We didn't have time to discuss the film after viewing, so I'd like to hear your reactions and thoughts. Did you enjoy the film? Was it upsetting or hard to watch? What about the unusual techniques used by the filmmaker?
I found that this film held my attention from beginning to end. I was always wondering what was going to happen next. I did find this film a little upsetting and hard to watch at times. What bothered me the most about it was seeing and hearing about the poor quality of Jonathan's childhood, such as the abuse from his foster families and the various issues that his mother had since the time he was born. I have always found it fascinating to see how people are affected by certain events and situations throughout life. Some people grow up in situations like this and turn out fine with no problems, but others aren't so lucky. Other people turn to drugs and self abuse and it is really very sad. I am still left wondering if some of the things that Jonathan's mother said about being abused as a child were true, or if these were things that she created within her own mind as a result of her problems. The unusual visual techniques that were used helped to illustrate the different emotions and events that have happened throughout Jonathan's life. Instead of just hearing about them from an interview or reading about them on screen, the viewer was able to "see" the emotions and events in an artistic way that I feel is more effective. Overall, I liked this film and I think it was an interesting insight into Jonathan's life.
I found the film to be very interesting, but had some trouble finding relevance as to why Gus Van Sant would want to produce it. I've heard of such a thing as "queer cinema" which I understand to be an idea that hopes to bring homosexuality to the spotlight through film and cause more social awareness toward the issue of it being often rejected by many members of society as well as create a better understanding of what homosexuality really is. Van Sant has done his part by including a lot of homosexual themes within his films, sometimes in an even eccentric way. I'm guessing he involved himself with this film specifically because of Jonathan Caouette's homosexuality and the connections that can be made though his troubled life. In Elephant, Van Sant made a statement about homosexuality by making both of the participants of the school shooting in the film homosexual. This was an odd approach because the film is inspired by the Columbine shootings. What always shocked me about his approach there was the fact that the Columbine massacre shooters were sexist, racist, and homophobic. They were all around intensely full of hate and intolerance. So, for this reason I always found it curious that Van Sant took that approach with his film. He was obviously trying to make a statement that homosexuals can sometimes feel so misunderstood and vilified that they might jump to some great extremes. Nevertheless, going back to Tarnation, you can see that the film focuses on Jonathan's troubled life in a variety of ways, and his homosexuality is not the main focus. The issues surrounding his family, such as his schizophrenia and emotionally unstable mother, are of a greater focus. Overall, the film has a great delivery by combining all sorts of footage. It showcases Jonathan's development from a child to an adult. It observes him as he deals with his mother, his sexuality, and him moving and living in New York City as a means of escape from his troubled early life's environment. The film itself is at times disturbing, but it captures the most human sides of Jonathan and exposes some of the most personal aspects of his life. This is a great film to be viewed by people either involved in or interested in psychology or sociology as it covers many aspects of both studies. Overall, I can say the film is very well put together. As it jumps from clips of Jonathan's self produced films to moments in his troubled life, it showcases every aspect of his confusing and troubled development. As a documentary, it's very interesting, but also very personal as it focuses specifically on Jonathan, his family, and his personal relationships. It’s almost odd that he would want to create and release this film as it is so personal and at times, it could be perceived as being embarrassing for him. Nevertheless, it almost seems like a cry for help, or a cry for understanding and sympathy. It’s a well edited documentary and the content is very powerful and effective. A definite milestone for what it is.
The previous comment is a little off-putting to me. I don't think the central focus of the film was his homosexuality. I think that the film effectively presented a gay male's life without making his less common sexuality the headlining detail. Jonathan's life as a whole follows the guidelines of homosexual in the general United States and so much of his story is a result of his sexuality, like his style, artistic preferences, and emotional functioning. To put it simply: the story is of a man who was gay, not of a gay man. Finding an identity when there is no familial foundation present and little guidance from society can be exhausting and difficult. The phases that Jonathan went through are common of gay men but the movie's focus was not that he was gay.
On my own set of thoughts in response to the film, I really appreciated it. The visuals were almost disturbing at some points but it was overall very effective. Unlike some of the other documentaries that we've viewed in class (e.i. Grey Gardens), I was interested every moment of my viewing. There was enough suspense to keep me wanting more of the story to unfold and I developed much empathy for Jonathan as well as his peers and relatives. This was an honest approach at telling a story about someone that once didn't have the chance to express it.
