Pulse Editor:
Ryan Nyberg
Ryan Nyberg@dailyemerald.com
Thursday, July 1, 2004
— Oregon Daily Emerald
PULSE
Hot Picks:
Eugene Poetry Slam
lohn Henry's
Friday, July 2, 9:30 p.m.
Ages 21+, $3-$5 cover
Documentaries
blend reporting,
partisan agenda
RYAN NYBURG
PULSE EDITOR
There is a well-worn and often-used quote by director Jean-Luc
Godard, who when discussing film-making claimed, "Every cut
is a lie. It is for this reason that no documentary (or newspaper
article, for that matter) can ever be perfectly objective. There is al
ways something left out, something off the screen which would
change the entire context of what is shown. When documentaries
cut from one shot to another, they are expressing an opinion by
choosing to juxtapose those two shots. So if perfect objectivity is
impossible, then every documentary is in essence an editorial.
While this does not free documentaries
from the prerogative of truth, it does mean that
holding them to high standards of fairness and
balance is a fool s errand. Most documentaries
are attempting in some way to further some
viewpoint or agenda rather than express some
higher truth. This is any filmmaker's right.
With that in mind, please allow me to indulge in a little juxta
position of my own. Two recent documentaries are causing stirs
across the country. Each uses the effects of broad humor and
pointed irony to advance a specific viewpoint about American
culture, and each prominently features the charismatic personali
ties of its filmmakers.
The first is Morgan Spurlock's "Super Size
Me," a film that deals with America's obesi
ty problem in oddly creative way. Spurlock
sets out to prove that an exclusive diet of
McDonald's food is very unhealthy, some
thing that would seem obvious to most
people, but which the film turns into an ob
sessive, self-destructive indictment. Spur
lock ingests nothing, not even water, which
is not sold at McDonald's. Every time he is
asked if he wants to super size his meal, he
does, but only when asked. During the
course of 30 days, he eats everything on the
menu, and it comes as no surprise that he
is vomiting by day two.
The film attacks the notion that a lack of personal responsibili
ty is the only problem overeaters have, an idea which has fueled
recent legislation which would keep the obese from suing fast
food outlets. Instead, Spurlock reveals a crafty marketing giant in
McDonald's, which works in much the same way as a drug dealer,
hooking its customers at a young age and trying to keep them ad
dicted for life. One of the most interesting revelations that comes
from Spurlock s McDiet is that he begins to show the same signs
of addiction usually associated with nicotine or heroin use.
The film is an effective assault on the fast food industry, coming
off as a cinematic adaptation of the book "Fast Food Nation." At
its worst, it can be light and unfocused, but for the most part, the
film is a sharp-edged and convincing testament.
I he second film, and the more controversial of the two, is
Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11." As a piece of film-making,
the movie is a well rendered and superbly done rant against the
current presidential administration. Moore balances the tragic
with the bitingly comic, at once mocking and condemning those
whom he claims have committed a multitude of injustices.
As a filmmaker, Moore has advanced by leaps and bounds since
MOVIE
REVIEW
Please see REVIEW, page 6
INDUSTRIAL SOUNDS
trw Dibnorr rnoio tailor
Members of Dismantled (from left to right) Gary Zon, Jimie Kurczodyna and “Loud” Chris DeMarcus perform live at the WOW Hall on June 23
Dismantled represents the industrial music scene.
Taking sound apart
Industrial music faces commercial lows, but the band Dismantled still rocks
KEVIN MILLER
FREELANCE REPORTER
Everyone in the audience looked a
little frightened as the doors of the
WOW Hall opened June 23 to the
sound of Dismantled's synthetic drones
and distorted vocals. The bass and drums
in rhythm, yet somehow still chaotically
sporadic, pounded the club walls like ex
plosive weaponry. Overcoming the in
stinct to run and cower, a swarm of darkly
clad young concertgoers crept their way to
the front end of the stage. Industrial mu
sic is like a horror film — if you're not
crapping your pants in fearful enjoyment
then there is something wrong.
Dismantled's albums are melodious
and intricate with lots of scary-sounding
lyrics and the group's live performances are
both solid and thrilling, but beyond the
band itself there lies a deeper problem:
Many believe that industrial music is com
mercially dead in the United States. So
even though Dismantled is signed to Me
tropolis and Dependent, two nearly all-en
compassing record labels for electronic
and industrial music, finding ways to pro
mote the band is an uphill battle.
