The Broken Rule
Part of the Super-8 Trilogy
Super-8/color/sound
19 minutes
1979
DESCRIPTION
Produced, directed, shot and edited by Ericka Beckman
Starring: Mike Kelley
Featuring: Jim Casebere, Matt Mullican, James Welling, Jim Isermann, Diane Buckler, Kirby Dick, Tom Radloff, David Fick
“THE BROKEN RULE is my reaction to the American education system, where learning blocks must be acquired by the group before any individual can progress to the next level. My film pictures learning blocks as relay races conducted by male players, where the girls are scores, and the goal is to enter the working world by the end of the game. Mike Kelley, the lead player in my film, makes a ritual out of his mistakes to escape the consequences of his mistakes. In this film, one person’s work is another person’s play, and play creates competition, a component of work.” — E.B. 1979
“Utilizing television-commercial stereotypes of woman as either laundresses or cheerleaders and of men as engaged either in sports or commerce (or both) Beckman creates an ideological satire on sexism and American capitalism. Riveting in its choreography of space and rhythm THE BROKEN RULE is a sort of Marxist musical. Oddly suggestive of Tashlin, the film is constructed with the precision of an animated work, and wit the formal humor of a Landow.” — Bruce Jenkins, “New Film/ New York”, Media Study Magazine 1980.
DISTRIBUTION
Print and Beta SP available for rental from Light Cone
PHOTOS
Super-8 Trilogy at Le Magasin Centre National d’Art Contemporain de Grenoble, France
VIDEO
PRESS
- Spooner, Cally. “Top Ten.” ARTFORUM, May 2015
- Beeson, John. “Ericka Beckman.” monograph by jrp|ringier, 2015
- “Ericka Beckman Works 1978 – 2013” MAGASIN, Centre National d’Art Contemporain (press release), 2014
- “Los Angeles Filmforum presents Ericka Beckman.” LOS ANGELES MOCA (press release), 2014
- Schneider, Anja Isabel. “Ericka Beckman at Le Magasin, Grenoble.” KALEIDOSCOPE, Winter 2013/14
- Scheller, Jörg. “Ericka Beckman at Kunsthalle Bern.” FRIEZE, September/ October 2013
- Stefan, Olga. “Ericka Beckman at Kunsthalle Bern.” ART IN AMERICA, September, 2013
- Dika, Vera. “The (Moving) Pictures Generation.” published by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN, New York, NY
- Harbison, Isobel. “Image Games.” FRIEZE, October, 2012
- Taubin, Amy. “Fairytales of New York.” ARTFORUM MAGAZINE, April 2011
- Biovier, Lionel, & Stroun, Fabrice. “A Conversation with Ericka Beckman.” NOVEMBRE MAGAZINE, Fall/Winter 2011
- Cotter, Holland. “At the Met, Baby Boomers Leap Onstage.” THE NEW YORK TIMES, April 23, 2009
- Hoberman, J. “Big and Life.” THE VILLAGE VOICE, June
- Hoberman, J. VULGAR MODERNISM. 1991.
- Banes, Sally. “Imagination and Play: The Films of Ericka Beckman.” MILLENNIUM FILM JOURNAL, Winter, 1984
- HEAD HUNTERS (Exhibition document), 1983
- Rabinowitz, Ellen. “Ninth Season of ‘Video/Film Review’.” THIRTEEN (press release), September, 1983
- Dika, Vera. “Erica Beckman’s ‘Out of Hand’: In Search of Meaning.” DREAMWORKS, Fall 1982
- Rickey, Carrie. “Behind the Super-8 Ball.” THE VILLAGE VOICE, May, 1981
- Hoberman, J. “The Avant-Garde Now.” FILM CULTURE, May, 1981
- Hoberman, J. “Review: Out of Hand.” ARTFORUM MAGAZINE, January 1981
- Hoberman, J. “Ten Best 1980.” THE VILLAGE VOICE, January
- Jenkins, Bruce. “New Film/New York.” MEDIA STUDY MAGAZINE, Fall 1980
- Baim, Richard. “Ericka Beckman: Movies for the New American Adult.” REAL LIFE MAGAZINE, Summer 1980
- Hoberman, J. “The Independents.” FILM CULTURE, January, 1979. p. 40
- Hoberman, J. “The Best of Apples and Pears.” THE VILLAGE VOICE, January, 1979
- Hoberman, J. “Vanguard ’79: Critic’s Award.” THE VILLAGE VOICE, December, 1978. p. 54
- Filmmakers: Ericka Beckman (exhibition document)
- Hoberman, J. “Voice Choices.” THE VILLAGE VOICE.