Experimental filmmaker Lynne Sachs employs unconventional cinematic techniques to reflect on feminist issues here in an impressionistic fashion, but whether viewers will find the results provocatively enlightening or unpleasantly bewildering will be a matter of taste. The main program consists of two of Sachs' short films: the 35-minute A Biography of Lilith, a rumination on the extra-canonical Jewish myth of Adam's first wife, who was expelled from his side and became a malevolent demon; and The House of Science: A Museum of False Facts, a half-hour collage of images, spoken passages, and found footage illustrating the scientific establishment's view of women. Both are non-narrative pieces more interested in striking a mood than in presenting a coherent statement, and while some viewers may be intoxicated by the elliptical, artsy style, most will find them rather irritating. In fact, the most satisfying aspect of the disc proves to be one of the bonus features, a series of interviews with scholars about the Lilith legend and Jewish mysticism. Additional DVD extras include a filmmaker biography, two other very brief films by Sachs (both empty exercises in style), a selection of her poetry, and some collages she constructed from illustrations in art history books. Possibly worth considering for academic collections specializing in gender studies, this is not recommended otherwise. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Lynne Sachs: A Collection of Films Exploring Women, Culture, Science & Myth
(2005) 65 min. DVD: $19.95: individuals; $40: institutions. Microcinema International. PPR. Color cover. Volume 20, Issue 4
Lynne Sachs: A Collection of Films Exploring Women, Culture, Science & Myth
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