Review

Reviewed Work(s): Theorizing Documentary by Michael Renov

Review by: Barry Keith Grant
Source: Film Quarterly , Summer, 1995, Vol. 48, No. 4 (Summer, 1995), pp. 59-60
Published by: University of California Press

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1213592

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 Adapting
AdaptingJameson's
Jameson's notion
notion of "machine
of "machine time,"time,"Dienst Dienst "historiography,
"historiography, postmodernpostmoderntheory,theory,and andphilosophy."
philosophy."
then
then introduces
introduces two two categories
categories for explicating
for explicating the way the way (4) The
The issues
issues they
they discuss
discussrange
rangewidely,
widely,fromfrom ethical
ethical toto
television
televisionanalyzes
analyzes all all
its its
content-still
content-still time timeand auto- and auto- ideological
ideological to to formal.
formal.All Allbut
butone
oneofofthetheessays
essays arearepub-
pub-
matic
matictime,
time,thethe two twodirections
directions in which
in whichtime moves
time moves on onlished
lished here
here for for the
the first
firsttime
time(the
(theexception,
exception, Trinh
Trinh T. T.
TV.
TV. The
Thefirst
firstarearestill
still
images
images withwith rapidrapid
cuts in cuts
between;
in between; Minh-ha's
Minh-ha's "The "The Totalizing
TotalizingQuestQuestfor forMeaning,"
Meaning," ap-ap-
automatic
automatictime time occurs
occurs when when one oneimage image
appears appears
and is and peared
is
peared in
in anan earlier
earlierform formin inher
herownown19911991collection,
collection,
left
left running,
running, making
making it "the
it "thetimetime
of the ofcamera's
the camera'srelent-relent- When
When the the Moon
Moon WaxesWaxesRed).Red).
less
less stare."
stare."(161)
(161) Still
Still
timetimesignals
signals
that thatimages images
are in arethe in the Renov
Renov boldly
boldly declares
declaresat atthe
theoutset
outsetofofhishisintroduc-
introduc-
past,
past, automatic
automatic time
time movesmoves intointothe future
the future with allwith the all thetion that,
that, because
because documentary
documentarycinema cinemaraises
raises thethe same
same
anticipation
anticipationoror boredom
boredom thatthatmaymay involve.involve.
The crucial
The crucial theoretical
theoretical questions
questionsas asfiction
fictionfilm,
film,"It"Itmay
maywell
well bebe that
that
point
pointisisthat
thatit itis is
notnot entities
entitiesor situations
or situations that arethat being
are beingthe marginalization
marginalizationof ofthe
thedocumentary
documentaryfilm filmasas a subject
a subject
presented
presentedonontelevision,
television, butbut ratherrather
"the "the
archaic archaic
speeds speeds
of of serious
serious inquiry
inquiry isisat atan
anend."
end."(1)
(1)Whether
Whetheroror notnotthis
this
is is
their
theirappearing."
appearing." (165)
(165)
TheThe switching,
switching, mixing, mixing,
and cut- and cut-the case,
case, certainly
certainly Renov Renovhas hasininmind
mindthe thepioneering
pioneering
ting
ting of oftime
timeinin these
these twotwo ways ways
leaves leaves
television
television
stuck stuck work
work of of Nichols,
Nichols, particularly
particularlyhis hisanalysis
analysisofofthe the discur-
discur-
somewhere
somewhereinin between
between older older
technological
technological formsforms of ofsive similarities
similarities and anddifferences
differencesbetween
betweendocumentary
documentary
communication
communication which
which dealdealin static
in staticimages images
and codes,and codes, and fiction.
fiction. In In Theorizing
TheorizingDocumentary,
Documentary,despitedespite the
the dif-
dif-
and
and new
newtechnologies
technologies wherewhere the the
flowflow of digital
of digital
informa- informa- ferent
ferent emphases
emphases of ofRenov's
Renov'sselections,
selections,ininone one way
way oror
tion
tion isisinstantaneous
instantaneous andandallegedly
allegedly unadulterated.
unadulterated. another
another theythey all all address
addresshow,how,ininNichols'
Nichols'words,
words, docu-
docu-
A
A major
majorattribute
attribute of ofStillStill
LifeLife
in Realin Real
Time Timeis howis how mentaries
mentaries are are "a"a fiction
fiction(un)like
(un)likeany
anyother."
other."
originally
originallyititconveys
conveys a sense
a senseof the of ubiquity
the ubiquity and immen-
and immen- Brian Brian Winston
Winston offersofferssomesomesolid
solidhistorical
historicalresearch
