Name: SYMBIOPSYCHOTAXIPLASM: TAKE ONE – The Revolutionary Cinéma Vérité Doc!
Start: 2024-07-26T19:00:00-07:00
End: 2024-07-26T21:00:00-07:00
Location: Philosophical Research Society

SYMBIOPSYCHOTAXIPLASM: TAKE ONE – The Revolutionary Cinéma Vérité Doc!

The Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles is a nonprofit cultural and educational organization which presents concerts, film screenings, lectures, performance art and theatre events, gallery exhibits and more on the intersection between the creative arts and mythology, mysticism and metaphysics.

The Philosophical Research Society

Join us for this wildly innovative sixties counterculture landmark – a revolutionary masterpiece of "fact-or-fiction?" filmmaking!

Philosophical Research Society

SCREENINGS at PRS

Join us for an eclectic range of films and programs on our historic auditorium's big screen!

“… a movie that enters our film history so decisively it seems like it’s always been there.” – J. Hoberman, The Village Voice“ a witty, still-timely, and extraordinary satire on filmmaking theory and technique that ranks with the liveliest of formal experiments of Jean-Luc Goddard , John Cassavetes and Andy Warhol.” – Armond White, The City Sun“Fascinating, highly entertaining and, at moments, revelatory.” – Manohla Dargis, The New York Times“Greaves’s place in history is unarguable, whether it’s then, now, in the future, or all of the above.” – Michael Atkinson, The Village Voice Join us as we spend an afternoon in the park (...in the evening!) with a singular masterpiece of “fact or fiction?” documentary filmmaking and one of the most revolutionary cinéma vérité films ever made – William Greaves’ SYMBIOPSYCHOTAXIPLASM: TAKE ONE (1971). Cinéma vérité reaches a new level of reality in Greaves’ film-within-a-film in which the director – perhaps the sole Black experimental filmmaker of his time creating feature length films – dares to break the accepted rules of cinema. It’s 1968 and Greaves and his crew are in New York’s Central Park ostensibly filming a screen test. The drama involves a bitter break-up between a married couple. But this is just the “cover story.” The real story is happening “off” camera as the enigmatic director pursues his hidden agenda. The growing conflict and chaos—accompanied by moments of uproarious humor—explodes on screen, producing the energy and the insights that the director is searching for. Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One may well be the first self-reflexive feature film to have been produced in cinéma vérité style. Greaves compares the making of “Symbio” to jumping off a cliff without a parachute. He uses multiple cameras, mixing cinéma vérité and conventional shooting styles and experiments with a variety of other cinematic techniques, including the use of simultaneous split-screen images. The result is a film with multiple levels of reality that reveals, and comments upon, the creative process. Selected by the National Film Registry (whose mission is “to ensure the survival, conservation, and increased public availability of America’s film heritage”) for entry in the Library of Congress, more than 50 years since its release this wildly innovative sixties counterculture landmark remains one of the most tightly focused and insightful movies ever made about making movies. <blockquote>“What was immediately striking about Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One was that it did not directly engage race or racism, although the fact that Greaves is both the film’s director-writer-producer and its on-screen protagonist—the focus of almost every scene—guaranteed that viewers, regardless of race, had to confront whatever racial stereotypes they held. Quite simply, in 1968, there were at best a handful of African-American directors working in television and no African-Americans directing feature films. For an African-American director to make a feature film, let alone one as experimental as a film by Warhol or Godard, could not have been imagined if Greaves hadn’t gone out and done it.”</blockquote><blockquote> </blockquote><blockquote>–Amy Taubin, for the Criterion Collection</blockquote> Dir. William Greaves, 1971, USA, Color, 1hr 15min, Unrated, Digital. <h3>Tickets: $10 (In Person Event Only)</h3> Please email events@prs.org or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.

ACCESSIBILITYPRS wants all guests to be able to enjoy our events safely and comfortably. If you require any accessibility accommodation, please reach out to <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lost-angel-the-genius-of-judee-sill-qa-w-tommy-peltier-pat-thomas-tickets-893762526777?aff=oddtdtcreator&amp;_gl=1%2A1l9pitv%2A_up%2AMQ..%2A_ga%2ANjMyMDUzNjc4LjE3MTQ0MDU1NTg.%2A_ga_TQVES5V6SH%2AMTcxNDQwNTU1OC4xLjAuMTcxNDQwNTU1OC4wLjAuMA.." title="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lost-angel-the-genius-of-judee-sill-qa-w-tommy-peltier-pat-thomas-tickets-893762526777?aff=oddtdtcreator&amp;_gl=1%2A1l9pitv%2A_up%2AMQ..%2A_ga%2ANjMyMDUzNjc4LjE3MTQ0MDU1NTg.%2A_ga_TQVES5V6SH%2AMTcxNDQwNTU1OC4xLjAuMTcxNDQwNTU1OC4wLjAuMA.." target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">events@prs.org</a> before showtime and we will be happy to assist you.

REFUND POLICIESAll sales are final. There are no refunds or exchanges for PRS events, except in the event of a medical emergency, including but not limited to a positive COVID-19 test.In the event that PRS is forced to cancel an event entirely, tickets will be refunded or vouchers offered for a rescheduled event.

PARKINGLimited parking is available onsite at PRS in both the front lot (entry from Los Feliz Blvd. when heading east) and back lot (entry from first alley way, off Griffith Park Blvd. from intersection with Los Feliz Blvd.), as well as street parking on Griffith Park Blvd. and on Los Feliz Blvd after 7pm. We encourage attendees to consider carpooling, walking or biking to events if possible, and please be considerate of our Los Feliz neighbors when parking.

PRS EVENT POLICIES<ul><li>We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.</li><li>Events are subject to change without notice, including guest speakers and/or performers.</li><li>We encourage you to arrive at least 30 min. before the scheduled event start time to find parking, enjoy the Bookstore and take your seats.</li><li>Please turn off all mobile devices before the show. Talking and texting are not allowed during the events.</li><li>No filming, audio recording or mobile phone recording of events, screenings, concerts or other programs by audience members is allowed without permission.</li><li>There is no smoking permitted on PRS grounds.</li><li>We strongly encourage guests to wear masks to PRS events to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.</li><li>PRS allows Service Animals into the facility under ADA and state guidelines. For further details please visit www.ADA.gov. No animals permitted whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support, under ADA guidelines and CA Health Code.</li><li>Please do not bring outside food or drink into PRS events.</li><li>Weapons are strictly prohibited at PRS events.</li></ul>

SYMBIOPSYCHOTAXIPLASM: TAKE ONE – The Revolutionary Cinéma Vérité Doc!

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SYMBIOPSYCHOTAXIPLASM: TAKE ONE – The Revolutionary Cinéma Vérité Doc!

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