The I ast Cotas Planet of the Arts Vol.3
A ce | ¥ =

“Wisdom comes with age”. Since this is my grad year, | suppose that’s a suitable enough quotation. Only, I don’t believe it. Uh uh,
nope, not for a second. I’ve met too many old people that are dumb as hell. So, | guess wisdom only comes to you if you let it.

Am|Iwise? Damned if! know. | mean, I’m not sure how! can really tell. | don’t feel wise, and | don’t think | look wise. | guess that the
only way to know if you’re wise or not is if someone tells you. So far, nobody has. Of course, as | write this, it’s only twenty after ten in
the morning, so there’s plenty of time for someone to come up to me and say, “Martin, you've got a hell of a lot of wisdom. Keep up the

teeth pulled this summer. That should entitle me to something.

But maybe, just maybe, wisdom doesn’t come from education. At least not in the formal sense. Maybe wisdom comes from Life, that
big scary world out there, full of people-not-from-art-school, jobs, and living off government grants. Maybe we’|l all be so wise in a couple
of years that if we have areunion we'll all sit around talking about the size of the universe instead of drinking a lot and falling down. | hope
that everybody graduating this year becomes that wise. | hope that we all get jobs or find rich patrons. | hope that we all become famous
and are featured in Gardner’s “History of Art” so that future ECCAD students have our personal histories on their tests. And | hope that
| become wise enough that I’m let into the movie-reviewer’s club. | hear they have a drink there; one sip and you fall down.

good job.”
What have | had people tell me? I’ve had some people compliment me on my reviews, I’ve had people tell me that they enjoyed a
particular movie that | recommended, and I’ve had otherstell me that! had threatened the entire economic infrastructure of a certain Eastern
bloc country by insulting one of their films. Of course, I’ve also had people tell me I drive like a maniac. That has nothing to do with film,
but I’m trying to project the right image so that they'll let me into the movie reviewer’s club; those crazy live-on-the-edge group of guys :
like Siskel and Ebert and Pauline Kael. But is this wisdom?
| just figure that after five or six years of post-secondary education (depending on how you count them) I’m entitled to some wisdom.
It doesn’t have to be a whole lot. Just a little bit, like why people feel loneliest in a crowd, or how come people keep making the same kind
of mistakes over and over again, or why all my pants need to be let down when I haven’t grown an inch. Hell, I’m even getting my wisdom

Martin Stein

This is Still the Same Article

Darwin Wasend

12

The Media Grad Show Preview

Why am | writing this ? Who
died and left me the right to write
the official Media Grad Show Pre-
view ? Well, no one actually, but
my close association with this
year’s Graduation Class does give
me a tiny bit of insight into who
they are, what they did and why
one should never lend any of them
money.

And so, what about this year’s
Grad Show ? Will it be a hit? A
miss ? Aflop ? Abomb ? Asleeper
2 A runaway success or a box
office smash ?

The Fourth year Media class
are quite a cohesive group. The
films vary greatly in terms of con-
tent, style and structure, but hav-
ing had a close look at some films
as they were being scripted, shot
and edited | have come to the
conclusion that the thread that
links all the films of the fourth year
class together is that ancient
archetypal theme called The Jour-
ney.

The most blatant use of this
theme can be found in David

Vaisbord’s classic The Voyage of .

Herkules. Mr. Vaisbord, or Dave,
as he’s known to his friends, ene-
mies and relatives in Missisauga,
retells the ancient story of an
innocent’s descent into tempta-
tion, second temptation, war, love,
sex, and the making of a film. I’ve
had the personal pleasure of view-
ing this film over and over and over
again until | once thought that |
wrote it. Then | realized that, no, |
didn’t write it, I lived it! Dave’s film
works on a multitude of levels and

sub levels and all these other lev-
els that don’t even have names but
fall between the first levels and the
sub levels (but in a different time
zone). Lest you think that this film
may be too deep for you, let me
reassure you that David Vaisbord
has not only made a film that
makes you say “What, who’s that.
Isn’t that his mother?”, he’s also
made a really funny film. I’ve seen
it many times and each time |
nearly keel over and die from
laughter. This film will be one of
the more memorable of the show,
and should be seen if only for the
chance to see Naomi Singer in
leather boots that go up to her
neck. Should | continue and tell
you something of the story of The
Voyage of Herkules? No|I will not,
for it might ruin the joy you will
undoubtedly feel when you view
this cinematic baring of the
director’s neurosis. Perhaps 1am
too biased to give Dave Vaisbord a
balanced critique, but then who
isn’t? Perhaps Dave’s mom.

Speaking of Mom and the rest
of the folks back home, Liz Murray
has taken some old home movies
and through the magic of optical
printing and a fine job of editing
has produced a very moving and
warm film about that big journéy
we all must take: the journey of
leaving home.