research
sity
sity ofoftelevision.
television. Automatic
Automatic timetime forces forces
us to us keep to keep to examine
examine how how scientific
scientificdiscourse
discourseisisnecessarily
necessarily built
built
watching,
watching,and andstill
still
timetimeforces
forcesus touskeep to keep
switching.
switching.
This This into cinema
cinema as as an
an apparatus.
apparatus.(41) (41)His
Hisdiscussion
discussion ranges
ranges
gives
givesthe thetelevision
television image
image exorbitant
exorbitant powerpower over our over ourfrom
from cinema's
cinema's prehistory
prehistoryto tocontemporary
contemporarypractice,
practice, al-al-
images
imagesof ofthe
thepast
past andandthethefuture,
future,of things
of things
familiar familiar
and and
though
though he he focuses
focuses in ingreatest
greatestdetail
detailon onthe
thedirect
direct cinema
cinema
alien.
alien.Dienst
Dienstconstantly
constantly insists
insists
we movewe move beyond beyond
televi- televi-and cinema
cinema verite
verite movements
movementsininthe the1960s.
1960s.Winston's
Winston's
sion
sion and
andthetheparticular
particular theories
theories and conceptual
and conceptual schemes schemesconclusion
conclusion that that the
thecontemporary
contemporarysundering
sunderingofof signified
signified
used
used to tocomprehend
comprehend it, it,
thus thus
reclaiming
reclaiming "the power
"the powerto to signifier
and signifier in in the
thevisual
visualimage,
image,a aradical
radicalrevision
revision ofofthethe
create
createimages
images ofof our our
own" own"(xiii)(xiii)
and realizing
and realizing "the radi-
"the radi-cinema's
cinema's status
status as as science
sciencebrought
broughtaboutaboutby bytechnologi-
technologi-
cal
cal potential
potentialofof thinking
thinking beyond
beyond television."
television."
(xii) Seeing
(xii) Seeingcal innovations
innovations in in the
theapparatus
apparatusitself,
itself,assumes
assumes greater
greater
and
and thinking
thinking past
pasttelevision
television is a isHerculean
a Herculean task. Richard
task. Richard urgency
urgency in in the
the wake
wakeof ofaamovie
movielike likeForrest
ForrestGump Gump
Dienst
Dienstisisup uptotoit.it. (1994),
(1994), with
with itsits computer-enhanced
computer-enhancedimages imagesofof "history."
"history."
JOHN P. MCCARTHY
Philip
Philip Rosen
Rosen examines
examinesthethedocumentary
documentaryfilm
filminin
terms
terms
ofof
the discourses
discourses of
of historiography;
historiography;but
butififmuch
muchofof
what
what
hehe
* John P. McCarthy writes on filmhasand
to
to say
say about
about the
theGriersonian
Griersonianconcept
conceptofofdocumentary
documentary
television from New York City. seems
seems toto rehash
rehash past
pastarguments,
arguments,he hedoes
doesoffer
offer
some
some
valuable
valuable distinctions
distinctionsbetween
betweenthe thekinds
kindsofof"history"
"history"of-
of-
fered
fered by
by cinema
cinema and
andtelevision
televisionnews,
news,and
andheheeffectively
effectively
challenges the relevance of Baudrillard's take on
postmodernism in the context of our experience and un-
derstanding of documentary. In typically provocative
Theorizing Documentary
fashion, Nichols discusses some recent documenta-
Edited by Michael Renov. New York: ries-The Thin Blue Line (1990), Our Marilyn (1988),
Routledge/AFI, 1993. $49.95 cloth; Tongues Untied (1989)-in terms of how they address
$15.95 paper. the human body as documentary signifier.
Other chapters are more concerned with
In this significant contribution to the new
contextualizing documentary's truth claims ideologi-
work being done on the documentary, Michael Renov cally. Trinh critiques all documentaries for their claim to
aspires to reconceptualize traditional notions of the non-
"a totalizing quest for knowledge." In a relatively brief
fiction film in light of contemporary critical theory.
piece that seems somewhat overshadowed by the theo-
Theorizing Documentary is, in this sense, something ofretical
a weight of the other essays, Bill Horrigan dis-
companion volume to Bill Nichols' Representing Real- cusses the production of AIDS-related documentaries in
ity (1991). Renov has collected essays by nine scholars
terms of "the importance of people owning and being
(including Nichols), who approach documentary cinema able to determine the terms of how they are visually
from such perspectives as, in the editor's own words,represented." (170) "Three American Moments," a par-

