Holy Grail Obstacle Course

My first proposal for a reenactment:

Plan for Crit

In the next few weeks I would like to host a reenactment of a sequence of scenes from Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade. The scene is the pinnacle of the film where Indiana Jones, his father Henry Jones, his colleague Marcus Brody and their associate Sallah reach the final resting place of the Holy Grail. Along with the desire of the Holy Grail of the Nazis, and to save his father’s life, Indiana Jones is forced to proceed along the ancient obstacle course set in place to deter pilgrims of the Grail quest from obtaining the eternal life giving cup. Through careful research and study over the years, his father has acquired a number of vague clues to successful passage through the tests and traps set in place to kill contenders.

For this crit I am presenting an edited clip of the scenes, and an installation of the props I will use in the lo-tech reenactment. This will include some round cardboard blades covered in tinfoil, a floor plan of letters, a lion’s head and sesame seeds.I would like to host this reenactment in the basement of the Vic. I will use the lighting to stage a certain filmic quality, and the music technology and a projector to play the edited version of the scenes during the reenactment. I will invite classmates, other students, and anyone in the Vic that day to participate in the crowd or to be one of the contenders. The participant who ‘runs the obstacle course’ has the choice to wear an Indiana Jones style hat, and can stick to the script of the film, using prior knowledge of the film, or with the help of the projection, or they can interpret the course as they like.

This piece will hopefully allow me to progress my experience of the issues surrounding participation, as I will act as director in so much as I will install the course, but the participants will be free to choose how to use the course.

Potential Problems on the day:

1. No-one will come, (I plan to put up posters, see poster)
2. I will find difficulty explaining to participants, esp if several people, what my intentions are, as I am not yet sure
3. The scene which lasts about 8 minutes might be too long to hold the attention of the participants. (editing would have to consider the most relevant scenes detrimental to the execution of the exercise)

I have previously been preoccupied with the idea of working outside the school, with already formed groups, especially in non-art areas. However, while still within the art school, I have decided that it would beneficial to take advantage of the supportive, open and enthusiastic world that the school provides, and strip my practice back to the experimental stage.

Documentation

I plan to either film this myself or ask someone with better skills and/or camera to film it for me. I think I may have to do the course myself, I’m not sure if some participants will let me get away with not doing it. Although this is not a performance, and I would rather not blur the lines of intention. I will also use photography as I hope the course will be run more than once, so I will have opportunity to film and photograph. I am aware that sound is particularly difficult to capture in a large space with lots of people, so I will need to borrow a sound recorder form EMS. I am not sure if I would attach it to each contender as they run the course or not.

In an exhibition situation, I would show this work without the props, and on two screens. One screen would be the original film, one would be the footage I make alongside, with the audio at the same place. The footage film may be partly or all stills, depending on the quality of the filmed footage.

Please take part in:

HOLY GRAIL

OBSTACLE

COURSE

Inspired by Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade

Downstairs in The Vic

TIME, DATE, Clare Marks