The Golden Age of Films on Philosophy
March 28, 2005 published in Counterpoise magazine 2005
Several years ago when Zeitgeist Films released its feature documentary on French-American philosopher Derrida (2002), I started to believe that a golden age of films about philosophy and philosophers had begun. I had been waiting since 1968 when I first began studying philosophy, and spending my weekends at the University Film Society, to see powerful films that utilized its many techniques to explore the many people and ideas that have created the hyper-exciting world of philosophy. Finally my expectations have been fulfilled.
With a few exceptions – like Derek Jarman’s experimental film, Wittgenstein”(1993)-few filmmakers took up the challenge to deal seriously with the abstract world of philosophy. As an undergraduate and sometime graduate student of philosophy from 1968-78 and a full-time film society employee from 1972-78, I lived in both worlds of film and philosophy. Many philosophy professors were regulars at the university film. Godard was definitely the artist who mixed both worlds – even if Marx was still his hero. One great philosopher, Paul Feyerabend, came to the university and published a very interesting article – “Let’s Make More Movies!” Feyerabend would latter write that he regretted not becoming a professional actor, and now thought that philosophy was largely a waste of time. One of the few predecessors to the current group of films is Mark Achbar and Peter Wintonick’s 1992 film on Noam Chomsky - “Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomksy and the Media”. Mr. Achbar wrote me the following – “ The 165 minute film was far from obscure, playing theatrically in over 300 cities worldwide, in 55 film festivals (winning 22 awards), and airing on over 30 national television networks. It was, until The Corporation(2004) [also directed by Achbar and the film I chose as the “Best Film of 2004”], Canada’s all-time, top-grossing feature documentary and continues to this day to play in
Paris, 12 years after its initial release.” The West Virginia Library Commission purchased a VHS copy of the film from Zeitgeist Films, and still often loans it to patrons interested in seeing a great film about a great philosopher.
First there were the two series from Films for the Humanities and Sciences – Great Ideas of Philosophy I & 2 (2004). These series took more than a year to produce, creating a basket of films about all aspects of contemporary philosophy. The producers from
Argentina traveled the world, interviewing philosophers, showing great universities and libraries, spending a lot of time, money, and effort to give a comprehensive survey of contemporary serious philosophy.
All the while First Run/Icarus had been distributing great films on philosophers. Seymour Wishman, the president of sister company First Run Features, was a Rutgers philosophy undergrad, along with his friend, past
ALA prez Mitch Freedman. They began long ago with a great animated film, Marx for Beginners. (19 
They had their own film on Derrida – Derrida’s Elsewhere and a major new film on Noam Chomsky – not as philosopher but as political commentator – Power and Terror.(2002) They also distribute very interesting films like Edward Said – The Last Interview (2004), Mille Gilles about French philosopher Gilles Deleuze, and others. Recently First Run/Icarus released two extremely interesting films on philosophy and philosophers – Antonio Negri and The Ister.
The Ister is a three-hour philosophical travelogue up the
Danube
River from its mouth in
Romania to its source in The Black Forest. Scenes from the region are shown along with three sound tracks – 1. Music. 2. The words of Heidegger’s essay on Hölderlin’s poem called The Ister that is the Greek term for theDanube
River. 3. Contemporary philosophers Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe, Jean-Luc Nancy, Bernard Stiegler, and filmmaker Hans-Jürgen Syberberg discussing Heidegger, the famous German philosopher who became an official Nazi – and then resigned from The Party. I watched this film in pieces – as I always do reading philosophy, giving me time to meditate on the images and words. I would have enjoying seeing the film in a large film auditorium, at least half filled with other people who can enjoy the depth that this kind of film presents. Alas, I was not able to, but the film was interesting, and exhilarating even – combining many thoughts, images, and sounds into one event. Many viewers might find this experience challenging, or even scary –since it takes multi-tasking about as far as it can. It is definitely NOT a film for a causal viewer.
I watched the new documentary on Antonio Negri as soon as I received it. I then loaned it to one of the few local philosophy teachers who called it “the best one-hour film on philosophy I have ever seen.” I purchased a copy of Empire and now will read it, but this film was so exciting, and wonderful – showing a philosopher who truly lived by his ideas, enduring prison and exile. I was truly mystified by almost everything he said that was philosophical – or what he said to worshipping crowds of protesters. I think Wittgenstein was correct about the imaginary worlds philosophers create with their own private languages – they create the problems they want to solve. This said – I know that Negri and other continental philosophers have not wasted their time on worshipping science, but rather have used Marx and his followers to talk about mankind and his ailments. I would like to show this film to a group of green corporation CEOs and get their reaction. Another new film in this wave of films about philosophy is Polish-American filmmaker Pawel Kuczynski’s new one hour film, “Philosopher’s Paradise,” that is a Ross McElwee-style film about his father’s philosophical religion, “Universalism.” (This film has had very limited screenings. You can contact the filmmaker directly if you are interested in see it – as I did - http://www.directing.com/index.html.) This film is a bridge between the standard educational philosophy films and the new films from First Run/Icarus.
Apparently there are people other than myself who believe it is time to combine the depth of philosophical thinking with well-chosen images. Most Americans including myself first learned about films that showed advanced thinking when they first saw a Bergman film. Then we saw Godard’s films, but none of them took philosophy as a primary subject. These new films on philosophy have finally broken through this artificial barrier. Now if only philosophy journals will start reviewing these films. As far as I know, no serious philosophy publication in the Anglo-American world reviews films of any kind.Years ago Landmark Media released a very well made film, The First World (1991), hosted by leading American philosopher Richard Rorty. It won the award as the best single educational film of the year – but no one saw it or read reviews of it. The distributor even cut it in half, selling the first part about Pythagoras. Hopefully, with all of these great new films on philosophy, SOMEONE will get to see them – and experience the unique experience films like The Istar can provide.
New films on philosophy from First Run/Icarus Films The IsterYear. 2004Length. 189 minProducer. David Barison and Daniel RossContact info. www.frif.comISBN number. noneCost. Inquire - $490 purchase/ $150 rental VHS only
Antonio Negri: A Revolt That Never EndsYear. 2004Length. 52 minProducer. Eva RinkContact info. www.frif.comISBN number. none
Sale. $390 Rental: $75 Mille Gilles: A Thousand GillesYear. 1997Length. 44 mins.Producer. Ijsbrand van VeelenContact info. www.frif.comISBN number. None
Sale. $375. Rental. $75.
Derrida’s ElsewhereYear. 2000Length. 68 min.Producer. Safaa FathyContact info. www.frif.comISBN number. None
Sale. $298. Rental. $100. Edward Said: The Last InterviewYear. 2004Length. 114 min.Producer. D. D. GuttenplanContact info. www.frif.comISBN number. None
Sale. $ 298. Rental. $125.
Note on ISBN from distributor - In general we never get ISBN numbers for our releases, since only 1% get released on Home Video. Other films on philosophy from Zeitgeist Films
DerridaYear. 2002Length. 85 min.Directors. Kirby Dick, Amy Ziering KofmanASIN: B00011V872
Sale. $ 26.99 from Amazon
Manufacturing Consent - Noam Chomsky and the Media (1993) Year. 1993Length. 167 min.Directors. Mark Achbar, Peter WintonickASIN: B00005Y726
Sale. $ 23.99 from Amazon
Wittgenstein and Manufacturing Consent are all distributed by Zeitgeist Films, available on DVD from any retail vendor.
