NP - Derrida Film

[David Morris]

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/23/movies/23DERR.html

Peeling Apart Layers of Reality to Deconstruct a Philosopher
By ELVIS MITCHELL

errida," the adoring and adorable documentary on the philosopher Jacques
Derrida by the filmmakers Kirby Dick ("Sick: The Life and Death of Bob
Flanagan, Supermasochist") and Amy Ziering Kofman, presents Mr. Derrida, the
so-called father of deconstruction, as quick-witted and impish.

Scenes of Mr. Derrida watching himself on tape, talking about how he met his
wife, Marguerite (he is bashful and thoughtful as he ruminates on this
experience), will probably bring to mind the mirror-within-a-mirror Scritti
Politti song "Jacques Derrida," with its querulous sense of propriety. But Mr.
Dick and Ms. Kofman carefully layer folds of reality. (Later the subject is
shown viewing film of himself watching the tape in which he watches the
interview.)

These sequences are representative of Mr. Derrida's school of thought,
investigating the mind of a philosopher as a working, living biography and font
of emotional understanding. At such points, "Derrida" adds flesh to the icon,
gently highlighting a quality attributable to many intellectuals: vanity. We
see glimpses of this as Mr. Derrida prepares for his day — he takes as much
care in his appearance as he does with his ideas. By applying definition to
both sides of the man, the picture realizes a fullness that does not negate the
subject.

This is not to say that "Derrida" is short on Mr. Derrida's weighty musings on
life. Gleaning insights about him through his interactions with others may seem
like a superficial way into his mind, although it is entirely possible that Mr.
Dick and Ms. Kofman understand that all they can offer about Mr. Derrida is a
drive-by, a blur of a view that will leave a number of things indistinct. They
seem to recognize that this documentary can give only a slice of their
perceptions of Mr. Derrida, and he reminds us that he becomes a different
person when the camera is on. 


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