DOCUMENTING THE CHANGES

Jane Roscoe

R E V I E W S

Stella Bruzzi, New Documentary: A Critical Introduction, London, Routledge, 2000.

 
In recent years we have seen a proliferation of publishing on the documentary form. With so many developments taking place in documentary and factual programming, it not surprising that academic interest has been re-awakened. In the UK especially, factual programming has been reconfigured by the emergence and popularity of the docu-soap, and more recently by hybrids such as the reality gameshow. These programmes have brought a new audience to factual programming and have revitalised debates about the real.

Bruzzi focuses on recent documentary in a bid to move academic discussion beyond, what she sees as a standard canon, and to bring documentary theorising up to date with developments in critical and cultural theory. Her basic argument is that documentary itself does not see its ultimate aim as the representation of the truth, but rather, it is a perpetual negotiation between the real and the representation of the real. This is developed through an analysis of various key texts and interviews with filmmakers.

Through this analysis there are a number of points Bruzzi works to argue. In the introduction she argues that documentary theorising has been limited and constrained by the imposition on documentary history of what she calls a 'family tree'. Citing Nichols as the main culprit, she argues that his genealogy of modes is both untenable and constricting resulting in forced categories. I would question her reading of these modes however, as Nichols himself argues that films do draw on more than one mode, which allows for hybridisation and diversity of form. Her engagement with the work of Michael Renov and Brian Winston is similarly defensive, and unhelpful. Here, there is no real engagement with the ideas about documentary's relationship with the real, but a dismissing of some fairly substantial work. This introduction then sets a rather antagonistic tone, which does not serve her project which is an interesting one and a potentially useful addition to the field.

The book is organised into three sections. The first covers what Bruzzi sees as two central tenants of documentary. The documentary as evidence and archive, and the role of narration. These represent the idealised notion of documentary as record, and the role of the voice-over in complicating that direct relationship between the image and the real and does illustrate nicely this notion of negotiation between the image and the real.

The second section deals with the 'legacy of direct cinema' another of Bruzzi's targets. Her chapter on new British observational documentary and docu-soaps really does bring the discussion up-to-date. This chapter provides an interesting analysis of some of the most popular British docu-soaps in a bid to illustrate that the observational film is still as popular as ever. Although there is some discussion of performance here, I think this is something that could have been expanded on, given this is noted as a key issue in her analysis. This is followed by a chapter on journey documentaries, and by the section on performance. This for me was the most interesting and useful section of the book. I agree with Bruzzi in her claims that performance is the key to understanding the success of the observational documentary (and of all documentary perhaps?). The chapter on American presidents presented a unique perspective on the issue, and her examples of Kennedy, Nixon and Clinton served her argument well.

Her chapter on the performative documentary covers the work of documentary auteurs, Nicholas Barker, Nick Broomfield and to a lesser extent Molly Dineen. She uses the term performative documentary is a different way to that of Nichols, who saw the performative mode as challenging the boundaries between fact and fiction. Here, the performative documentary is seen as one which is constructed around the hidden aspects of performance on the part of the subjects or filmmakers. In fact, most of her discussion focuses on the performance of the filmmakers. There is some discussion of what films can be called performative which I found rather confusing. On the one hand she argues that 'performative documentary' includes films that are inherently performative, yet on the next page argues that Paris is Burning (which is commonly referred to as a performative film, and is certainly focused on performance) is not such a film. I think there are important points made here, that form and content should not be conflated, but at the same time, I am not sure exactly how the notion of performative is being theorised or utilised.

For me, this book raised more questions than it provided answers. I am sympathetic to the overall project, although maybe not to the often defensive stance taken. I hope this provokes discussion - especially in relation to the idea of documentary modes, and its family tree. We all have an interest in disrupting canons, and making sure we challenge the creeping conservatism that sometimes accompanies the professionalisation of any discipline. It is because of this that I would recommend reading and engaging with this new book.

Jane Roscoe is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Film, Media and Cultural Studies, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.