The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes (1972)

The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes (1972) poster

At a morgue, forensic pathologists conduct autopsies of the corpses assigned. "S. Brakhage, entering, WITH HIS CAMERA, one of the forbidden, terrific locations of our culture, the autopsy room. It is a place wherein, inversely, life is cherished, for it exists to affirm that no one of us may die without our knowing exactly why. All of us, in the person of the coroner, must see that, for ourselves, with our own eyes. It is a room full of appalling particular intimacies, the last ditch of individuation. Here our vague nightmare of mortality acquires the names and faces of OTHERS. This last is a process that requires a WITNESS; and what 'idea' may finally have inserted itself into the sensible world we can still scarcely guess, for the CAMERA would seem the perfect Eidetic Witness, staring with perfect compassion where we can scarcely bear to glance." – Hollis Frampton

Director: Stan Brakhage
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 32 min
Release Date:
Cinematography: Stan Brakhage
Editing: Stan Brakhage
Country: United States of America
Language: No Language
Original Language: en

Keywords

autopsy, silent film, forensic science, pathologist, short film

More Films by Director: Stan Brakhage
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes about?
At a morgue, forensic pathologists conduct autopsies of the corpses assigned. "S. Brakhage, entering, WITH HIS CAMERA, one of the forbidden, terrific locations of our culture, the autopsy room. It is a place wherein, inversely, life is cherished, for it exists to affirm that no one of us may die without our knowing exactly why. All of us, in the person of the coroner, must see that, for ourselves, with our own eyes. It is a room full of appalling particular intimacies, the last ditch of individuation. Here our vague nightmare of mortality acquires the names and faces of OTHERS. This last is a process that requires a WITNESS; and what 'idea' may finally have inserted itself into the sensible world we can still scarcely guess, for the CAMERA would seem the perfect Eidetic Witness, staring with perfect compassion where we can scarcely bear to glance." – Hollis Frampton
Who directed The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes?
The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes was directed by Stan Brakhage.
How long is The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes?
The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes has a runtime of 32m (32 minutes).
What genre is The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes?
The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes is a Documentary film.
Where was The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes produced?
The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes was produced in United States of America.