Albert Maysles – Grey Gardens: showing the film to the Beales (71/97)

Описание: To listen to more of Albert Maysles’ stories, go to the playlist:    • Albert Maysles – Thoughts on art and my pa...  

Albert Maysles (1926-2015) was known for his important documentaries on Muhammad Ali, Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles. He pioneered the documentary style known as Direct Cinema and helped create techniques still used in modern documentary production and in reality TV. [Listeners: Sara Maysles, Rebekah Maysles and Tamara Tracz; date recorded: 2004]

TRANSCRIPT: Once we finished the film, we wanted the first people to see it, would be the mother and her daughter; so we brought the film to Grey Gardens with a projector, we showed it to them and there was a moment of silence and then Edie walked back and forth in the room and in an extremely loud voice shouted- the Maysles have created a classic! So we knew right away that the film was approved, and quite heartily. All of that being in great contrast to some of the reviews that we got where we were criticized for exploiting these women, whatever. Some people just don't understand the difference between getting to know somebody very intimately and somehow or other hurting them and exploiting them. There's an interesting word in this regard. It shows you how cockeyed this culture is with regard to people getting to know one another on an intimate level. The word is: vulnerability. And somehow when- when one speaks of another person candidly, exposing their inner thoughts to another person, whereas oh, their vulnerabilities. As if- as if through the process of being very open with another person you're going to get hurt. Because- because that's what the word vulnerable means. You're- you're exposing yourself to the possibility of getting hurt. Now, now why people choose that word rather than another word- I don't even know what that other word would be- but a word that expresses the notion that by opening your heart and soul to another person you're doing something healthful and beneficial- something that shows your strength and adds to your strength; which I think is the case of what happened with the Beale's. I think that their- their opportunity to be recognized as artists, as women of creative fashion, of, of an eccentric- an eccentricity that nevertheless was, was a love story- there was a genuine and beautiful love between these two women under odd circumstances. But people use this word vulnerable. I would like to find out what that word is or see a word invented that expresses the fact that people can be benefited in a very positive way by sharing their thoughts and emotions with other people. We seem to stress the fact- oh, you're going to be hurt if you- if you tell people who you really are. I don't go with that.