Miss Jesus fries on grill

Duration: 12

Year Published: 1973

Creator: Dorothy Wiley.

Format: 16mm

Color: Color

Sound: sound

Credits: Wiley, Dorothy.; Raffael, Reuben Beau.; Canyon Cinema.

Description: Pacific Film Archive collection; non-circulating. CUY.; PFA 1604-01-12859. Restricted: Do not use (no sound); PFA 1604-01-12861. Restricted: PFA exhibition backup.; PFA 1604-01-12862. Restricted: For PFA exhibition only.; PFA 1604-01-12860. Restricted: Print quality not approved.; Reuben Beau Raffael.; "MISS JESUS FRIES ON GRILL is a mysterious striking evocation of pain and the short-circuiting sensations of living in this predicament of death. It is a short film and again the color is fine and sharp as a good paring knife. Beginning with a newspaper clipping, written in a remarkably detailed manner of a bizarre accident in which a Miss Jesus was killed when a car smashed into the cafe where she was eating. The impact threw her on the grill, heated to 500 degrees. Cut to close-up of a baby being bathed in sink, screaming in silence. Then music box tinkles, but it is being wound too fast and the melody careens about in an insane manner and loudly. A voice recounts the old parochial school chestnut about St. Laurence, the martyr who was killed by roasting, and his rejoinder to his killer, 'Turn me over. I think I'm done on this side.' The voice wonders if Miss Jesus knew the story. The image of the baby continues, bathing, nursing, falling asleep. It is impossible to convey the combination of counterpointing feelings this film arouses. Like all great art, it is mysterious in its working. Dorothy Wiley has such a clear but tender eye for life. Tender, not sentimental. MISS JESUS is a simply constructed, highly poetical film." - Mike Reynolds, Berkeley Barb; PFA 1604-01-12859. COPY-SPECIFC DESCRIPTION: 1 reel of 1 (12 min.) (432 ft.) : si., col. ; 16 mm polyester print. This print has no sound; was only used to check accuracy of the timing. Color is good but too cyan and too much contrast; timing changes requested.; PFA 1604-01-12861. Timing approved by Dorothy Wiley.; PFA 1604-01-12862. Approved; slight improvements over print #3.; PFA 1604-01-12860. Too red; timing changes requested

Metadata Source:BERKELEY ART MUSEUM AND PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE