Books of James

The eponymous James here is South Dakota-born artist and videographer James Wentzy, who achieved a degree of recognition during the 1990s as an AIDS activist. Documentary filmmaker Ho Tam draws on Wentzy's video footage and personal journals, covering his 30-year odyssey from artistic endeavors to political videos. Wentzy joined the activist group ACTUP following his HIV-positive diagnosis, and used his weekly program on a New York public access channel to provide a media outlet for AIDS-related news and issues (Wentzy produced 160 episodes—no mean feat for a self-financed independent producer—that were often both sophisticated and compelling). The Book of James loses some steam in the final stretch, as Wentzy ruminates on the relevance of AIDS activism in today's world, noting that although the stigma of AIDS has evaporated somewhat, so has the urgency of addressing the crisis—especially in a world more obsessed with the threat of terrorism than deadly diseases. Frameline is releasing The Book of James in two radically different versions: this 74-minute director's cut and a 17-minute short priced at $30 that played the gay and lesbian film festival circuit. Both are fine, though the eloquence of Wentzy's passion and his indefatigable spirit is better served in the longer cut. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)