When I noticed that the Seattle Art Museum is running a Steve McQueen festival, I was thrilled. After winding my way through its Web site to get to film programs, I realized SAM is hosting the wrong Steve McQueen.
The wrong Steve McQueen: (image via)
The right Steve McQueen: (image via) Profile here.
Of course people want to see the wrong Steve McQueen. I like him too. But SAM is an art museum. Wouldn’t it be great if visitors could go there to see at least the right McQueen’s shorter films from a library of video/film artists available for screening by appointment? I’d like to see Bear (1993), Drumroll (1998) and Deadpan (1999), the last being homage to Buster Keaton’s Steamboat Bill, Jr. Deadpan was at Western Bridge the Henry a few years ago. Be nice to see it again.
The Northwest Film Forum screens a fair sampling of films and videos that are art straight up. Last April it featured McQueen’s Hunger, about Bobby Sands. At the time, I couldn’t force myself to go. Having lost my job a month earlier, I was trying to hang out on the sunny side of the street. I’d love to see it now, and where is it?
The theoretical advantage of film & video is that anyone can see it anywhere. Alas, that is far from the case. In the meantime, SAM is screening the Steve McQueen who is already ubiquitous. Something wrong here.
Deadpan was at the Henry. We had Girls Tricky at Western Bridge. They’re both great.
The right McQueen and the wrong one are available as the market demands. The movie star from long ago is still a star. Your McQueen is known by thousands, and my McQueen by millions. It’s like the law of gravity. You can’t change it.