University of Virginia Library

Noise

I can no longer remain silent
about the noise at nearly all of
the films shown in Wilson this
year. The 7:00 Sunday
showing of La Strada became
unbearable. The purpose of
these films, as of any work of
art, is to provide for the
audience new experience, new
ways of seeing and organizing
different facets of life. To gain
anything from a work of art
one must open oneself to its
means of communication, be
vulnerable to its emotional
devices. In some films this is
admittedly difficult as the
sensitivities called upon are
often alien to those common in
our daily lives. If we allow only
those sensitivities most easily
aroused to prevail, we gain
nothing from the work. It only
reflects what we already are
rather than broadening us into
something new. Derisive
laughter seems to be the easiest
response to anything foreign. It
is very easy to laugh at
Giultt Massina's strange and
incredibly expressive face, but
the distance created between
oneself and the emotions of
the movie in doing so obviates
any possibility of opening up
to the fine and delicate
experience that film can be.
Laughing at the effects of a
defective sound track is even
easier, but the sounds of the
audience were far more
distracting than Antonin on
the soundtrack. If you do not
want to put out the effort to
experience these films, please
don't attend, or control your
Philistine responses so the rest
of us can experience the film.