In this 2-hour lecture, filmmaker Anna Weltner reappraises David and Albert Maysles’ GREY GARDENS (1975), a documentary portrait of two high-society women who now live in squalor in a crumbling East Hamptons mansion, as both a melodrama and a work of gothic horror.
After outlining the key features of both the gothic and melodramatic modes, this talk explores how, and why, these genre conventions are present in a nonfiction film. Digressions include: Drew Barrymore, Documentary Now!, Little Edie as a queer icon, Tennessee Williams’ mentally fragile belles, and Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Fall of the House of Usher.”
Familiarity with the film is not required to enjoy this deep dive, though should you wish to view before class, GREY GARDENS is available to rent at Movie Madness or to stream for free on Plex.
This lecture will be given by MMU Instructor Anna Weltner, whose previous classes include The Portrait at 24 Frames Per Second, The Making of David Lynch, and True Love: A Valentine to Rob Reiner.
Class will be held in room LH115 in Lincoln Hall, at 1620 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97201 on the Portland State University Campus.
PSU Students are free with valid student ID! Present ID at door for admission - no ticket needed.
Please note: no food or beverage is permitted in the auditorium.