Books

This is Called Moving: A Critical Poetics of Film
(University of Alabama Press, 2005)




"This is a splendidly original collection of essays, comments,
and interviews. Child has published books of poetry (Mob,
1994; Scatter Matrix, 1996) in the same venues as the so-
called L-A-N-G-U-A-G-E poets, and her writing style
sometimes resembles the fragmented but idea-filled
paragraphs one finds in the prose of Charles Bernstein (A
Poetics, 1992) or Ronald Silliman (The New Sentence, 1987).
Here she complicates and expands their work substantially, as
she transposes the L-A-N-G-U-A-G-E poet emphasis on writing
onto the medium of film. Whereas the L-A-N-G-U-A-G-E poets
seem always to be rewriting Gertrude Stein, Child’s work
seems much more expansive, with a richer range of
reference. Bernstein’s polemics promise revolution, but his
poems seem merely nonsensical and boring. By contrast,
Child’s polemics seem much more practical, less than
theatrical, and the poems, prose, and films all feel much more
substantial. Including especially moving forays into issues of
sexuality, the totality of the book gives a fine description of
the potential of experimental filmmaking. Tom Gunning
provides a concise, instructive foreword. Summing Up: Highly
recommended." —S.C. Dillon, Bates College, for Choice; Dec
2005

 

“This Is Called Moving offers the reader a cogent analysis of
the nexus between poetry and filmmaking. Drawing on
examples of contemporary filmmakers (these instances come from a list that includes television, Michael Snow, Luis Buñuel and Robert Wilson) as well as her films, Child gives us a vivid sense of just how far this connected nature extends. Any number of classes that have film, literature, poetry or criticism as their basis could use this book as a constructive text.
Child discusses both artistic process and theoretical concerns, extending her argument to relate to diverse critical perspectives. Well-written and accessible. This Is Called Moving was the basis for many personal meditations on writing as well as conversations with professors, students, friends, and aficionados of film and literature.…
Child produces extremely polished expository prose that pulls the audience into her mind and thoughts. In doing so she elevates her essays to the level of complex intellectual analysis. Child takes us on a voyage of discovery…Linking visual and poetic explication, Child is able to show that these seemingly disparate artistic pursuits follow a similar logic of creation and meaning.” —Scott M. Tomberlin, Central Washington University, Spring 2006 * Rocky Mountain Review