Cinema Canada (Mar 1979)

AAORT FILM REVIEWS ‘om 2 bon TO ppahic LANDS SdAIYOIY Djloeg ueIpeUeD wo o1OYd High hopes in Our Cultural Fabric ed when so attired in Canada, while the filmmakers reveal through the juxtaposition of magazine stills and live models the way in which high-fashion has co-opted “peasant” styles of dress. As well, the filmmakers interviewed a professor of anthropology who is able to explain the symbolic and practical rationales behind a wide variety of dresscodes. There are moments of subtle humour, irony and even bitterness which emerge throughout Our Cultural Fabric, as well as the few fascinating explanations of cultural customs like those mentioned earlier. But such moments are kept short, oddly enough. Instead, the filmmakers have structured their film around a bizarre intrusion which, for me, reveals their own unacknowledged perceptual bias. Intending Our Cultural Fabric for the youth market, to be used in high schools and other educational settings such as churches, libraries and synagogues, the filmmakers shaped their material around the device of an intentionally obnoxious game-show panel which indulges in snide cultural slurs, inane babble and aimless energy. Evidently, the filmmakers felt that only by alluding to the glittering schlock of most television culture could their film appeal to this particular age group — an assumption which itself is simply another form of stereotyping. Even 42/Cinema Canada SUNKI THE CROFTERS TRUIL TO HAPPINESS. WERE SAILING WEST. WERE SAl be gene baad mm ¥ ne Vea” 02 0 on? more problematic, the inter-cutting of this panel with the other material creates, at times, the obviously unintended effect of crudely “commenting” on a previous interviewee. For instance, an immigrant discussing his native attire is punctuated, through editing, by the shriek of: the game-show whistle, which serves to unintentionally sendup his remarks. It seems to me that the filmmakers may have been confronted by the prevalent fear of boring a teenage audience. Not trusting the strength of their original subject to fascinate any age group, they undercut it through using a device — the game-show panel — which actually comes to occupy the privileged place in the film in terms of screen time allotted, verbal dominance, visual energy, and in being the editing “peg.” The resulting emphasis in the film is given over to scenes and remarks which are prejudicial in nature. Our Cultural Fabric is only the first in a series of films exploring cultural differences and intended for a youthful audience. If the filmmakers trust in the strength of their original idea, as well as in their audience’s sincere interest in learning about cultural differences, they will no doubt tur this into a fascinating series. Joyce Nelson CLFU/IFIEMD For Sale Absolutely new Angenieux 9.5-5.7mm lens —$3500. Contact Mike Parsons at (416) 961-6942 or (416) 446-5460. Brent Armstrong Professional Makeup Conception, design, application for all aspects of film. 100 Pembroke St., Kingston, Ontario. (613) 542-5577. In Toronto. (416) 961-2807. ADVERTISING INDEX RATE Sits, Seaiuse F ctohai e ksoits. acs 21 PT OOERD BSE i aa) ha cactAgeees as eees 12 Asthor Winkler CLUi co) ans ak? . Pa ALTO RTa ss. Ae esld. eh Ry F2 Benevile Pathe aka SP ata 12 Canadian Film and TV Ass’n....... 2 Palm Ares st, ees oe ed Pare pigs a ee ea 33 Pann Opticals oe oS ae Se Tie a7 POS. oo Be BENE. SEY 7 Wake Himes ik afl AT Ree Oe 12 MEP ED OI. oa hae ea 9 Motion Picture Guarantors ....... r2 arson Presse ei a oes 10 Panavision. See as ashe, Geb 43 Propiles:: oad Behr Reig EG 5 Sonolabs. hats GH. Vast Ss, 44 Trent Universitve cfs fia Sais 4 York University Agi hs oes ls 3.27 cinema Canada Subscribe