I found Tarnation to be incredibly unique yet difficult to watch. It was not a matter of the content being too complex or uninteresting, but that the film displays lifestyles that I am not accustomed to viewing. By this, let me just say, does not mean unaccustomed to homosexual lifestyles, but that I am unaccustomed to having such an untouched and real look into a dysfunctional family. Throughout the film, I found myself psychoanalyzing every person on screen and thought it upsetting to see how, mainly Renee, had come to live. I found myself finding this to be even harder to watch than Grey Gardens due to feeling bad for the subjects on the screen. The truth is, mental problems are never really easy to watch. However, they intrigue an audience.
I thought that the methods and techniques used for the documentary was both interesting and somewhat difficult to follow. I liked how they jumped around from scene to scene. One minute you are seeing something about a young Renee and the next you are seeing 11 year old Jonathan portraying an abused housewife in some bad lighting and make up. I agree with what was stated above my comment, that I was often left wanting to know more about a specific topic of the film, which I enjoyed. The only problem to me was that it was a little TOO jumpy from past and present. I had a hard time going from 1971 to 1993 to 1977 to 1993 to 2002 to 1975 etc etc. But the way I look at it is that these scenes are ordered almost the same way as perhaps schizophrenic thoughts.
I enjoyed the film when looking at it as a self produced piece of work. First of all, his footage was incredibly archival. It took him virtually his whole life to capture the footage. Good for him for being that devoted when he was young. Whether or not he had the intention of making a film when he was older or not, it's clear that recording himself was a positive release for him. Some people write in diary's; some people write songs; some people write poetry; some people go on killing spree's; etc.... Who knows, maybe if he hadn't video taped himself and his surroundings when he was younger he would have already been dead by now. It's important to have an outlet. Somewhere to embed your emotions, leave them there, and forget about them- otherwise, we hold on to things and it weighs us down.
Secondly, he was incredibly creative during the editing process. He must have had over 100 hours of footage. That's a tough job to do... especially for one person. By his use of effects, lighting, music, and sounds he created an atmospheric piece. What I mean by that is, when I watched that movie it put me in a strange place, within myself. lets just say that it's not a movie to put on when you have your friends over. I would rather watch this a lone in a dark, smokey room with the lights off. Maybe a black light or two.
There's something about this movie that makes me see how fortunate I am and be thankful for the world that I live in, while at the same time, makes me hate the world I live in and feel sorry for myself. That may not be everybody's opinion. I'm empathetic. When I saw that Jonathan was feeling strongly about something, I immediately felt what I thought was the same emotion. It helps that we have the same name, and in a way, I can relate to him.
I wasn't able to watch the movie in class but i was able to view the documentary on my own. As a documentary film i felt that it was a well done and in depth look into the mind and heart of a troubled man who was searching to find himself in a confusing world. I thought that it was a little unnerving and somewhat disturbing when viewing the relationship between him and his mother yet i found the undying love and dedication to be inspiring. Altogether i thought the movie was well done although i would not view it again.
After viewing Tarnation in class, I thought it was a well-made documentary that added its own unique style to tell Jonathan's life story. It was very upsetting to hear his story, but the way Caouette produced the film made you not want to take your eyes of the screen. I personally liked the special effects used throughout the film because it kept me more alarmed of what was going on; I felt the special effects kept drawing me in more and more. Sure this film was a lot to handle because of all the disturbing issues going on, but where at any point in the middle of the film did you feel like you couldn't watch anymore? This film is great at catching people's attention and if I could I would watch this film again.
I really thought Tarnation was an excellent documentary. It was way too real it made me nauseous at some points. Difficult to watch yet so intriguing from beginning to end. Jonathan Cauotte is talented, no matter how you look at it. Not only is he an artists on stage, he's an artist at his computer and behind the camera as well. Despite it's overall depressing tone, I think the film is a motley of so many elements that make it a milestone. The visual effects help Jonathan express emotion. He uses the color to help convey these emotions to us very successfully. I was really happy to see that Jonathan found an award winning way to unveil his history and very intimate and personal moments to the world.
