October 06, 2008
Field Report: Charles Burnett and Killer of Sheep (1979)
Last Monday I watched the Charles Burnett’s film, Killer of Sheep (1979). I was excited. The film provoked me. It didn’t have the unity most main stream films donate, but Killer of Sheep opened a window into the life of an African American community. It showed the conditioning involved in growing up an African American, and the heart ache of growing old. He related both young African American children and African American adults to a theme of masking innocents in order to survive in their circumstances.
Charles Burnett mirrors the African Americans in the film with sheep. It’s an interesting metaphor, because the metaphoric value of sheep are innocent, loyal, and really embody a child like form. The children in the film are clearly good nature, but they battle the harsh conditions of living in a poor community. The entire film shows us just how these children are different because of their environmental circumstances. The young boys are rough and rude on the surface, but in the film when a young boy gets hurt from throwing rocks. The caring and sensitive nature of the boys seem to emerge, and the masked tough manly persona drops for a second. It seems Charles Burnett justifies the children's behavior by contrasting it with images of innocent sheep being unknowingly led to be slaughtered. It seems the hope for these children is to act fearlessly.
Now, I believe the father demonstrates what they will become it they hide in wolves clothing. Metaphorically, he has already been skinned, and he lives like a skinned sheep, dazed and shock. I believe Charles Burnett drives this connection by displaying the father shirtless in the opening of the film.
Later that week, I attended a panel discussion were Charles Burnett talked about his film making and inspirations. What I found most interesting; was that he didn't want to make a film (Killer of Sheep) drawing upon Black stereo types. Charles Burnett said, "I wanted to take a slice of life." I loved those words, because they are the epidermis of film making and art. He also put a lamp on the idea of truth, and it was talked about for considerable time.
1 comment:
Isaiah-
You have a thoughtful discussion on Killer of Sheep here, but need to have written more about the outside "art encounter." Did anything the others filmmakers (Iverson White and Kevin Everson) have to say contribute to your thoughts on Killer of Sheep?
For this assignment, we are most interested in the links you can make between class and "the outside" art event. So yes, the panel with Burnett did take place outside of class, but the project of this field report is to make connections between different works/artists.
Sarah
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