March 2012, arsenal cinema

Camp/Anti-Camp: Carmen Miranda und Alla Nazimova

COPACABANA, 1947

Camp is a lie which tells the truth. Camp is an unexpectedly strong commitment to the trivial. Camp is so bad it's good. Camp is so good it's good. Camp asks what would be if those who had made the film were queer. Camp, a term that was introduced into cultural studies discourse by Susan Sontag in 1964, and stems from queer subculture, is difficult to define. Denoting a perverse productive view of cultural products and a lifestyle at once, the term enables a new perspective on films, stars and styles of the past and present. As part of the "Camp/Anti-Camp" festival curated by Susanne Sachsse and Marc Siegel (19.–21. April, HAU), Arsenal is showing important camp-related films in March and April so as to question the relevance of the term.

In COPACABANA (Alfred E. Green, USA 1947, 19.3.) Groucho Marx is seen alongside the wonderful Brazilian star Carmen Miranda, who plays a rare main role. An important symbol and camp icon of Tropicalism, a cultural movement that emerged in Brazil in the 60s and 70s, Miranda played a double role that can easily read as a self-reflective critique of her star image.

Alla Nazimova's silent spectacle SALOME (Charles Bryant, USA 1923, 23.3.) is a legendary work of queer cinema. Based on the play by Oscar Wilde and staged in the art-deco style developed by Aubrey Beardsley, Nazimova's film is proof that style and aesthetics can outdo content. The film will be presented as part of the Rising Stars, Falling Stars program by silent movie expert Vaginal Davis and the music will be provided by John and Tim Blue. (Marc Siegel)