Liz has asked my opinion on
her film several times, so | have
had the unique opportunity to see
the evolution of Dear Elizabeth.
This is another film that works on
many levels. It seems to be a fact
that student films are primarily
personal and from the personal
exploration and expression a sort
of universality develops. | think
that Jennifer Babcock said it best
in her photo installation: “We are
creatures of habit, we share a
common bond; no matter what
age, sex, religion, ethnic group we
are ,we recognize each other.” Liz
Murray has done this film for her-
self and her family, but inadver-
tently she has done this film for all
of us. You can leave home, you
can leave New Brunswick, you can
leave Vancouver, you can leave
that eggplant mousaka on your
plate, but you can never leave your
skin. However, don’tthink thatthis
is some weepy tearjerker; like her
comrade in cinema, Mr. Vaisbord,
Liz Murray has a very magic sense
of humour that makes Dear Eliza-
beth truly enjoyable.

One film that I really like for its
cinematography and the overall
look is Bill Hornecker’s The Valley
of The Moon: the Trilogy. \first saw
this film in bits and pieces as Bill
was editing it. In March, | had the
chance to see it on the big screen
and | was completely lost in the
way the landscape of the badlands
of Alberta was captured on film.
The Journey Theme is repeated in
this film too. There is a search for
the past, and a search for the self.
Time is used ina very unique way.
Time is expanded and time is made
irrelevant. This film is timeless
because of its simplicity, both
visually and thematically.

This Journey Theme appears
again in the other grad films that |
have had a peek or two at. Amanda
Forbis gives us an autobiographi-
cal film about the progression ofa
close friendship. I can’t remember
the title of it because she kept
changing it. Tony Devenyi’s film,
Frames of Mind, presents us with
a journey into a person’s psyche.
As | was typing this preview up,
Tony told me to mention that his
film also deals with mood swings.
He uses stairs as a metaphor for
the way that one man’s moods go
up and down and around the bend.
Jill Brett’s Aftermath looks at a
group of souls from the First World
War and their search for someone
who remembers them. | haven’t
seen all of Jill’s film but I did act in
it as one of twenty dead World War
One soldiers. Jack Ferguson
takes us into the future with World

Without End. For me the title says
it all. | haven’t seen this film but |
heard that it has nuns in it and the
soundtrack reminds me of flying
buttresses and Gothic gargoyles.
It seems appropriate that the
Media Grad class would share
such a strong and common theme
in their films. This year’s class has
journeyed through three yearsasa
close and cohesive group, learn-
ing more and more about each
other, and about themselves as
filmmakers, artists and most of all
as human beings who made their
way from super 8 to 16 mm, from
optical printing to A and B rolling,
from from sleepless night to sleep-
less night, from then to now to
tomorrow. I’d personally like to
take this opportunity to wish them
all luck. | hope you are all success-
ful and all that jazz, and I hope that
when I’m a grad one of you can get
me a job. Lights, Camera, Action !

Mike Smart

The Last Column

“Wisdom comes with age”. Since this is my grad year, l suppose that's @ sultable enough quotation. Only, I don't believe it. Uh uh,
nope, not for a second. I've met too many old people that are dumb as hell. So, | guess wisdom only comes to you if you let it.

‘Am wise? Damned if! know. I mean, I'mnot sure how | can really tell. i don't feel wise, and I don't think look wise. | guess that the
only way to know if you're wise of not is if someone tells you. So far, nobody has. Of course, as write this, it’s only twenty after ten in
shermoring, #0 there's lnty of tne for someone to core po mend aay, “arn, youve got abel att lott wadom. Keep up he
good jo

What have | had people tell me? I've had some people compliment me on my reviews, I've had people tell me that they enjoyed a
particular movie that lrecommended, andI've had others tell methat! had threatened the entire economic infrastructure ofacertain Eastern
bloc country by insulting one of their films. Of course, I've also had people tell me Idrive like a maniac. That has nothing to do with film,
but 'm trying to project the right image so that they'll let me into the movie reviewer's club; those crazy live-on-the-edge group of guys.
like Siskel and Ebert and Pauline Kael. But is this wisdom?

Tjust figure that after five or six years of post-secondary education (depending on how you count them) I'm entitled to some wisdom.
doesn’t have to be a whole lot. Just alittle bit, ike why people fee! loneliest in a crowd, or how come people keep making the same kind
‘of mistakes over and over again, or why all my pants need to be let down when | haven't grown an inch. Hell, 'm even getting my wisdom
teeth pulled this summer. That should entitle me to something.

But maybe, just maybe, wisdom doesn't come from education. At least notin the formal sense. Maybe wisdom comes from Life, that

{ull of people-not-from-art-school, jobs, and living off government grants. Maybe we'llall be so wise ina couple
sit around talking about the sizeof the universe instead of drinking alot and falling down. | hope
that everybody graduating this year becomes that wise. Ihope that we. I become famous
's “History of Art” so that future ECCAD st ur personal histories on their tests, And! hope that
Thecome wise enough that I'm let into the movie-reviewer's club. hear they have a drink there; one sip and you fall down.

