Text for a film called Poetic Justice by Hollis Frampton
(2/1/1972)
POETIC JUSTICE dated February, 1972
at Eaton, New York
HF
#1. TITLE: FIRST TABLEAU
#2. (L.S.) A blooming lilac In early light. Scene brightens slowly. (Slow dissolve to...)
#3. (M.S.) Room Interior. Open window. A Iliac Is seen outside. (Zoom In and drop to...)
#4. (C.U.) A small table below a window. A potted cactus, a coffee cup.
#5. (C.U.) My hand places a black-and-white photograph of your face on a table.
#6. (C.U.) My hand places a hand-tinted photograph of your face on a table.
#7. (C.U.) My hand places a color photograph of your face on a table.
#8. (M.S.) Room Interior with window. You walk slowly through scene and exit.
#9. (M.S.) Room interior. Your lover walks slowly through scene and exits.
#10. (M.S.) Room interior. You enter, carrying a camera in one hand, walk to window.
#11. (C.U.) Your face In profile, looking through window.
#12. (M.S.) A lilac In bloom.
#13. (C.U.) A lilac. A bluejay lands.
#14. (M.S.) You raise a camera to your eye.
#15. (C.U.) Your face In profile, squinting through camera.
#16. (B.C.U.) A bluejay, out of focus.
#17. (B.C.U.) Your hand, focussing.
#18. (B.C.U.) A bluejay, coming Into focus. It files away.
#19. (C.U.) You lower a camera from your eye.
#20. (M.S.) You lay a camera on a small table, carefully.
#21. (C.U.) Your face. You see three photographs.
#22. (C.U.) Your hands pick up photographs and leaf through them,
slowly.
#23. (C.U.) Your face, frowning.
#24. (C.U.) Your hands lay three photographs side-by-side,
#25. (L.S.) You carry a chair to a small table.
#26. (C.U.) Your feet. You climb on a chair.
#27. (M.S.) You stand on a chair, looking down at three photographs.
#28. (L.S.) You climb down, and pick up a photograph.
#29. (C.U.) Your hands slowly tear each photograph into eight pieces.
#30. (C.U.) Your face, watching what you do.
#31. (C.U.) Your hands mix torn fragments and push them into a pile.
#32. (L.S.) You step to a window and stand looking out. Your lover enters scene in foreground.
#33. (M.S.) A lilac bush. A bluejay lands.
#34. (C.U.) Your hand reaching for a camera.
#35. (L.S.) Your lover walks toward you, reaching out.
#36. (C.U.) Your face. Your lover's hands blindfold your eyes. You smile.
#37. (C.U.) Your hand moves away from a camera.
#38. (L.S.) You turn and embrace your lover.
#39. (B.C.U.) You kiss.
#40. (C.U.) A lilac bush. A bluejay flies away.
#41. (L.S.) You exit slowly, carrying a camera. Your lover turns toward a window.
#42. (C.U.) Your lover's face in profile, looking out.
#43. (M.S.) A iliac bush. You walk slowly across scene, turning to smile.
#44. (C.U.) Your lover's face in profile, smiling.
#45. (L.S.) Yourself walking away, across a lawn. (Dissolve to...)
#46. (L.S.) Yourself walking away into a meadow, at a distance.
(Dissolve to...)
#47. (L.S.) Yourself In a meadow, at a great distance, filming a house. (Dissolve to...)
#48. (L.S.) Yourself very far away, walking. You disappear among trees. (Dissolve to...)
#49. (C.U.) Your lover’s face In profile.
#50. (M.S.) Your lover turns from window.
#51. (C.U.) Your lover's face, seeing torn photographs.
#52. (C.U.) Your lover's hand, shifting a few fragments. (Dissolve to...)
#53. (C.U.) Your lover's hands laying fragments In order. (Dissolve to...)
#54. (C.U.) Hands continue to reconstruct photographs.
#55. (C.U.) Your lover's hands, clasped.
#56. (M.S.) Your lover climbs on a chair.
#57. (C.U.) Your lover's face In profile, looking down.
#58. (C.U.) Three photographs, side-by-side. Your faces are complete, but fragments are Incorrectly sorted.
#59.(C.U.) Your lover's face, frowning.
#60. (L.S.) Your lover steps down and exits, leaving photographs on a table,
#61. TITLE: SECOND TABLEAU
#62. (L.S.) House exterior with open window,
#63. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene.
Your lover stands In a window,
#64, (L.S.) House exterior with doorway.
#65. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene.
You are opening a door,
#66, (L.S.) Room with open window, small table, and chair.
#67. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene.
Your lover stands on a chair,
#68, (L.S.) Room with window, small table, and chair.
#69. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene.
You are carrying away a chair.
#70. (L.S.) Another room. An empty chair beside a sunlit window.
#71, (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. Your lover sits in a chair.
#72, (L.S.) First room. Torn photographs are on a table.
#73. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. You gather torn fragments.
#74. (L.S.) Second room. A cat stands near a chair.
