The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes is a 1971 American film by Stan Brakhage. Its title is based on the literal translation of the term autopsy. The film documented the highly graphic autopsy procedures used by forensic pathologists, such as the removal of organs and the embalming process.[1]
The film is part of Brakhage's "Pittsburgh trilogy",[2] a trio of documentary films Brakhage made about the city's institutions in 1971. The other two films are entitled Eyes and Deus Ex. These documentaries are about the police force and a hospital, respectively. American critic Jonathan Rosenbaum referred to The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes as "one of the most direct confrontations with death ever recorded on film."[3]
This film has been described as a study in observation and immersion,[5] with one critic deeming Brakhage as a "documentarian of subjectivity", who uses film techniques to "(give) form to his eyesight." This critic argues that the film's primary aim is to "sensitize each viewer to his own subjectivity".[6]
Some critics argued that the silent film style enables viewers to form their own interpretations and judgment on the subject matter.[5] Film critic Fred Camper described the film as "a curious, admittedly creepy, study of the varieties of light reflected off of skin, with luminous fluid appearing to dance with the camera".[6] In a Senses of Cinema profile of Brakhage, film-maker and curator Brian Frye wrote, "The key image of The Act of Seeing With One's Own Eyes is quite likely the bluntest statement on the human condition ever filmed. In the course of an autopsy, the skin around the scalp is slit with a scalpel, and in preparation for exposing and examining the brain, the face of each cadaver is literally peeled off, like a mask, revealing the raw meat beneath. That image, once seen, will never leave you."[2] Martin Smith describes the film as an act of mortality salience, a reminder of the inevitability of death and the joy of being alive.[4] These critiques highlight the shocking, innovative and humane nature of the film.
^ abSenses of Cinema: Stan Brakhage 2008-12-20 at the Wayback Machine
^Rosenbaum, Jonathan (26 October 1985). "The Act of Seeing With One's Own Eyes". Chicago Reader.
^ abSmith, Martin (2017). "Mortality Salience: Terror of Death and The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes" (PDF). Film International. 15 (3). Intellect: 13–22. doi:10.1386/fiin.15.3.13_1.
^ abHall, Zack (March 10, 2008). . LAS magazine. Archived from the original on October 29, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
^ abCamper, Fred (May 25, 2010). "By Brakhage: The Act of Seeing . . ". criterion.com. The Criterion Collection.
seeing, with, eyes, 1971, american, film, stan, brakhage, title, based, literal, translation, term, autopsy, film, documented, highly, graphic, autopsy, procedures, used, forensic, pathologists, such, removal, organs, embalming, process, directed, bystan, brak. The Act of Seeing with One s Own Eyes is a 1971 American film by Stan Brakhage Its title is based on the literal translation of the term autopsy The film documented the highly graphic autopsy procedures used by forensic pathologists such as the removal of organs and the embalming process 1 The Act of Seeing with One s Own EyesDirected byStan BrakhageCinematographyStan BrakhageRelease date1971 1971 Running time32 min CountryUnited States The film is part of Brakhage s Pittsburgh trilogy 2 a trio of documentary films Brakhage made about the city s institutions in 1971 The other two films are entitled Eyes and Deus Ex These documentaries are about the police force and a hospital respectively American critic Jonathan Rosenbaum referred to The Act of Seeing with One s Own Eyes as one of the most direct confrontations with death ever recorded on film 3 Contents 1 Production 2 Recognition 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksProduction editBrakhage shot the documentary using 16 millimetre film without synchronized sound during a visit to a morgue in Pittsburgh 1 Brakhage used a number of different film stocks in the shooting process 4 Recognition editThis film has been described as a study in observation and immersion 5 with one critic deeming Brakhage as a documentarian of subjectivity who uses film techniques to give form to his eyesight This critic argues that the film s primary aim is to sensitize each viewer to his own subjectivity 6 Some critics argued that the silent film style enables viewers to form their own interpretations and judgment on the subject matter 5 Film critic Fred Camper described the film as a curious admittedly creepy study of the varieties of light reflected off of skin with luminous fluid appearing to dance with the camera 6 In a Senses of Cinema profile of Brakhage film maker and curator Brian Frye wrote The key image of The Act of Seeing With One s Own Eyes is quite likely the bluntest statement on the human condition ever filmed In the course of an autopsy the skin around the scalp is slit with a scalpel and in preparation for exposing and examining the brain the face of each cadaver is literally peeled off like a mask revealing the raw meat beneath That image once seen will never leave you 2 Martin Smith describes the film as an act of mortality salience a reminder of the inevitability of death and the joy of being alive 4 These critiques highlight the shocking innovative and humane nature of the film The Academy Film Archive preserved all three films in 2010 7 See also editList of American films of 1971 Stan Brakhage filmographyReferences edit a b IMDb entry a b Senses of Cinema Stan Brakhage Archived 2008 12 20 at the Wayback Machine Rosenbaum Jonathan 26 October 1985 The Act of Seeing With One s Own Eyes Chicago Reader a b Smith Martin 2017 Mortality Salience Terror of Death and The Act of Seeing with One s Own Eyes PDF Film International 15 3 Intellect 13 22 doi 10 1386 fiin 15 3 13 1 a b Hall Zack March 10 2008 Act of Seeing With One s Own Eyes LAS magazine Archived from the original on October 29 2017 Retrieved August 31 2020 a b Camper Fred May 25 2010 By Brakhage The Act of Seeing criterion com The Criterion Collection Preserved Projects Academy Film Archive External links editThe Act of Seeing with One s Own Eyes at IMDb nbsp The Act of Seeing with One s Own Eyes at AllMovie nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Act of Seeing with One 27s Own Eyes amp oldid 1221623875, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
