#83 - Flaming Creatures (1963) - Review by Brian Kish

Oh joy, another movie none of us have ever heard of, Brian, you really know how to schmooze that Al Gore Rhythm. A man with the most inconspicuous name of all time (Jack Smith) makes one of the most controversial films of its time and manages to signal the beginning of drag culture in film. Yes darling, but is it art?
#flamingcreatures #flamingcreaturesfilm #flamingcreaturesreveiw #flamingcreatures1963 #jacksmith #moviereview #filmreview #briankish #briankishreview

[@streetsofsouthphilly]

I liked the Last Broadcast.

[@BrianKishreviews]

same! I did a review of it if that interests you ✌

[@goblinwizard735]

This is a dumb thing to point out probably, but the only way one saw movies during most of Jack Smith’s life was during a screening, and that meant most people saw a movie maybe once, and more or less as part of a group.
I feel like maybe Jack’s movies were made for two things, they were made to be made, and they were made to be watched maybe once, by a handful of people that was made up of a community very much involved with the film-as-community-event and of people who considered themselves very alien to it, like the congressional hearings you mentioned, and then the film just goes on to live largely (and distorted by qualia etc.) in the memories, stories, and creations of those people.
I know you pretty much know all that. And i do not think it somehow invalidates doing a review from the present context. Watching it now on the mediums we have now and with our bonkers archival access to shit is what it is.
I just felt like putting it out on the table i guess? Adding comment to feel the sacred algorithm?
I like that you even did this review and i’m def going to have to dig in to what else you’ve been posting.

[@BrianKishreviews]

Not dumb at all, Goblin Wizard, and totally relevant to this particular video. That's true of many things of that era, let alone prosecuted stuff meant to provoke, hence my "trust me bro" comment on how people's memory is sometimes better than the real thing. But I can't attest to whether or not watching this as a group of other artists is more exciting than focusing on it by yourself in your bedroom. I try to take that into account when "reviewing" a film of that type. I wouldn't put this at the same standard as a more lineral movie but even so, if I review something unfavorably, there's still something interesting or noteworthy about it. I appreciate you mentioning that, thanks for the subscribe, and if there's a director or movie you think I should cover, lmk. I'll probably be moving more into the long form video essay format soon after this. Thanks!