As director Stephen Winter explained after a MOMA screening of "Jason and Shirley," his film is a re-imagining of the events that occurred during the one-day, twelve-hour shoot of "Portrait of Jason." Not one line of dialogue from the earlier film is repeated in the modern film.
Winter, as a black gay man himself, posits a scenario in which the struggling cabaret artist and sometime hustler Jason Holliday assumes the upper hand in his interaction with Academy Award-winning director Shirley Clarke. Negative reviews of "Portrait of Jason" usually focus on the presumed exploitation of the subject by a well-to-do white filmmaker.
The current film is well-directed and well-acted, especially by Jack Waters and Sarah Schulman in the title roles. Waters and Schulman also share writing credit with Winter.
"Jason and Shirley" isn't for everybody, but if you are into art films in general, or the Sixties, or gay cinema, you will like this piece. A prior viewing of "Portrait of Jason" is not required.
Winter, as a black gay man himself, posits a scenario in which the struggling cabaret artist and sometime hustler Jason Holliday assumes the upper hand in his interaction with Academy Award-winning director Shirley Clarke. Negative reviews of "Portrait of Jason" usually focus on the presumed exploitation of the subject by a well-to-do white filmmaker.
The current film is well-directed and well-acted, especially by Jack Waters and Sarah Schulman in the title roles. Waters and Schulman also share writing credit with Winter.
"Jason and Shirley" isn't for everybody, but if you are into art films in general, or the Sixties, or gay cinema, you will like this piece. A prior viewing of "Portrait of Jason" is not required.
