“Portrait of Jason” --
Old Is New Again
Reviewed by Shirrel Rhoades
Yes, the Tropic
Cinema shows some pretty cutting-edge indie films. Many are newly released;
others only a year or two old. So what’s it doing with “Portrait of Jason,” a shopworn
old 1967 film by Shirley Clarke.
Known for her
kaleidoscope style, experimental filmmaker Clarke died back in the late ‘90s. You’ve
probably never even heard of her.
“Portrait of
Jason” is not a pleasant film. Not because of its Avant-Garde style, but rather
because of its subject. Clark turned her camera on Jason Holliday, a despondent black male prostitute, and as the title
suggests she gives us an unflinching portrait of Jason.
Jason Holliday (né Aaron Payne) was
an alcoholic, drug-addled hustler who sometimes worked as a houseboy when not
turning tricks. He wanted to become a cabaret performer, an unlikely career
path. Jason’s not a very likeable subject, but Clarke seemed determined to find
out who he was underneath the black anger and gay confusion.
“Whether Jason is laughing or
crying, he holds you rapt with tales that conceal as much as they reveal,”
observed John Powers of NPR.
Back in the ‘60s, mainstream
critics found the film “disgusting.” However, Swedish director Ingmar Bergman famously declared it to be “the most fascinating
film I’ve ever seen.”
Modern-day
critics seem to agree with Bergman. The New Yorker terms it “a masterwork of grand-scale intimacy ...” The New York Times calls it “a
curious and fascinating example of cinema verité …” And The Nation describes it
as “one of the most involving, uncompromising and revelatory human documents in
the history of cinema.”
That’s because “Portrait of Jason”
is more than just a profile of a down-and-outer. It explores important cultural
themes -- including class stratification, homosexuality, and racial politics.
Also it is a testament to the development of cinema verité and underground
cinema during the ’60s in New York City.
Will you enjoy it? Maybe not. Will
you find it thought-provoking and fascination. Absolutely.
srhoades@aol.com
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