The Situationist International Documentary

The famed Situationist International was a group of revolutionaries founded in 1957 and dissolved in 1972. The groups members were heavily influenced by Marxism and the artistic avant-gardes ideals of 20th century Europe. The modus operandi advocated by the founders was experiences of life being alternative to those being admitted by a Capitalistic Order, for the fulfillment of human desires and the pursuing of a superior passional quality. To attain these means they suggested and experimented with the construction of situations, mainly the setting up of environments favorable for the fulfillment of such desires. The group fought against the main obstacle stopping the fulfillment of such superior passional living, advanced capitalism. One of the main theorists in the group, Guy Debord, argued in 1967 that spectacular features like mass media and advertising have a central role in the advanced capitalist society, which is to show a fake reality in order to mask the capitalist degradation of human life. The Situationist International movement has influenced many aspencts of culture and politics in the USA and Europe. Many modern day Leftists, Communists, Anarchists are influenced by SI concepts. One of the SI concepts called Psychogeography is loosley translated to "a whole toy box full of playful, inventive strategies for exploring cities...just about anything that takes pedestrians off their predictable paths and jolts them into a new awareness of the urban landscape." This idea makes me wonder if skateboarding and other urban sports were directly influenced by SI concepts. The SI ideals is even said to have influenced the punk rock phenomenon of the 1970s..Society of the Spectacle by Guy Debord is one of the more notable books that delves into the principles of the movement. It has gained widespread recognition and is worth reading...The group also advocated spraying graffiti, drawing comics and making movies to get their messages across to the masses...



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"A video documentary combining exhibition footage of the Situationist International exhibitions with film footage of the 1968 Paris student uprising, and graffiti and slogans based on the ideas of Guy Debord (one of the foremost spokesmen of the Situationist International movement). Also includes commentary by leading art critics Greil Marcus, Thomas Levine, and artists Malcolm Mac Laren and Jamie Reid. Branka Bogdanov, Director and producer. NTSC-VHS 22 min. 1989"