pants and clunky black boots, with nary a long hair on her head or a spot of make-up on her face. She’s smart and spunky, but certainly not expecting to be prom queen. Things perk up for her, though, when she catches the eye of cute cheerleader Suzie (Amy Chang). Can it be that Suzie has the hots for her? All of a sudden, Raina’s ideas about the school’s popular crowd and institutions are turned topsy turvy. Caizzi’s film takes a low-key, affectionate look at the trials of high school interactions, from the lesbian point of view.

Shelter

The real gem of the bunch is Lorna Lowe-Streeter’s documentary “Shelter.” Lorna, raised in Boston by her adoptive parents, never felt quite at home. Her adoption, she felt, was the pink elephant in the room that no one in the family dared to mention. All teenagers feel at some point that their family’s concerns and conversations are superficial, but Lorna ties these feelings to her adoption. Struggling to find her place in the world, she feels no connection with the family at all. So she sets off to find her birth mother Michelle, who was unable to care for her and had to give her up. Lowe-Streeter documents what she finds, filming interviews of the mother and father who raised her; the son they brought up alongside her, also adopted; her birth mother and father; and others close to Michelle during her pregnancy and childbirth. She films her own self-interviews in shadowy, enclosed spaces that perfectly evoke her alienation. The story that unfolds is a compelling narrative of the search for self, of assertive women and the pressures they face. Surprisingly gripping, “Shelter” skillfully explores both harsh and subtle dynamics of family and identity. Worth a look.

“Hairdo” and “A Visit from the Incubus” will be shown on August 5th. For more details, see the related August event listing. “Small Things,” “Caught,” “Peep Show and Tell,” “Camouflage Pink,” and “Shelter” will screen on September 9th. For details, see the related September event listing.


“Hairdo” and “A Visit from the Incubus” will be shown on August 5th. For more details, see the related August event listing. “Small Things,” “Caught,” “Peep Show and Tell,” “Camouflage Pink,” and “Shelter” will screen on September 9th. For details, see the related September event listing.

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