I liked tarnation. It amazes me that a film that was made on imovie, a program amateur filmmakers like myself are aware of, and have it go so far in the film industry, even getting noticed by Gus van sant. One aspect of the film that I kind of didn’t like at first was the noticeable special effects that I recognized from using imovie before. It kind of dulled down the film for me in a way, but then things started to change. He used some different effects in ways I haven't even used before, and the accompaniment of intense music really made the effects change the way I felt, and the way I viewed the movie. Another filmmaker choice in the movie that we discussed in class was when his mom was laughing manically holding a pumpkin. The thing that made this scene memorable was that he didn’t cut away, bit rather let the camera keep rolling to express to the viewer the extent of his mother's condition, and not cutting away almost forces the viewer to be trapped in the uncomfortable moment. Some people can make the case that this film was hard to watch, but honestly, there are more uncomfortable documentaries out there, and although there are some awkward and uncomfortable scenes, I enjoyed the film, honestly it was interesting to watch and see how john was able to grow up despite all his problems into a seemingly normal adult, who appears to have his life together.
As I mentioned in class, after the first few minutes of the movie, i thought i was going to hate it. I thought it was lame and corny how Johnathan set the camera up and then made believe he was sleeping and whatnot. I hated it and thought this movie was going to be a waste. but boy was i wrong. This movie held such power and disturbance that it basically drags you in and holds you in an uncomfortable bind the entire movie. The wonderful use of special effects complimented by the incredible choice of music really brought the movie out and made a deep connection with its viewers. I feel as if it didnt have those two elements, that it could have been too raw or unsettling for viewers and it could have ended up a flop. I don't believe the music and special effects SOFTENED the storyline, but i feel as if it made it more bearable and made, at least me, to dive in and really get involved with the movie. The scene that kept me squirming in my scene was when Johnathan was filming his mother with the pumpkin. holy.shit..i felt awkward being in my own body while watching it. I put myself in Johnathan's position after watching it and thought there was no way i could have sat there and filmed her doing that..there's just no way. I would have burst into tears or given up right then and there. I do give so much credit to Johnathan though, although he clearly isnt the most sane person ever and hes had such a fucked up life, he still managed to turn out (somewhat)normal and used his misfortunes to create a work of art. I thought it was also really great how he, after everything he has been through, took in his mother and is now taking care of her, it says a lot. surprisingly great movie.
I found Tarnation to be extremely interesting and disturbing. Jonathan's early life was obviously tumultuous and challenging, and seems to creep back up on him in the form of his mother. It was disturbing seeing the level to which his mother and grandfather decay after being left to their own devices. But it was also horrifying to think that if his mother had not received such prolonged and intense electro shock therapy she may have lived her life without any mental illness, and in turn Jonathan may not have had to experience many of the things he did. I think the effects he used enhanced the psychosis of the film. The flashing imagery and sharp sounds are what Jonathan may have experienced during his overdose, or what the inside of the mind of a schizophrenic person.
Tarnation is the story of the most unlucky mother and son to have existed, and the repercussions of a lifetime's worth of tragedy. While the content of Tarnation can be disturbing at times, the narrative is captivating and the film itself is quite an achievement. Jonathan's honesty and intimacy in this film is really admirable, as is the fact that he was able to compose it so intelligibly and artistically with just a Mac and some home movies. In this era of YouTube we live in, the whole idea of a documentary about oneself might seem unimpressive, but Jonathan's story still holds up because his story is so unique. While I wouldn't re-watch Tarnation any time soon, it is definitely remarkable, and (just like Requiem for a Dream) it will remain in my memory whether I want it to or not.
Tarnation was a truly sad story of a boy just trying to gain answers. I found the film held my attention for its entirety even through some of the more disturbing scenes where I mad to turn my head a little. Its amazing to think that all the scenes were edited on a Mac especially the way they were cut and edited together. Even more amazing was all the found footage Jonathan had If i remember correctly he had over 180 hours of film throughout his life which being able to condense that into an 88 minute documentary on himself is unfathomable. That being said the scenes he did decide to use were definitely attention grabbers especially the scene of him playing an 11 year old girl and the scene where we see him filming his mother with the pumpkin. Both were disturbing scenes but I found myself completely captivated and almost feeling sorry for Jonathan and all the trials he has been put through. Another aspect of the film that was a little less impressive was the "cheesy" opening and closing I suppose they were a nice way of starting and ending the film but to me it took a little bit away from the overall product which really is an amazing story of a life filled with tremendous troubles. Tarnation was definitely one of the top documentaries we've watched this semester.
Tarnation was difficult for me to watch. I felt as if I was prying on this family. The subject matter itself was disturbing and hard to swallow. I couldn't believe the characters he would act out as a kid. He was only about 12 when he was playing the role of an abused young woman. He pulled these characters out of his mind. It's hard to fathom what he must have been exposed to at a very young age from which he drew the inspiration for these characters. Although, I guess the film has some sense of redemption at the end, where at least he seems to be overcoming his troubled past (and present), it doesn't leave you with a good feeling at all. Just when it seems like everything might be coming together, he has his mom and dad with him for the first time, his mom overdoses on lithium and is left brain dead. It's incredible how much can befall one family.
Tarnation was an amazing film. It did have its points where it was difficult to watch, but I felt that you were so drawn into the film that you couldn't look away. I was fascinated by the idea of showing how a family has been through mental illness and how a child raised in the atmosphere can still come out fine. Some people believe that if a child is raised in an environment like that, they are going to come out just as mentally broken. Jonathan was strong enough to come out of this family and make a name for himself. It was difficult for me to watch him dress as a woman and talk about how "her" husband was abusing "her". The only reason it was difficult for me to watch because it made me feel like it was an actually woman who was being abused by her husband. You can see how badly the abuse in foster care affected him because it came out in his acting. After he was taken out of foster care and put in the protection of his grandparents, you can see how things got slightly better. Even though he did have some tough times, like overdosing on PCP that was put in his weed, he did come out stronger. What I liked most about this film is how he stepped up to take care of his mother when she became truly sick. Yes, she has been sick all of his life and was never really there for him ,but he loved her and wanted to make sure she was going to be safe. It was hard to watch the interactions with his mother because you can see how the shock therapy treatments she got when she was younger have truly taken away her mind. You can see that she is no longer there and some of her stories are
I found that this film held my attention from beginning to end. I was always wondering what was going to happen next. I did find this film a little upsetting and hard to watch at times. What bothered me the most about it was seeing and hearing about the poor quality of Jonathan's childhood, such as the abuse from his foster families and the various issues that his mother had since the time he was born. I have always found it fascinating to see how people are affected by certain events and situations throughout life. Some people grow up in situations like this and turn out fine with no problems, but others aren't so lucky. Other people turn to drugs and self abuse and it is really very sad. I am still left wondering if some of the things that Jonathan's mother said about being abused as a child were true, or if these were things that she created within her own mind as a result of her problems. The unusual visual techniques that were used helped to illustrate the different emotions and events that have happened throughout Jonathan's life. Instead of just hearing about them from an interview or reading about them on screen, the viewer was able to "see" the emotions and events in an artistic way that I feel is more effective. Overall, I liked this film and I think it was an interesting insight into Jonathan's life.
ReplyDeleteI found the film to be very interesting, but had some trouble finding relevance as to why Gus Van Sant would want to produce it. I've heard of such a thing as "queer cinema" which I understand to be an idea that hopes to bring homosexuality to the spotlight through film and cause more social awareness toward the issue of it being often rejected by many members of society as well as create a better understanding of what homosexuality really is. Van Sant has done his part by including a lot of homosexual themes within his films, sometimes in an even eccentric way. I'm guessing he involved himself with this film specifically because of Jonathan Caouette's homosexuality and the connections that can be made though his troubled life. In Elephant, Van Sant made a statement about homosexuality by making both of the participants of the school shooting in the film homosexual. This was an odd approach because the film is inspired by the Columbine shootings. What always shocked me about his approach there was the fact that the Columbine massacre shooters were sexist, racist, and homophobic. They were all around intensely full of hate and intolerance. So, for this reason I always found it curious that Van Sant took that approach with his film. He was obviously trying to make a statement that homosexuals can sometimes feel so misunderstood and vilified that they might jump to some great extremes. Nevertheless, going back to Tarnation, you can see that the film focuses on Jonathan's troubled life in a variety of ways, and his homosexuality is not the main focus. The issues surrounding his family, such as his schizophrenia and emotionally unstable mother, are of a greater focus. Overall, the film has a great delivery by combining all sorts of footage. It showcases Jonathan's development from a child to an adult. It observes him as he deals with his mother, his sexuality, and him moving and living in New York City as a means of escape from his troubled early life's environment. The film itself is at times disturbing, but it captures the most human sides of Jonathan and exposes some of the most personal aspects of his life. This is a great film to be viewed by people either involved in or interested in psychology or sociology as it covers many aspects of both studies. Overall, I can say the film is very well put together. As it jumps from clips of Jonathan's self produced films to moments in his troubled life, it showcases every aspect of his confusing and troubled development. As a documentary, it's very interesting, but also very personal as it focuses specifically on Jonathan, his family, and his personal relationships. It’s almost odd that he would want to create and release this film as it is so personal and at times, it could be perceived as being embarrassing for him. Nevertheless, it almost seems like a cry for help, or a cry for understanding and sympathy. It’s a well edited documentary and the content is very powerful and effective. A definite milestone for what it is.