#75. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. Your lover bends to pet a cat.
#76, (L.S.) First room. Floor littered with torn paper.
#77. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. You stand in the midst of torn photographs.
#78.(L.S.) Second room. A cat stands in foreground.
#79. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. Your lover stands beside a chair, smiling,
#80. (L.S.) Second room. An empty sofa opposite window.
#81. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. You lie on a sofa, your eyes closed.
#82. (L.S.) First room. Floor partly cleared of torn paper.
#83. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. Your lover gathers fragments into a paper bag.
#84. (L.S.) First room. A paper bag is on a table.
#85. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. You look at a paper bag, smiling.
#86. (L.S.) Second room. An empty sofa.
#87, (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. Your lover lies on a sofa, reading,
#88. (L.S.) First room. A paper bag is on a table,
#89. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. You stand in a room, holding a camera.
#90. (L.S.) A flight of stairs, looking upward.
#91. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. Your lover climbing stairs.
#92. (L.S.) Second room. A book Is on a sofa.
#93. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. You stand near a sofa, holding a camera.
#94, (L.S.) Head of a flight of stairs.
#95. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. Your lover stands at head of stairs.
#96. (L.S.) A flight of stairs, looking upward,
#97,(C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. You climb.
#98. (L.S.) Interior. Closed door.
#99. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. Your lover leans against a door, smiling,
#100. (L.S.) The head of a flight of stairs.
#101. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. You stand at head of stairs, holding a camera.
#102. (L.S.) A bedroom. Very large bed with a window Its full width at Its head.
#103. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. Your lover stands near a window.
#104. (L.S.) An open bedroom door.
#105. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. You stand In a doorway, holding a camera.
#106. (L.S.) A bed and a window.
#107. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. Your lover lies prone on a bed,
#108. (L.S.) Bedroom door, closed,
#109. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. You stand by a door, smiling.
#110. (L.S.) Bed and window.
#111. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. Your lover lies supine on a bed.
#112, (L.S,) An empty bedroom,
#113. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. You stand In a room, holding a camera,
#114, (L.S,) An empty bedroom.
#115. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. Your lover stands In a room, holding a camera.
#116, (L.S.) Empty bedroom. There Is no camera In the room,
#117. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene. You stand naked In a room.
#118. (L.S.) Empty bedroom. There is no camera in the room.
#119. (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene.
Your lover stands naked In a room,
#120. (L.S.) Empty bedroom. There Is no camera In the room.
#121, (C.U.) My hand holding a still photograph of the same scene.
You and your lover embrace, naked, In a room.
#122. TITLE: THIRD TABLEAU
#123. (M.S.) Bedroom, You and your lover embrace, naked, on the bed. Outside the window are spruces and junipers under snow. (Dissolve to...)
#124. (M.S.) Bedroom. You make love. Outside the window are peacocks strutting on a turf green. (Dissolve to...)
#125. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are men and women in evening dress. (Dissolve to...)
#126. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are hyenas disputing a carcass, (Dissolve to.,,)
#127. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are strands and bladders of kelp. (Dissolve to...)
#128. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are wrestlers In a tag match. (Dissolve to..,)
i
#129. (M.S.) Bedroom, Love making. Outside the window Is an automatic turret lathe In operation. (Dissolve to,.,)
#130. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a calm inland sea. (Dissolve to.,.)
#131. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a squadron
of pipers. (Dissolve to...)
#132. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are rings of Saturn, looming. (Dissolve to,..)
#133. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are little girls, skipping rope. (Dissolve to...)
#134, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are tumbled stacks of cordwood. (Dissolve to.,.)
#135. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a display of ophthalmoscopes. (Dissolve to...)
#136. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a party of mountaineers. (Dissolve to,,.)
#137, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a park of bay trees. (Dissolve to.,,)
#138. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a sky full of wheeling pigeons. (Dissolve to.,.)
#139. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are truck wheels splashing In muddy water,. (Dissolve to,,,)
#140. (M.S.) Bedroom, Love making. Outside the window are three red-haired women rolling dice. (Dissolve to...)
#141. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a beached whale, gasping. (Dissolve to..,)
#142, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a double circle of monoliths. (Dissolve to..,)
#143. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are red and white corpuscles. (Dissolve to...)
#144. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a procession by torchlight. (Dissolve to...)
#145. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are smoking ingots of refined cobalt, (Dissolve to...)
#146. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a field of daisies and mallows. (Dissolve to.,,)
#147. (M.S.) Bedroom, Love making. Outside the window are two surgeons amputating a limb. (Dissolve to...)
#148. (M.S.) Bedroom, Love making. Outside the window are walls and turrets of obsidian. (Dissolve to..,)
#149. (M.S.) Bedroom, Love making. Outside the window are silver
dirigibles trailing advertisements. (Dissolve to...)
#150. (M.S.) Bedroom, Love making. Outside the window are parrot-fish schooling In dim light. (Dissolve to,..)
#151, (M.S.) Bedroom, Love making. Outside the window Is a classroom festooned with crepe paper. (Dissolve to...)
