May I say that the music used in the beginning in the documentary really sets a dark mood for this film (1:31). The different shots of the beach (2:21) are really beautifully shot. They bring up feelings and emotions of nostalgia for me from the beaches that I would go to as a child. The shot (5:06) is really interesting, because the man operating the camera is walking around the graveyard. The camera wobbles as the camera captures a dark image of the different tombstones. When the narrator says “Time is the biggest eraser of them all” (7:59) that is a really interesting quote, because I find that very true. In the end, time is the only thing that can physically erase anything, especially one’s life. I love when they show all of the pictures that are historic to Bas Jan Ader’s life. They paint a picture of what his life was like before he died, and they give some background of who his family is. (10:36) When the narrator talks about how truly hard it is to get to know another human being at 11:39, I froze. Bas Jan Ader’s sentiment to his survivors was how you really never get to know someone. This is something I think about regularly. I think about the people that I speak to on a regular basis, and although I say I am close to them, do I really know who they are? A very moving part of the documentary is when Bas Jan’s friends are interviewed. (30:25) We really get to know more about who this mysterious man was, and how he was just a regular guy like anyone else. He was very eccentric but definitely is a role model to any man out there today. He was so cool and different, and didn’t really care what anyone thought of him. I find it so cool that Ba Jan wanted to get married on crutches. (31:33) I believe he did this for some symbolic reason. Maybe to represent how in life you are never quite on your own two feet. Hearing from Bas Jan’s student (33:46) is remarkable. It is cool to hear their thoughts on his beliefs and why he did things. Hearing from students who he taught seem to know him better than anyone else. Watching his falls (34:47) is a very intriguing sequence. Watching him fall in slow motion from a roof into a bush, I can almost feel the pain that he must feel when he hits the ground. It’s so fun to watch Bas Jan take all of these falls to represent gravity. It shows how he really just was just interested in gravity and science. He had no interest in who liked his work, he cared more about finding out about himself through his work. Also a side note, seeing that baby be taken into the air by balloons is just incredible (36:51). Watching all of these artists try and match Bas Jan shows how inspirational his art is to people around the world. (37:02) His art will never die. All of these artists are trying to experience the same experimental art that he was. Bas Jan had such an impact on people worldwide. Finally at the end (61:30) when the boat is shown is very well done. I feel like I experiencing the same thing that Jan experienced himself. Seeing the boat travel through the treacherous waves is just incredible. It shows how much of a risky Bas Jan was willing to take just for the experience.

After listening to “Her Long Black Hair”, I can agree with most of the things that Mirjam Schaub writes. The piece of sound art was so interesting, and it lured me in from the start. Its interesting how Schaub says that “Cardiff’s voice takes charge.” Schaub also relates it to a “cinematic event.” Although you are listening to Cardiff, and there are no visuals, her world becomes your world. While listening to the excerpts I felt as if I were walking the streets of New York City. It’s interesting how Cardiff describes how she gives directions but also gives narrative elements to influence the listener to finish the walk. It’s interesting how Cardiff describes the art as an “incredibly lifelike3D reproduction of sound,” because that’s what it felt like when I listened to the excerpts. The words of Schaub really relate to me because I also felt like it was a way to leave my habituated view of the world and I entered a new dimension. When Cardiff describes her voice to the reader, it’s a dead on description of how she comes off to the listener. When Cardiff talks it does really sound like it’s coming out of your head. While listening to this, I really did feel like the world of Cardiff was my world. For the time being, I left reality and entered this estranged world of New York City. It’s very true how Schaub relates the sounds to appear in visual form. Cardiff helps the listener leave a world of morality and enter her own world that she creates through language and sound effects. It’s intriguing how Schaub describes the voice from sexy to solicitous. The excerpts do remind me of sitting on a park bench and venting to someone that I’ve never met. It does seem that the success of a video or audio walk solely relies on the listener. Without the listener, the art wouldn’t exist. Overall this introduction is very interesting and it mentions ideas about Cardiff’s piece that I never noticed.