Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Two Takes By William Greaves [2 Discs] [Criterion Collection]

Director: William Greaves William Greaves

Overview

This odd film was shot in 1967 but wasn't released until 1991. The reality of the production is quite amazing. The director, who up until then had only filmed documentaries, decided that he wanted to provoke his actors and crew beyond their level of tolerance so that they would in some fashion hijack his production. Ostensibly, they are filming an arty story called "Over the Cliff," which shows the same scene of a split between husband and wife as played by five different couples from a variety of different angles. Eventually the (secretly anticipated) revolt does happen, and the cast and crew film their late-night sessions in which they discuss what can be done to save the movie. Their uncensored and quite intelligent comments were then included in the completed film along with the footage of the continuing saga of the endlessly filmed marital break-up. While the set-up is nothing like that of the contemporaneous television show Candid Camera, reviewers professed discomfort in viewing the cold manipulations which led to the desired result.

Product Details

Release Date:	12/05/2006
UPC:	0715515021029
Original Release:	1968
Source:	Criterion Collection
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	2:54:00
Sales rank:	733,550

Special Features

Disc one: Symbiopsychotaxiplasm Take One:; New, high-definition digital transfer; Discovering William Greaves, a new documentary on Greave's career, featuring Greaves, his wife and coproducer Louis Archambault, actress Ruby Dee, filmmaker St. Clair Bourne, and film scholar Scott MacDonald; Theatrical trailer; Optional English subtitles for the deaf and the hard of hearing; Disc two: Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take 2 1/2; New digital transfer; New video interview with Steve Buscemi; Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing; Plus:; A booklet featuring a new essay by critic Amy Taubin and production notes by Greaves for Take One

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Patricia Ree Gilbert	Actor
Don Fellows	Actor
Jonathan Gordon	Actor
Robert Rosen	Actor
William Greaves	Actor
Susan Anspach	Actor
Miles Davis	Composer
Johnny Pearson	Composer

Technical Credits

William Greaves	Director,Producer
Jonathan Gordon	Sound/Sound Designer

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One
1. The Couples/Opening Credits [7:33]
2. Film This Film Being Filmed [3:51]
3. "Over the Cliff" [5:25]
4. Actor and Director [1:57]
5. Secret Meeting [4:44]
6. Bill, the Director [4:15]
7. Freddie and Alice [5:46]
8. "I'd Just Like to Act Better" [3:39]
9. Bill, the Director [4:56]
10. Faggy Fag, Butch Fag, or Straight [5:16]
11. The Actress Breaks [4:09]
12. An Experiment? [4:54]
13. Crew Confronts Bill [4:22]
14. Singing the Script [3:40]
15. "Who's Mving Whom?" [8:05]
16. Final Couple/End Credits [2:26]
17. Color Bars [:15]
1. A Career to Be Mined [1:18]
2. Harlem and Acting [9:13]
3. Canada [7:29]
4. The Director in America [4:06]
5. An Established Filmmaker [7:48]
6. Films As a Social Force [3:39]
7. The Symbio Experiments [18:38]
8. Thirty-Five Years Later: Take 2 1/2 [8:24]
Disc #2 -- Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take 2 1/2
1. Introductions/Credits [5:40]
2. Alice Does Her Makeup [3:56]
3. "You Have So Many Skins" [6:24]
4. Secret Debates [2:27]
5. Role Playing [6:29]
6. "From Reality to Reality of the Scene" [6:44]
7. Seizing the Medium [5:04]
8. Q&A [6:56]
9. The New and the Old Meet [4:26]
10. "Who's That Cameraman?" [3:14]
11. "Stand By, Roll It, Action...Cut" [3:42]
12. Thirty-Five Years Later [3:48]
13. Blocking [3:19]
14. Director's Agenda [4:48]
15. Old Emotions and Self-Control [5:37]
16. "We're Going to Do Psychodrama" [6:37]
17. "Are You Freddie Now or What?" [6:13]
18. "This Is Bullshit!" [3:19]
19. Reconciliation [3:01]
20. Meeting Jamilla [2:37]
21. End Credits [3:47]
22. Color Bars [1:17]

Menu

Disc #1 -- Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One
   Play the Movie
   Chapters
   Discovering William Greaves
   Theatrical Trailer
      Play
Disc #2 -- Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take 2 1/2
   Play the Movie
   Chapters
   Steve Buscemi Interview
      Play