“MEN ARE PIGS”
This short film made in 1991 by Aryan Kaganof, still called Ian Kerkhof at the time, is a great film, gentle and provocative at the same time. It lasts for only 3 minutes but is nevertheless very powerful. Its text could be the subject of a whole critique – it was written by Henry Rollins, the ex-rock star who has worked many times with Kaganof and Richard Kern. I had the honour of presenting this film the 27th November 2003 in Paris, in front of its director.
During an orgy implied by the soundtrack, (the first part of the film being a black screen), we hear the cries of satisfaction from men. There is no background music during this first part but the “drunken” voices are very melodic. We hear no sign of female voices among these satisfied cries. When these voices stop, another “hard” voice starts, shouting the words of a song without music, repeating the title of the film as the chorus; “Men Are Pigs”. This song tells girls to castrate their lovers after fellatio, as the singer shouts, “Rapists, we’ll get you!” The song seems to be against machismo. The screen remains black. This is the second part of the film. A few seconds later a painting of an armed young woman appears. We hear a pistol shot, and it’s over. The formal work of the filmmaker’s images is very strong and very inventive. What is the message that Kaganof is trying to convey? It is pure poetry with no need of woolly interpretations. What would be the point in interpreting this tender “provocation?” (in the best sense of the word). Furthermore, the film is not direct – it makes its suggestions indirectly. It is worth noting that Kaganof has already indirectly and metaphorically criticised machismo – a characteristic example would be his film “Kyodai Makes The Big Time”, made in the same year. The eponymous hero of the film sees lots of women all through the film but is killed in a motorbike accident. This scene has to be a reference to Kenneth Anger and his “Scorpio Rising” of 1963. MEN ARE PIGS is a poem of the streets and inner cities.
By Dionysos ANDRONIS
March 11, 2006
translated from the french by lucy lyall grant
March 31st, 2007 at 3:02 pm
This article was translated in english by Lucy Lyall Grant,an english woman living in the french country. A monography will be published latter with all her translations about Aryan.