FILM IN FOCUS: Meshes of the Afternoon

Alexander Hammid and Maya Deren’s enormously influential experimental film Meshes of the Afternoon (1943) saturates everyday objects and settings with meanings that are obscure to the viewer. In the first moments of the film, the woman (Deren) enters a house and begins to explore.

Discussion Questions

After watching this clip fromMeshes of the Afternoon, consider the questions below. Then submit your response.

Question

1. How do techniques of editing and camera movement convey the subjective experience of the woman?
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Question

2. How does the sequence engage narrative expectations? Do those expectations then change?
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