Avant-garde filmmaker Barbara Hammer's History Lessons, a provocative montage film that recalls Rock Hudson's Home Movies and The Celluloid Closet, employs a wide range of archival footage clips to present a tongue-in-cheek lesbian history. Unfortunately, it's nowhere near as accessible as its predecessors, with its unidentified clips ranging from ancient pornography to educational films and 1950s commercials. To be fair, the clips mostly speak for themselves, but Hammer has taken this one step further by playfully taking subversive liberties with the soundtrack: in an opening newsreel excerpt, for instance, a redubbed Eleanor Roosevelt champions the right to love whom she likes. Sure to spark discussion, and not without its straight (not to mention gay) entertainment value, consider this a strong optional purchase for more adventurous collections. Aud: C, P. (K. Lee Benson)
History Lessons
(2000) 70 min. VHS: $24.95, DVD: $29.95. First Run Features (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. Volume 17, Issue 4
History Lessons
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