59

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 ticularly
ticularly fine
finepiece
pieceby
byPaul
Paul
Arthur,
Arthur,
balances
balances
history,
history, collection
collection of of
conference
conference
papers;papers;
rather, rather,
he has arranged
he has arranged
ideology,
ideology, and
andtextual
textualanalysis
analysis
to to
show
show
how
how
eacheach
of these
of these them
themsoso
that
that
they
they
play play
off each
offother
eachinother
provocative
in provocative
moments
moments (New
(NewDeal
Dealdocumentaries
documentariesof of
thethe
1930s;
1930s;
direct
direct ways.
ways.For
Forinstance,
instance,
Rosen's
Rosen's
insistence
insistence
on the a priori
on the a priori
cinema of the 1960s; and what Arthur terms the new existence
existence of of
thethe
historical
historical
real in real
documentary
in documentary
as a direct as a direct
"aesthetics of failure" in recent ironic pastiches such as challenge
challenge to to
Baudrillard's
Baudrillard's
view ofview
postmodernism
of postmodernism
is fol- is fol-
Sherman's March [1987] and Roger and Me [1989]) lowed
lowedbyby Trinh's
Trinh's
discussion
discussion
of documentary
of documentary
as anthro- as anthro-
privileges a particular discourse (a "jargon of authentic- pology
pologyand
and
herher
claim
claim
that "there
that "there
is no such
is thing
no such
as thing as
ity") in its claim to present the real. documentary"
documentary" because
because
its "truth
its "truth
is often is
nothing
oftenmore
nothing more
Two other essays similarly promise to theorize than thana ameaning."
meaning."(90-92)
(90-92)
Trinh Trinh
is, in turn,
is, in
followed
turn,byfollowed by
documentary as a form by concentrating on readings of Arthur,
Arthur, who
who
finds
finds
in theinmost
the recent
most of recent
the "three
of the
Ameri-
"three Ameri-
specific texts, although there is a marked difference in can
canmoments"
moments" he analyzes
he analyzes a reaction
a reaction
against anagainst an
their achievement. Ana M. Lopez discusses the Brazilian"epistemic
"epistemic
ambition
ambition
to speak
to speak
from a from
totalizing
a totalizing
frame- frame-
TV mini-series "America" as a postmodern text that iswork workofof
knowledge
knowledge
aboutabout
some fully
someintelligible
fully intelligible
reality." reality."
less about the "real" America than it is an examination of (128)
(128)
its cultural representations "through a distinct filter of It is no coincidence that both Renov's introduction
otherness." (153) Susan Scheibler's reading of Wim and the volume's final chapter, the contribution of
Wenders' Lightning over Water balances both film Nichols, conclude by citing the Rodney King videotape
theory and philosophy, particularly J. L. Austin's dis- as a lesson that interpretation is as important to docu-
tinction between the constantive and performative func- mentary as it is to fiction film. This is, indeed, the in-
tions of language. But while Lopez's analysis raises pro- forming theme of the book, and one that Renov views
vocative questions about marginality and postcolonial with some urgency. He has no hesitation in asserting that
discourse generally, Scheibler's seems to bog down in a his collection will provide a significant step toward the
swamp of terminology, ultimately making Wenders' reexamination of the relations between fiction and non-
film seem as dry as the writer's own style. fiction texts, and thus will contribute toward the redefini-
Renov's own contribution attempts to negotiate the tion of "the core and periphery of film and television
seemingly antagonistic concerns of science and art in the studies." (2) For the most part, the thoughtful essays he
context of elucidating a "poetics," or the "principles of has gathered here very likely will.
construction," of nonfiction film. As he says himself, he BARRY KEITH GRANT

seeks to explore "the notion of an explicit 'documentary

desire,' a desire-to-know aligned with the drive for an
enabling mastery of the lived environs." (5) Renov iden-
tifies four documentary "modalities"-to record, reveal
or preserve; to persuade or promote; to analyze or inter-
rogate; and to express-and considers the manner in
which each is "fueled" by desire, or what Nichols has
called "epistephilia." These modalities are different
from Nichols' four documentary modes of representa-
tion (which are more rhetorically based), but curiously
reminiscent of the structuring principles of Erik
Barnouw' s 1974 history, Documentary: A History of the
Non-Fiction Film, with its chapter headings of "Ex-
plorer," "Reporter," "Painter," "Promoter," and so on.
Renov disagrees with Nichols' subsuming of documen-
tary under the rubric of "discourse of sobriety" for, in his
view, documentary shares too closely so many of the
techniques and pleasures of narrative cinema. However,
to what extent this is revelatory as opposed to obvious is
a matter of opinion, much like the recent "discovery" question: How can images and whole films or videos
that identification in the cinema is fluid, not bound by conjure up a world of almost palpable objects and events,
gender.
About a third of the essays in the volume originated
as papers delivered at the 1990 Ohio University Film
Conference. But Renov has provided a logical structure
for the essays so that the book is more than simply a
* Barry Keith Grant is Director of F
Studies at Brock University in Ont
Canada, and the author of Voyages
Discovery: The Cinema of Frederic
Wiseman.
Visual
Visual "Literacy"
"Literacy"
Image,
Image, Mind,
Mind,and
andReality
Reality
By Paul Messaris. Boulder, CO:
Westview Press, 1994. $59.00 cloth;
$17.95 paper.
At the heart of this insightful book is the
despite the many differences between the appearance of
the real world and the appearance of any kind of picture?
Answering this question clarifies the issue of visual "lit-
eracy." What do we need to know to comprehend still
and moving images, and edited scenes? What benefits

60

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