The 90's

Independent video gets a vital shot in the arm with this superb television series, which aired on PBS, devoted to showcasing independent video productions. Each of the 10 volumes contains 10-20 short videos on a given subject. We watched Vol. 3 Bar Talk and Vol. 8 The Anti-War Tapes. Bar Talk opens with an interview with artist Tony Fitzpatrick about the lure of bars and his former drinking days. A piece called The Dating Game examines an upscale black Chicago bar, where the ladies room contains a wide variety of amenities for sale: from perfume to lace panties. In Whiskey Bend, one of the regulars at a neighborhood biker's bar explains his disappointment with the Gulf War. Comparing it to Vietnam, he says that Vietnam had that "grainy 16mm look, which is how I like my wars." On Main Street, which profiles The El Paso Club--a hangout for street people--features a disturbing poem recital by a woman who has sadly dropped many rungs down the ladder, to a place that most of us will never see, and can hardly comprehend. The program rounds out with an excellent concluding segment: Norbert Hicks, in which a former alcoholic talks in matter-of-fact terms about his victory over the bottle--a monologue that is alternately funny, insightful, and very, very wise. The Anti-War Tapes opens with Piece of Mind, in which Americans across the country share their views on the Gulf War. This is followed by some powerful footage shot in Iraq during the war which NBC refused to air. In a brief piece entitled Ecofeminist, a feminist at an anti-war march in Washington delivers a scathing one-minute summation on why war is a man's game and why it's time for a shift in power, gender-wise. The program finishes with an enlightening commentary from poet Allen Ginsberg on the "end of the American century." The 90's is television at its best, providing a forum for the voice of the people. And while not every segment will appeal to everyone, the mix of short films with their myriad of approaches to a given topic makes for challenging and provocative viewing. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Other programs in the series are: Money Money Money, It's Only TV, Food, America, Race & Racism, Video Kids, On the Street, and Prisoners. (Available from: Subtle Communications, 1208 W. Webster, Chicago, IL 60614; 1-800-522-3688.)