Martin Stein

Planetotbe ts ——Val3

Revi

This is Still the Same Article

sub levels and all these other lev-
‘ls that don't even have names but
fallbbetwoen the first levels and the
sub levels (but in a different time
zone). Lest you think that this film
may be too deep for you, let me
reassure you that David Vaisbord
has not only made a film that
makes you say “What, who's that.
Isn't that his mother?", he's also
made a realy funny film. I've seen
it many times and each time |
Nearly keel over and die from
laughter. This film will be ono of
the more memorable of the show,
‘and should be seen if only for the
‘chance to see Naomi Singer in
leather boots that go. up to her
neck. Should I continue and tell
‘you something of the story of The
Voyage of Herkules? Nol will

Darwin Waserd

The Media Grad Show Preview for it might ru
undoubtedly
this cinematic baring of the
Why am! writing this? Who _droctor's neurosis. Perhaps lam
died and left me the right to write _—_—toobiased to give Dave Vaisbord a
tho official Media Grad Show Pr balanced critique, but then who
view 2 Well, no one actually, but _isn’t?. Perhaps Dave's mom.
my close association with this Speaking of Mom and the rest
year's Graduation Classdoesgive _of the folks back home, Liz Murray
‘me a tiny bit of insight into who _=has taken some old home movies
they are, what they did and why and through the magic of optical
foneshouldneverlendanyofthem printing and a fine job of editing
money. has produced a very moving and
‘And 80, what about this yea warm film about that big journéy
Grad Show’? Willitbe a hit’? A we all must take: the journey of
miss? Aflop? Abomb? Asleeper _leaving home,
. 2A runaway success or a box Liz has asked my opinion on
office smash ? hor film several times, so | have

The Fourth year Me
are quite a cohesive group. The
films vary greatly int

class _had the unique opportunity to see
olution of Dear Elizabeth.

tent, syle and structure
ing had a close look at some flims t filme ‘are primarily
as they were being scripted, shot personal and from the personal
and edited | have come to the exploration and expression a sort
Conclusion that the thread that of universally develops. | think
links allthe films of the fourth year __that vennifer Babcock said it best
Class together Is. that_anclent In her photo installation: “We are
frchetypal theme ealed The Jou croatures of habit, we share a
ney. common bond; no matter what

most blatant use of this 90, 80x, religion, ethnie group we

‘theme can be found in David are ,we recognize each other.” Liz
Vaisbord's classic The Voyage of _ Murray has done this fllm for her-
Herkules. Mr. Vaisbord, or Dave self and her family, but inadver-
‘as he's known to his friends, ene tently she has done this film for all

mies and relatives in Missisauga, of us. You can leave home, you
Fetells the ancient story of an can leave New Brunswick, youcan
Innocent’s descent into tempta- leave Vancouver, you can leave
tion, second temptation, war, love, _that eggplant mousaka on your

sex, and the making of a flm. I've
1ad the personal pleasure of vi

ing this film over and over and ov
again until | once thought that 1

ve your
f,don'tthink that this
py tearjorker; like her
fade in cinema, Mr. Vaisbord,

‘wrote it. Then Irealizedthat,no,| Liz Murray has avery magic sense
didn’twrite it, livedit! Dave's iim of humour that makes Dear Eliza-
works onamultitudeoflevelsand beth truly enjoyable.

12

‘One tlm that really lke for its
cinematography and the overall
look is Bill Hornecker's The Valley

this film in bits and pieces as Bill
was editing it. In March, |had the

of Alberta was captured on fllm.

‘The Journey Theme
this film too, There is a
the past, anda search for
Time is Used in avery unique way.
Timeis expanded andtimeismade
irr This film is timeless:
because of its simplicity, both
visually and thematically.

This Journey Theme appears
‘again in the other grad films that |
have hadapeekortwoat. Amanda
Forbis gives us an autobiographi-
cal ilm about the progression of a
lose friendship. Ican'tremember
the title of It because she kept
changing it. Tony Devenyi's film,
Frames of Mind, presents us with
1 Journey into a person's psyche.
‘As | was typing this preview up,
Tony told me to mention that his
{ilm also deals with mood swings.
He uses stairs as a metaphor for
the way that one man’s moods go
upand down and around the|
Jill Brett's. Aftermath looks at a
‘group of souls fromthe First World
‘War and their search for someone
‘who remembers them. I haven't
seen all of Jill's flim but Idid actin

18 one of twenty dead World War

soldiers. Jack Ferguson
takes us into the future with World
Without End. For me the title says
ital Thaven’t seen this flm but |
heard that It has nuns in itand the
soundtrack reminds me of flying
buttresses and Gothic gargoyles.

It seems appropriate that the
Media Grad class would. shat
sucha strong and common theme
Inthalrfims. This year'sclass|
journeyed through three yearsa:
‘close and cohesive group, learn-
lng more and more about each
other, and about themselves as.
filmmakers, artists and most of all
as human beings who made their
Way from super 8 to 16 mm, from
optical printing to A and Brlling,
from {rom sleeplessnightto sleep:
less night, from then to now to

V'd personally like to
‘wish them

ful and all that jazz, and hope that
‘when I'ma grad one of youcan get
me ajob. Lights, Camera, Action !

Mike Smart