THE GIRL CHEWING GUM

by John SMITH
1976 / 16mm / b&w / sound / 1S / 12' 00

In THE GIRL CHEWING GUM an authoritative voice-over pre-empts the events occurring in the image, seeming to order not only the people, cars and moving objects within the screen but also the actual camera movements operated on the street in view. In relinquishing the more subtle use of voice-over in television documentary, the film draws attention to the control and directional function of that practice: imposing, judging, creating an imaginary scene from a visual trace. This 'Big Brother' is not only looking at you but ordering you about as the viewer's identification shifts from the people in the street to the camera eye overlooking the scene. The resultant voyeurism takes on an uncanny aspect as the blandness of the scene (shot in black and white on a grey day in Hackney) contrasts with the near 'magical' control identified with the voice. The most surprising effect is the ease with which representation and description turn into phantasm through the determining power of language. - Michael Maziere, "John Smith's Films: Reading the Visible", Undercut 10/11.

3 PRINTS IN DISTRIBUTION


distribution format 16mm
screen 1,37 - Standard (single screen)
speed 24 fps
sound optical sound
original language English
rental fee 63,00 €

distribution format Digital file on server (FHD)
version French version
screen 16/9 (single screen)
speed 25 fps
sound sound
original language English
translation French (Embedded subtitles)
rental fee 63,00 €

distribution format Digital file on server (FHD)
version original version
screen 16/9 (single screen)
speed 25 fps
sound sound
original language English
rental fee 63,00 €