"I don't think industrial is really taking
off anywhere; if it would, it had its chance
back in the 80 s," bassist Jimie Kurczody
na said. "The latest trend right now seems
to be emo and hardcore."
Despite this, Dismantled has decided
to book a nationwide tour of more than
20 shows. Starting last month and contin
uing through most of July, the band will
visit big metro areas like San Francisco
and Chicago as well as smaller towns like
Corpus Christi, Texas. According to Gary
Zon, Dismantled's singer and songwriter,
this will give the band an opportunity to
find out where the musical countercul
ture is hiding in America. He also hopes
that by touring he can help resuscitate the
industrial movement.
"I'm just out on this tour trying to create
more awareness," Zon said. "It does piss
me off to a certain degree. All these synth
pop bands are out getting all the good
spots, 'cause it's the really big thing right
now. 1 guess I'm just doing something I
feel is cool, but is not cool these days."
For the |une 23 WOW Hall show, Dis
mantled got stuck with an opening slot to
be followed by a string of punk rock
bands. Knowing that most of their music
would not fit with that night's lineup, they
decided to play faster songs and incorpo
rate "Exit," a dance-friendly hit from their
most recent album "PostNuclear."
Levi Cole, a Eugene resident, was im
pressed at how well Dismantled pulled
things off considering die circumstances.
"It was really good and it fit in," he
said. "It caught me off-guard; they made
the crowd enjoy it."
Dismantled's ability to adapt is most
likely a result of their influences, which
are strikingly non-industrial. They have,
forjnstance, remixed Madonna and per
formed a Paula Abdul cover live. When
asked what they were listening to current
ly, the band gave praise to everything
from Britney Spears to As 1 Liy Dying.
"It's cheesy, and it's so predictable, but
when you get a good hardcore break
down you can't help but nod your head,"
Kurczodyna said.
Dismantled not only enjoys listening
to pop music, but respects many of its
icons as well.
Please see MUSIC, page 6
Bach Festival celebrates composer's creativity
Contemporary music
'great' George Crumb
inspires composers
JACKSON HOLTZ
FREELANCE REPORTER
While the Oregon Bach Festival is
celebrating its 35th season, the Com
posers Symposium, a festival within
the festival, is preparing for its 10th an
niversary. The Symposium intends to
pay homage to Bach's legacy as com
poser by inspiring and giving voice to
the newest generation of composers.
The Symposium, which begins today
at the University of Oregon's School of
Music, is quickly on its way to becom
ing one of the leading forums for new
classical music in the country, accord
ing to those involved.
This year's Symposium theme,
"Celebrating Creativity with
Creativity," pays tribute to George
Crumb, one of the greats of contem
porary American music, who will cel
ebrate his 75th birthday Saturday.
Several of his pieces will headline
the concerts, but perhaps a greater
celebration will be the world premier
of 13 newly commissioned pieces by
Symposium participants, all written
in his honor.
Although Crumb may not be a
household name, he has been highly
regarded within the classical music
community for more than 40 years.
His work has been recognized with
numerous international awards, no
tably a Pulitzer Prize and a Grammy.
Crumb is perhaps best known for his
revolutionary composition for string
quartet, "Black Angels," which will
be performed on Friday afterno'on in
the Beall Concert Flail.
"Black Angels" utilizes a variety of
contemporary techniques that exem
plify Crumb's work. The acoustic in
struments are amplified, the inside
of the piano is strummed and
plucked, performers speak and shout
numbers in various languages and
water-filled glasses are used to play a
variety of pitches.
" There are enormous challenges in
playing his music, not the least of
which is just figuring it out technical
ly," Ron Blessinger said. Blessinger is
the artistic director and violinist for
Third Angle, the professional new
music ensemble that will perform in
the Symposium.
But Blessinger points out that
Crumb's music is more than a mix of
advanced techniques.
"There's a very obvious spirituality
that makes the music very com
pelling," Blessinger said.
It is the spirituality in Crumb's mu
sic that gave inspiration to Paul Lom
bardi, a symposium participant,
whose work "Holocene" will receive
its premier Saturday morning.
"I've personally learned a lot
through his music," Lombardi said.
According to those involved, the
diversity of the 13 new compositions
reflects the eclectic nature of the art,
and the varied personalities of
the composers.
"One piece is amplified and we
read poetry, like in 'Black Angels',"
Blessinger, who's been rehearsing the
new pieces all week, said. "Other
Please see CRUMB, page 6