Razor Blades

Razor Blades

16mm, color, sound, 25 min
Produced in association with the American Film Institute. Projection instructions: There is sound on both reels. Place external speakers on either side of the auditorium for 'stereo' effect. Should ...
Rental format: 16mm

Stills

About

Produced in association with the American Film Institute. Projection instructions: There is sound on both reels. Place external speakers on either side of the auditorium for 'stereo' effect. Should be loud. Place identical projectors side-by-side and align the two images side-by-side.



"Compared to Tony Conrad's THE FLICKER and Michael Snow's WAVELENGTH, RAZOR BLADES is a kind of BEN-HUR of structural films, employing not only abstract designs but also little, almost Vanderbeekian cutouts of identifiable things (a strawberry sundae, a penis) and people (a man apparently cutting his wrist). The effect is extraordinarily unsettling as the mind tries desperately to make intelligent connections between recognizable images, while at the same time it automatically falls into the pace of light explosions... Just where films such as RAZOR BLADES might lead, I've no idea. It may be, of course, that they don't have to lead anywhere. In any case I'm glad that the American Film Institute has seen fit to sponsor Sharits, and that the Whitney has elected to show the results..." -Vincent Canby, New York Times



General projection instructions for 2-screen works: These works are not difficult or complicated to screen, as long as instructions are followed carefully; there are instructions with each listing here and graphic instructions will be sent along with each film piece. There are a few important, general principles which apply to all the film pieces: 1) Both projectors should be the same model, with identical lenses and identical bulbs (most projectors are supplied with a 750 watt bulb; this is too dim–use at least a 1,000 watt bulb); 2) Most of the pieces have sound on both reels; be sure that both projectors have external speakers (sometimes it is necessary to use the auditorium speaker and one external speaker); 3) Before threading the projectors, using the lights of the projectors, set up projectors: a) Place the projectors so that there is no keystoning (i.e., make sure both images are perfect rectangles); b) Align the light rectangles carefully, avoiding tilted images; c) When everything is in order, then thread up the films. -PS

Programs

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    Projection Instructions

    A program of 16mm films that involve special instructions to the projectionist, curator, or spectator

    Join us for a modular program of 16mm films that involve special instructions to the projectionist, curator, or spectator, underscoring the performative dimensions of cinematic exhibition. Venues wishing to exhibit a version of the program are encouraged to curate individual combinations of films from the list below that reflect their own interests, equipment, and exhibition spaces.

Films

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    Wintercourse
    Experimental

    Wintercourse
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, black and white, silent, 12 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Personal / Diary / Journal
    • Structural
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    Piece Mandala/End War
    Experimental

    Piece Mandala/End War
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color and b/w, sound, 5 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Erotic
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    Mandala Films
    Experimental

    Mandala Films
    Paul Sharits

    color, sound, 53 min
    Rental format: DVD PAL
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    Ray Gun Virus
    Experimental

    Ray Gun Virus
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, sound, 14 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Films About Film
    • Structural
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    T,O,U,C,H,I,N,G
    Experimental

    T,O,U,C,H,I,N,G
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, sound, 12 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Psychology / Mental Health
    • Structural
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    N:O:T:H:I:N:G
    Experimental

    N:O:T:H:I:N:G
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, sound, 35 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Structural
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    Inferential Current
    Experimental

    Inferential Current
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, sound, 8 min
    Rental format: 16mm
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    S:TREAM:S:S:ECTION:S:ECTION:S:S:ECTIONED
    Experimental

    S:TREAM:S:S:ECTION:S:ECTION:S:S:ECTIONED
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, sound, 42 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Films About Film
    • Structural
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    Axiomatic Granularity
    Experimental

    Axiomatic Granularity
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, sound, 20 min
    Rental format: 16mm
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    Analytical Studies III Color Frame Passages
    Experimental

    Analytical Studies III Color Frame Passages
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, silent, 22 min
    Rental format: 16mm
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    Color Sound Frames (Winding)
    Experimental

    Color Sound Frames (Winding)
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, sound, 22 min
    Rental format: 16mm
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    Apparent Motion
    Experimental

    Apparent Motion
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, silent, 28 min
    Rental format: 16mm
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    Shutter Interface
    Experimental

    Shutter Interface
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, sound, 24 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Structural
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    Epileptic Seizure Comparison
    Experimental

    Epileptic Seizure Comparison
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, sound, 34 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Psychology / Mental Health
    • Structural
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    Tails
    Experimental

    Tails
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, silent, 5 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Films About Film
    • Structural
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    Analytical Studies I: The Film Frame
    Experimental

    Analytical Studies I: The Film Frame
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, silent, 25 min
    Rental format: 16mm
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    Dream Displacement
    Experimental

    Dream Displacement
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, sound on separate reel(s), 25 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Films About Film
    • Structural
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    Analytical Studies IV: Blank Color Frames
    Experimental

    Analytical Studies IV: Blank Color Frames
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, silent, 20 min
    Rental format: 16mm
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    Analytical Studies II: Un-Frame-Lines
    Experimental

    Analytical Studies II: Un-Frame-Lines
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, silent, 30 min
    Rental format: 16mm
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    Declarative Mode
    Experimental

    Declarative Mode
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, silent, 39 min
    Rental format: 16mm
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    Episodic Generation
    Experimental

    Episodic Generation
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, sound, 30 min
    Rental format: 16mm
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    3rd Degree
    Experimental

    3rd Degree
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, sound, 24 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Films About Film
    • Structural
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    Bad Burns
    Experimental

    Bad Burns
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, silent, 6 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Films About Film
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    Brancusi's Sculpture Ensemble At Tirgu Jiu
    Experimental

    Brancusi's Sculpture Ensemble At Tirgu Jiu
    Paul Sharits

    16mm, color, sound, 21 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Environment / Nature
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    Rapture
    Experimental

    Rapture
    Paul Sharits

    Video, color, sound, 17 min
    Rental format: VHS NTSC
    • Psychology / Mental Health
    • Science / Medicine
    • Structural