PORTRAIT OF JASON (1967, 2013) – Documentary Retroview
Restored and Re-Released Edition of Shirley Clark’s Classic
As part of its ongoing Shirley Clarke Project, Milestone Pictures has completely restored Portrait of Jason, and is re-releasing the film theatrically, on DVD and via broadcast. Portrait of Jason had its theatrical premiere on October 2, 1967 in New York. After a successful art house run, the masterful film was added to the inventory of several film archives and collections, including that of the Museum of Modern Art. However, the prints eventually became worn and/or damaged to the degree that the fine qualities of the film were obscured. And, the original master was lost for more than 45 years.
Restoration: A Labor of Love
Film restorers Dennis Doros and Amy Heller, the couple who founded and run Milestone Films, are dedicated to preserving the films they love, and sharing them with cinephiles. After restoring and re-releasing Clark’s Ornette: Made in America, Lionel Rogosin’s On The Bowery and Margot Benacerraf‘s Araya, among other treasured classic films that might well have been lost without their intervention, Doros and Heller turned their attention to Portrait of Jason.
Bringing Jason To Light
Film restoration is always an arduous process, but bringing Jason back to light posed unique challenges. These are detailed by Doros and Heller in a entertaining and informative video on YouTube. The video gives you the story of the Jason restoration, and provides a terrific backgrounder on the field of film restoration, in general.
The film was originally shot in black and white on 16mm stock, then printed on 35 mm. Over the years, the strong blacks faded to gray, and with the loss of contrast, the fine definition of the images was lost, too. It’s important to see Jason fully defined.
An Intimate and Carefully Constructed Documentary Profile
The film presents an intimate profile of Jason Holliday, nee Aaron Payne, a performance artist of sorts, a sometimes hustler and a very campy character who lived in New York’s legendary Chelsea Hotel, where Shirley Clarke and many other artists resided or bedded down while visiting New York. The Chelsea was a hotbed of creativity and a bastion of alternative lifestyles.
The film, which was shot in Shirley Clarke’s apartment, is basically a 101 minute long monologue in which Jason, a flamboyant African-American gay man, is prompted by questions posed by off screen interviewers — Clarke and her partner, Carl Lee — to reveal the story of his life, tell of his aspirations and describe the way in which he sees the world.
All the while, Jason is drinking liberal quantities of alcohol, smoking nonstop and getting looser and looser in his self expression. He’s quite the captivating character and watching his prompted stream of consciousness is like sitting in on a one shot therapy session.
In addition to tossing questions and suggestions to Jason, Shirley Clarke calls for the reloading of the camera and makes other comments that keep you aware of the filmmaking process. The film’s forward momentum is maintained by Clarke’s brilliant editing that makes it seem that the footage is being presented exactly as it was shot, without any editing at all.
Clarke’s Version of Verite
The film is designed to mimic verite style, even to the inclusion of camera reloads. But it is, in fact, fully directed. Shot over a period of twelve hours, it has set up scenes and the final cut is just 101 minutes long. The style is signature Shirley Clarke. She is toying with the properties of verite rather than committing to them, and in doing so, she demonstrates her belief that once a camera has been turned on, the reality that’s shown on screen mimics the reality of what has been shot, but doesn’t present of represent it. In this portrait, Jason is performing. It’s impossible to tell when he’s being himself, performing himself or mimicking himself — and that’s what makes his portrait and Clarke’s film so fascinating.
(DISCLOSURE: I was a member of Shirley Clarke’s Teepee Video Space Troupe, and worked with the company at Clarke’s Chelsea Hotel penthouse and other locations.)
Film Details:
Title: Portrait of Jason – 1967 and 2013
Director: Shirley Clark
U.S. Theatrical Premiere Date: October 2, 1967 (limited)
Restored Version Theatrical Release Date: April 19, 2012
Running Time: 101 mins.
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Parental Advisory: Content advisory for parents for content.
Location: Chelsea Hotel, Manhattan, New York, USA
Language: English
Production Country: USA
2013 Restoration Theatrical Release and DVD Distribution: Milestone Films and Video
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