[Frameworks] CBS goes Underground

[Fred Camper]

I agree with Chuck's comments. Given how bad mainstream media can be, 
this "report" is really quite good, considering that it was meant for an 
evening-news mass audience. Of course nothing profound is said, and 
Warhol could easily seem like a fool to those who don't take seriously 
John Cage's "I have nothing to say, and I'm saying it," but as an intro 
it doesn't stumble too badly, and lets people know that something or 
other is happening. They showed the Brakhage likely knowing it would 
seem weird, but I give them credit for the showing, and for respecting 
the film's silence, and for not taking a condescending "this is weird" 
attitude. Plus, I always did find Heliczer's "Dirt" to be "confusing."

Something from the same decade that will appeal to anyon elooking for 
evidence of mainstream media's horribleness is the Time Magazine feature 
on "underground" film, in I believe 1964, after the Ford Foundation gave 
a number of $10,000 grants (maybe around $60,000 in today's dollars) to 
some of the major figures. Time, to its eternal disgrace, got a lot of 
attention by sensationalizing the film descriptions, making the work 
seem like sleazy porn, hence dissuading the Ford Foundation from continuing.

Fred Camper
Chicago

On 5/30/2014 6:08 PM, Jeff Kreines wrote:
> Thanks to Saul Levine for finding this.
>
> Wow! Brakhage, Mekas, Warhol, Sedgwick, and the Velvets (without 
> sound), and more -- along with a little bloviating from Willard Van Dyke.
>
> The Making of an Underground Film from CBS Evening News with Walter 
> CronkiteThe Making of an Underground Film from CBS Evening News with 
> Walter Cronkite, broadcasted on 31st December 1965. Featuring Jonas 
> Mekas, Piero Heliczer with V... 
> <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS7knWefSiQ>
>
> Jeff Kreines
> Kinetta
> jeff at kinetta.com <mailto:jeff at kinetta.com>
> kinetta.com
> kinettaarchival.com
>
>
>
>
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