#152, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a small crowd pointing at the sky. (Dissolve to...)
#153, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a spinning brass anemometer. (Dissolve to...)
#154, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a pearl necklace on green baize. (Dissolve to.,.)
#155, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are six or seven zebras, grazing. (D1ssolve to...)
#156. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are two farmers scalding a hog. (Dissolve to...)
#157, (M.S.) Bedroom, Love making. Outside the window Is an Inverted
- enamel saucepan. (Dissolve to...)
#158. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window is a heap of spoiled fruit, (Dissolve to...)
#159, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are bolts of striped twill. (Dissolve to,..)
#160. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window is a seated _ audience, applauding. (Dissolve to.,.)
#161. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are fern shoots. (Dissolve to...)
#162, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a cracked jub leaking milk, (Dissolve to...)
#163, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a storm on the rim of the sun. (Dissolve to...)
#164, (M.S'.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window Is a consort of trombonists. (Dissolve to,.,)
#165. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are crystals of pure nicotine, (Dissolve to...)
#166, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window is the
Statue of Liberty. (Dissolve to,..) ,
#167. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are lavender sea anemones. (Dissolve to,..)
#168. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are knives and bright axes. (Dissolve to..,)
#169, (M.S,) Bedroom, Love making, Outside the window Is a child licking a spoon. (Dissolve to...)
#170.(M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window is a frigate advancing under sail. (Dissolve to...)
#171. (M.S.) Bedroom, Love making. Outside the window is a clutter of nude plaster mannequins. (Dissolve to...)
#172, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are feathers and bloody tracks. (Dissolve to..,)
#173. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window is a blue arc struck between electrodes. (Dissolve to.,.)
#174. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are stalagmites of tinted paraffin. (Dissolve to..,)
#175, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are grizzled drovers herding sheep. (Dissolve to..,)
#176, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window are eggs hatching baby turtles. (Dissolve to..,)
#177. (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window is a great suspension bridge, foreshortened. (Dissolve to...)
#178, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window is an enormous hexagonal mirror. (Dissolve to...)
#179, (M.S.) Bedroom. Love making. Outside the window, I am aiming a camera. (Dissolve to,,,)
#180. (M.S.) Bedroom. You and your lover sleep. Outside the window Isa Iliac in bloom.
#181. TITLE: FOURTH TABLEAU
#182. (L.S.) First room. Small table by open window.
#183, (C.U.) Table top. My hand places a stack of photographs upon a table,
#184, (M.S.) Open window and table top, A stack of photographs.
#185,(L.S.) Same scene. You enter with your lover, and walk to a table,
#186, (C.U.) Your hands lift a stack of photographs.
#187, (C.U.) Your lover’s face, smiling.
#188. (C.U.) Your hands, winding a camera.
#189. (C.U.) Your lover’s hands, shuffling a stack of photographs.
#190. (C.U.) Your face, smiling.
#191. (L.S.) Your lover faces you across a small table.
#192. (M.S.) You raise a camera to film your lover's face.
#193. (M.S.) A photograph Is raised to hide your lover's face.
#194, (C.U.) Your lover's, hand Is holding a still photograph of yourselves, making love.
#195. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, embraced by a stranger.
#196. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, embraced by a stranger.
#197. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, astride a mare.
#198. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, astride a mare.
#199. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, posed beside a monument,
#200, (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still phonograph of yourself, posed beside a monument.
#201. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, striking a match.
#202, (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, striking a match.
#203. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, diving In clear water.
#204. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, diving In clear water.
#205. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, sipping wine.
#206. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, sipping wine.
#207. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, falling from a height.
#208. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, falling from a height.
#209. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, lying In a hammock.
#210. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, lying In a hammock.
#211. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, before a court of law.
#212. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, before a court of law.
#213. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, bathing.
#214. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, bathing.
#215. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, tatooed with animal designs.
#216. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, tatooed with animal designs.
#217. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover. In a grove of larches.
#218. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, In a grove of larches.
#219. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, menaced by an eagle.
#220. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, menaced by an eagle.
#221. (C.U.) Your lover's hand is holding a still photograph of your lover, as a young child.
#222. (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, as a young child.
#223, (C.U.) Your lover’s hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, spattered with paint.
#224, (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, spattered with paint.
#225. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, leading a hound.
#226. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, leading a hound.
#227. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, lit by flares.
#228. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, lit by flares.
#229. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, dancing alone.
#230. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, dancing alone.
#231. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, dressed In your clothes.
#232.(C.U.) Your lover's hand ts holding a still photograph of yourself, dressed In your lover's clothes.
#233. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of your lover, asleep.
#234. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, asleep.
#235. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of yourself, your lover and me enjoying a picnic on the grass.
#236. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of myself, filming you and your lover.
#237. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of my hand, writing this text.
#238. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of myself, filming these pages.
#239. (C.U.) Your lover's hand Is holding a still photograph of my own face.
#240. (C.U.) My hand covers a still photograph of my own face.
