Monday, June 8, 1998
Film develops themes of love, photography
FILM: ‘High Art’ avoids lesbian stereotyping; reveals depth,
maturity
By Michelle Baran
Daily Bruin Contributor
The door cracks, and a groggy-eyed, Australian blonde emerges
from the dungeon of her hotel bedroom, where she had escaped for an
afternoon snooze. Draped in an oversized sweatshirt, Radha Mitchell
in no way resembles Syd, the character she plays in Lisa
Cholodenko’s feature film debut, "High Art," which opens
Friday.
This down-to-earth actress from down under is one of those who
helped create writer and director Cholodenko’s fantastical world of
hardship with her ambitious, frustrated, sexually adventurous
character.
Syd’s professional and sexual anxieties bring to question the
realm of her relationship with photographer Lucy Berliner (Ally
Sheedy), who intimately intrigues Syd. Reciprocally, Lucy is lured
into Syd’s corporate temptations of fame and promise.
As an assistant editor at Frame magazine, Syd hopes to get
Lucy’s photos on the fall cover. The two first meet when Syd goes
upstairs to investigate a leak coming from Lucy and her
heroin-addict girlfriend’s apartment. Syd is instantly captivated
by Lucy’s photos – and, ultimately, her lifestyle. Gradually, a
mutual fascination develops, as each is enticed into the other’s
world. But tangled emotions blur the line between genuine career
intentions and sexual motivation.
"Syd and Lucy meet and inspire each other, in some way, to move
forward, and they kind of do so in a way that’s too fast and ends
up being destructive," Mitchell says.
"So, out of this destruction, something emerges. Those gaps in
your life are often the most significant, when you don’t know what
… is going on."
Lucy and Syd’s sexual confrontation results in some highly
intense scenes between Sheedy and Mitchell. Consequently, an
alluring aspect of lesbianism seeps into the plot development,
complimenting the existing conflicts. In addition to her individual
battle with professional aspirations, Syd now faces the new concept
of desire and lust.
"I never endeavored to name it a lesbian film, and I feel proud
that the film transcends that boundary," Cholodenko says. "It
doesn’t even address the issue of sexuality confusion, and I think
that’s a good thing to put out into the world, because the things
that own people’s minds, or their concerns, are much more
universal."
Set in New York City, "High Art" reflects the intoxicating world
of the early ’90s, setting the stage for the conflicts Cholodenko
wants to address. Complimented by Lucy’s photography, credited to
Jojo Whilden, the atmosphere that molds this abstract scenario
consists of hard-living junkies serving as a permanent backdrop to
Lucy’s apartment.
"I wanted to depict an environment where the viewer can identify
with certain politics, you know, sort of these psychological games
and political power structure," Cholodenko says. "And that doesn’t
necessarily have to be in a high-brow art magazine, or a pop
culture magazine, that can be anywhere."
In order to accurately capture this environment, casting
directors spent a great deal of time assembling the perfect group.
Gabriel Mann, Patricia Clarkson and Bill Sage rounded out the cast.
Choosing the roles for Syd and Lucy came naturally. Mitchell and
Sheedy shared a common energy that was essential in developing
their elaborate relationship within the film.
"Ally, she’s great. As an actor she’s very giving, and she’s,
you know, not one of those people who’s concerned about the angle
of the camera and crap like that," Mitchell says. "She’s about
acting and so if you’re working with someone who really knows what
they’re doing, and giving you energy, then it makes your own work
better."
Together the two enhance a story that opens itself to individual
interpretation and application. It no longer serves as an easy,
no-need-to-think movie, but instead becomes a mad lib, asking the
audience to fill in some blanks.
"I wanted (the audience) to feel that it was a complex story,
that it was absorbing, that they could see something in themselves
in it, that it addressed issues that, I think, we all struggle with
at certain points in our lives, that it was sort of a ride into a
fantasy zone where people don’t really go," Cholodenko says.
"Most people don’t snort heroin, and I would say that most of
the population isn’t art lesbians living in New York City. And
there’s something fascinating."
FILM: "High Art" opens Friday.October Films
Radha Mitchell (left) and Ally Sheedy star in "High Art".