ReplyDeleteThe previous comment is a little off-putting to me. I don't think the central focus of the film was his homosexuality. I think that the film effectively presented a gay male's life without making his less common sexuality the headlining detail. Jonathan's life as a whole follows the guidelines of homosexual in the general United States and so much of his story is a result of his sexuality, like his style, artistic preferences, and emotional functioning. To put it simply: the story is of a man who was gay, not of a gay man. Finding an identity when there is no familial foundation present and little guidance from society can be exhausting and difficult. The phases that Jonathan went through are common of gay men but the movie's focus was not that he was gay.
ReplyDeleteOn my own set of thoughts in response to the film, I really appreciated it. The visuals were almost disturbing at some points but it was overall very effective. Unlike some of the other documentaries that we've viewed in class (e.i. Grey Gardens), I was interested every moment of my viewing. There was enough suspense to keep me wanting more of the story to unfold and I developed much empathy for Jonathan as well as his peers and relatives. This was an honest approach at telling a story about someone that once didn't have the chance to express it.
I found Tarnation to be incredibly unique yet difficult to watch. It was not a matter of the content being too complex or uninteresting, but that the film displays lifestyles that I am not accustomed to viewing. By this, let me just say, does not mean unaccustomed to homosexual lifestyles, but that I am unaccustomed to having such an untouched and real look into a dysfunctional family. Throughout the film, I found myself psychoanalyzing every person on screen and thought it upsetting to see how, mainly Renee, had come to live. I found myself finding this to be even harder to watch than Grey Gardens due to feeling bad for the subjects on the screen. The truth is, mental problems are never really easy to watch. However, they intrigue an audience.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the methods and techniques used for the documentary was both interesting and somewhat difficult to follow. I liked how they jumped around from scene to scene. One minute you are seeing something about a young Renee and the next you are seeing 11 year old Jonathan portraying an abused housewife in some bad lighting and make up. I agree with what was stated above my comment, that I was often left wanting to know more about a specific topic of the film, which I enjoyed. The only problem to me was that it was a little TOO jumpy from past and present. I had a hard time going from 1971 to 1993 to 1977 to 1993 to 2002 to 1975 etc etc. But the way I look at it is that these scenes are ordered almost the same way as perhaps schizophrenic thoughts.
I enjoyed the film when looking at it as a self produced piece of work. First of all, his footage was incredibly archival. It took him virtually his whole life to capture the footage. Good for him for being that devoted when he was young. Whether or not he had the intention of making a film when he was older or not, it's clear that recording himself was a positive release for him. Some people write in diary's; some people write songs; some people write poetry; some people go on killing spree's; etc.... Who knows, maybe if he hadn't video taped himself and his surroundings when he was younger he would have already been dead by now. It's important to have an outlet. Somewhere to embed your emotions, leave them there, and forget about them- otherwise, we hold on to things and it weighs us down.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, he was incredibly creative during the editing process. He must have had over 100 hours of footage. That's a tough job to do... especially for one person. By his use of effects, lighting, music, and sounds he created an atmospheric piece. What I mean by that is, when I watched that movie it put me in a strange place, within myself. lets just say that it's not a movie to put on when you have your friends over. I would rather watch this a lone in a dark, smokey room with the lights off. Maybe a black light or two.
