PRESS RELEASE
LUX DVD RELEASE – DYN AMO a film by Stephen Dwoskin.
Retail price £22, available from LUX and selected outlets now.
Steve
Dwoskin's seminal 1972 film DYN AMO was borne out of the hangover that
was left after 60's had fizzled out. The love-in was over and the
knives were out and drawn ready to carve up the moral and psychological
territory of the body politic, and the body in question was female.
Based on a play by Chris Wilkinson, DYN AMO is set in a Soho
strip-joint. The film is visually rich and emotionally intense,
following the routines of four strippers as they divest themselves of
their stage gear, the film pivots around a central scene that
articulates the brutality of desire.
Dwoskin's seminal 1972 film DYN AMO was borne out of the hangover that
was left after 60's had fizzled out. The love-in was over and the
knives were out and drawn ready to carve up the moral and psychological
territory of the body politic, and the body in question was female.
Based on a play by Chris Wilkinson, DYN AMO is set in a Soho
strip-joint. The film is visually rich and emotionally intense,
following the routines of four strippers as they divest themselves of
their stage gear, the film pivots around a central scene that
articulates the brutality of desire.
Dwoskin's
film and its un-relenting, un-compromising 'gaze' positioned itself
slap-bang in the middle of the controversy of the day. The film still
challenges and shocks today; the audience, caught in the filmmakers'
sights are unwittingly drawn into the contentious diagetic space of the
film itself; '…there are not three looks, as described in Mulvey's
article but four: the look at the viewer must be added.'[1] At the
core of the film itself is an age old human dilemma. In creating a
dialogue with the ‘feminine’, we are confronted with our conflicting
desire to merge with another and yet at the same time maintain our
autonomy.
film and its un-relenting, un-compromising 'gaze' positioned itself
slap-bang in the middle of the controversy of the day. The film still
challenges and shocks today; the audience, caught in the filmmakers'
sights are unwittingly drawn into the contentious diagetic space of the
film itself; '…there are not three looks, as described in Mulvey's
article but four: the look at the viewer must be added.'[1] At the
core of the film itself is an age old human dilemma. In creating a
dialogue with the ‘feminine’, we are confronted with our conflicting
desire to merge with another and yet at the same time maintain our
autonomy.
Dwoskin’s
films have never shied from difficult issues. Having contracted polio
as a child the subjects of disability, sexuality and mortality are
prevalent in his work; his films expound existential themes. He says of
himself,’ Film is my language and without my language I cease to be.’
films have never shied from difficult issues. Having contracted polio
as a child the subjects of disability, sexuality and mortality are
prevalent in his work; his films expound existential themes. He says of
himself,’ Film is my language and without my language I cease to be.’
He
was born in New York in 1939. In 1964 he moved to London on a Fulbright
Fellowship and in 1966 set up the London Film Makers Co-op with two
other New Yorkers, Andy Meyer and Simon Hartog. In London, Dwoskin
taught new generations of filmmakers at the Royal College of Art
(1973-83) and at the London College of Printing (1983-87).
was born in New York in 1939. In 1964 he moved to London on a Fulbright
Fellowship and in 1966 set up the London Film Makers Co-op with two
other New Yorkers, Andy Meyer and Simon Hartog. In London, Dwoskin
taught new generations of filmmakers at the Royal College of Art
(1973-83) and at the London College of Printing (1983-87).
His
filmmaking has spanned five decades and in Rotterdam 2006 he had a
major retrospective when he was chosen as Filmmaker in Focus.
filmmaking has spanned five decades and in Rotterdam 2006 he had a
major retrospective when he was chosen as Filmmaker in Focus.
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