MASSAGE THE HISTORY

i'm going to start off with a film i saw recently, Cameron Jamie's Massage the History* (2007-2009). i had heard quite a bit of buzz about it {mainly from a gushing Harmony Korine who introduced the film at the Rotterdam film festival, which i stumbled upon here}, so i was very curious to see what it was all about.

 

{2007-9, 11mins, 35mm, color, USA}

amusing et contentious as ever, in his introduction Korine goes on to say that Jamie's Massage the History is "the best dance film ever made, better than the Red Shoes" and for him, the film is the equivalent of Orson Welles' Citizen Kane! these comparisons may seem a tad extreme, but one cannot doubt Korine's sincerity and passion for Jamie's film. it is only when you are faced with the film itself that you understand where Korine is coming from, you immediately recognize the films originality and brilliance. Massage the History is an absolutely captivating et sublime filmic experience, unlike anything else you will probably have witnessed before.

Massage the History is both a dance film et a documentary, but it transcends either genre, it is an insightful et poetic observation of a unique living room dance culture that exists in the suburbs of Montgomery, Alabama. the likelihood that anyone would've ever known about its existence is very slim if Cameron Jamie hadn't accidentally stumbled upon it on youtube. Jamie discovered the group of young black dancers when he was researching for a new film about American street gangs who publish their own videos on youtube. apparently the video had been tagged wrongly et was amongst the gang related videos, Jamie unknowingly found himself watching something entirely original et mesmerizing, he knew instantly that he was witnessing something very special et so these young men unwittingly became the subject of Jamie's new film ... et the rest is cinematic history.

the film is loaded with ideas et hallucinatory imagery, but my discussion will focus on the sequences featuring the two young men, who make up the bulk of the film.

Jamie's camera respectfully observes the two young men as they begin to move about freely, expressing themselves through a series of ritualistic movements; thrusting their pelvises back et forth, caressing table legs, chairs et the plushly carpeted floor with their hands, these gestures play out like a kind of foreplay as the pair (re)familiarize themselves with each objects surface. they then build into more energetic et sensual rhythms, straddling over chairs, sofas et the carpeted floor. their athletic bodies react et take pleasure from the everyday domestic surroundings, the different textures et objects found within the living room space are transformed anew; carpet fibers, upholstered chair fabrics et varnished wooden tables all take on another significance. the objects transcend their everyday usefulness et provide a unique kind of pleasure et release for these young men. in the trance like state they attain, it is almost as if they are discovering these tactile sensations for the first time, like curious young children, they are completely uninhibited.

it is interesting to contrast Jamie's Massage the History with Harmony Korine's film of the same year Trash Humpers (2009), Korine's subjects/characters crudely et absurdly 'hump' anything et everything they find {not just trash cans}, the subjects in Jamie's film also 'hump' but in a deeper et more profound manner, both films show individuals seeking unique forms of self expression et sexual release, but Jamie's subjects transcend any sense of merely "getting off", for them it is more of a spiritual or trance-like experience, which makes it all the more compelling et extraordinary to behold.

Cameron Jamie's films explore and break down our preconceived notions of home, culture et ritual, in past films he has shown us haunted houses, suburban backyards, domestic holiday rituals and in Massage he introduces us to living room dancing rituals. through the mutual trust that has to be involved in the relationship with his subjects, Jamie grants the viewer a privileged insight into these private worlds that are usually not accessible to us. i am truly thankful to Jamie and his willing subjects for allowing us the opportunity to momentarily observe their lives et not feel like we are intruding, this is one of Jamie's major talents, the fact that we never feel uncomfortable or awkward, it never feels like he is exploiting or satirizing his subjects for entertainment.

like Korine, Jamie is fascinated et tends to gravitate towards the fringes of suburban America et the subcultures that exist unbeknownst to most of us, these two filmmakers in particular, feel compelled to bring these seemingly marginalized cultural groups to light et tell their stories. it is well worth checking out Jamie's other films; BB (1998–2000), Spook House (2002–2003) and Kranky Klaus (2002–2003).


* sound familiar? yes, the title is the same as the last track on Sonic Youth's 2009 album "The Eternal". unfortunately i haven't been able to discern which came first, the song or the film ... it doesn't really matter because the end result is a rare occurrence in contemporary cinema, a perfect marriage between music et image, where one does not dominate or influence the other, they merge together to create something sublime.


you can read a brief interview with Cameron Jamie here for some further insights, it is from the Rotterdam film festival.