There's something about this movie that makes me see how fortunate I am and be thankful for the world that I live in, while at the same time, makes me hate the world I live in and feel sorry for myself. That may not be everybody's opinion. I'm empathetic. When I saw that Jonathan was feeling strongly about something, I immediately felt what I thought was the same emotion. It helps that we have the same name, and in a way, I can relate to him.
All in all, beautiful movie.
I wasn't able to watch the movie in class but i was able to view the documentary on my own. As a documentary film i felt that it was a well done and in depth look into the mind and heart of a troubled man who was searching to find himself in a confusing world. I thought that it was a little unnerving and somewhat disturbing when viewing the relationship between him and his mother yet i found the undying love and dedication to be inspiring. Altogether i thought the movie was well done although i would not view it again.
ReplyDeleteAfter viewing Tarnation in class, I thought it was a well-made documentary that added its own unique style to tell Jonathan's life story. It was very upsetting to hear his story, but the way Caouette produced the film made you not want to take your eyes of the screen. I personally liked the special effects used throughout the film because it kept me more alarmed of what was going on; I felt the special effects kept drawing me in more and more. Sure this film was a lot to handle because of all the disturbing issues going on, but where at any point in the middle of the film did you feel like you couldn't watch anymore? This film is great at catching people's attention and if I could I would watch this film again.
ReplyDeleteI really thought Tarnation was an excellent documentary. It was way too real it made me nauseous at some points. Difficult to watch yet so intriguing from beginning to end. Jonathan Cauotte is talented, no matter how you look at it. Not only is he an artists on stage, he's an artist at his computer and behind the camera as well. Despite it's overall depressing tone, I think the film is a motley of so many elements that make it a milestone. The visual effects help Jonathan express emotion. He uses the color to help convey these emotions to us very successfully. I was really happy to see that Jonathan found an award winning way to unveil his history and very intimate and personal moments to the world.
ReplyDeleteI liked tarnation. It amazes me that a film that was made on imovie, a program amateur filmmakers like myself are aware of, and have it go so far in the film industry, even getting noticed by Gus van sant. One aspect of the film that I kind of didn’t like at first was the noticeable special effects that I recognized from using imovie before. It kind of dulled down the film for me in a way, but then things started to change. He used some different effects in ways I haven't even used before, and the accompaniment of intense music really made the effects change the way I felt, and the way I viewed the movie. Another filmmaker choice in the movie that we discussed in class was when his mom was laughing manically holding a pumpkin. The thing that made this scene memorable was that he didn’t cut away, bit rather let the camera keep rolling to express to the viewer the extent of his mother's condition, and not cutting away almost forces the viewer to be trapped in the uncomfortable moment.
ReplyDeleteSome people can make the case that this film was hard to watch, but honestly, there are more uncomfortable documentaries out there, and although there are some awkward and uncomfortable scenes, I enjoyed the film, honestly it was interesting to watch and see how john was able to grow up despite all his problems into a seemingly normal adult, who appears to have his life together.
- mike crocker
As I mentioned in class, after the first few minutes of the movie, i thought i was going to hate it. I thought it was lame and corny how Johnathan set the camera up and then made believe he was sleeping and whatnot. I hated it and thought this movie was going to be a waste. but boy was i wrong. This movie held such power and disturbance that it basically drags you in and holds you in an uncomfortable bind the entire movie. The wonderful use of special effects complimented by the incredible choice of music really brought the movie out and made a deep connection with its viewers. I feel as if it didnt have those two elements, that it could have been too raw or unsettling for viewers and it could have ended up a flop. I don't believe the music and special effects SOFTENED the storyline, but i feel as if it made it more bearable and made, at least me, to dive in and really get involved with the movie.
ReplyDeleteThe scene that kept me squirming in my scene was when Johnathan was filming his mother with the pumpkin. holy.shit..i felt awkward being in my own body while watching it. I put myself in Johnathan's position after watching it and thought there was no way i could have sat there and filmed her doing that..there's just no way. I would have burst into tears or given up right then and there.
I do give so much credit to Johnathan though, although he clearly isnt the most sane person ever and hes had such a fucked up life, he still managed to turn out (somewhat)normal and used his misfortunes to create a work of art. I thought it was also really great how he, after everything he has been through, took in his mother and is now taking care of her, it says a lot. surprisingly great movie.
I found Tarnation to be extremely interesting and disturbing. Jonathan's early life was obviously tumultuous and challenging, and seems to creep back up on him in the form of his mother. It was disturbing seeing the level to which his mother and grandfather decay after being left to their own devices. But it was also horrifying to think that if his mother had not received such prolonged and intense electro shock therapy she may have lived her life without any mental illness, and in turn Jonathan may not have had to experience many of the things he did. I think the effects he used enhanced the psychosis of the film. The flashing imagery and sharp sounds are what Jonathan may have experienced during his overdose, or what the inside of the mind of a schizophrenic person.
ReplyDeleteTarnation is the story of the most unlucky mother and son to have existed, and the repercussions of a lifetime's worth of tragedy. While the content of Tarnation can be disturbing at times, the narrative is captivating and the film itself is quite an achievement. Jonathan's honesty and intimacy in this film is really admirable, as is the fact that he was able to compose it so intelligibly and artistically with just a Mac and some home movies. In this era of YouTube we live in, the whole idea of a documentary about oneself might seem unimpressive, but Jonathan's story still holds up because his story is so unique. While I wouldn't re-watch Tarnation any time soon, it is definitely remarkable, and (just like Requiem for a Dream) it will remain in my memory whether I want it to or not.
ReplyDeleteTarnation was a truly sad story of a boy just trying to gain answers. I found the film held my attention for its entirety even through some of the more disturbing scenes where I mad to turn my head a little. Its amazing to think that all the scenes were edited on a Mac especially the way they were cut and edited together. Even more amazing was all the found footage Jonathan had If i remember correctly he had over 180 hours of film throughout his life which being able to condense that into an 88 minute documentary on himself is unfathomable. That being said the scenes he did decide to use were definitely attention grabbers especially the scene of him playing an 11 year old girl and the scene where we see him filming his mother with the pumpkin. Both were disturbing scenes but I found myself completely captivated and almost feeling sorry for Jonathan and all the trials he has been put through. Another aspect of the film that was a little less impressive was the "cheesy" opening and closing I suppose they were a nice way of starting and ending the film but to me it took a little bit away from the overall product which really is an amazing story of a life filled with tremendous troubles. Tarnation was definitely one of the top documentaries we've watched this semester.
ReplyDeleteTarnation was difficult for me to watch. I felt as if I was prying on this family. The subject matter itself was disturbing and hard to swallow. I couldn't believe the characters he would act out as a kid. He was only about 12 when he was playing the role of an abused young woman. He pulled these characters out of his mind. It's hard to fathom what he must have been exposed to at a very young age from which he drew the inspiration for these characters. Although, I guess the film has some sense of redemption at the end, where at least he seems to be overcoming his troubled past (and present), it doesn't leave you with a good feeling at all. Just when it seems like everything might be coming together, he has his mom and dad with him for the first time, his mom overdoses on lithium and is left brain dead. It's incredible how much can befall one family.
ReplyDeleteTarnation was an amazing film. It did have its points where it was difficult to watch, but I felt that you were so drawn into the film that you couldn't look away. I was fascinated by the idea of showing how a family has been through mental illness and how a child raised in the atmosphere can still come out fine. Some people believe that if a child is raised in an environment like that, they are going to come out just as mentally broken. Jonathan was strong enough to come out of this family and make a name for himself. It was difficult for me to watch him dress as a woman and talk about how "her" husband was abusing "her". The only reason it was difficult for me to watch because it made me feel like it was an actually woman who was being abused by her husband. You can see how badly the abuse in foster care affected him because it came out in his acting. After he was taken out of foster care and put in the protection of his grandparents, you can see how things got slightly better. Even though he did have some tough times, like overdosing on PCP that was put in his weed, he did come out stronger. What I liked most about this film is how he stepped up to take care of his mother when she became truly sick. Yes, she has been sick all of his life and was never really there for him ,but he loved her and wanted to make sure she was going to be safe. It was hard to watch the interactions with his mother because you can see how the shock therapy treatments she got when she was younger have truly taken away her mind. You can see that she is no longer there and some of her stories are
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