Portrait Of Jason

Synopsis: An all-night interview with Jason Holliday aka Aaron Payne.

Shirley Clarke (1919-1997) was one of the  pioneers of the New York indie film scene of the 1960s, a group of low budget mavericks who ranged from John Cassavetes to Paul Morrissey.  Portrait Of Jason, Clarke’s third film falls roughly half-way between these two poles, being combination of close-to-the-bone cinema verité and camp performance.

Filmed in Clarke’s digs in the Chelsea Hotel in a single all-night session on an Auricon 16mm camera that would only take 10 minute magazines, Portrait Of Jason is by and large a one-man show by the sometime cabaret performer, natural-born camp star and unapologetic hustler, Jason Holliday, as he recounts his life on the New York scene  of the day.

Clarke, who knew Jason socially and recognized his potential as a subject for her camera encourages him to tell his life story.  Plied with whiskey (he appears to be drinking from a bottle of Deerstalker whiskey although whether the contents are real we do not know) and the occasional joint, Jason, a James Baldwinish character in a feather boa, relishes the moment and his performance which includes anecdotes, impersonations and singing is simply delicious.

Clarke lets the camera roll and when reloading film stock keeps recording sound as Jason continues to talk over a black screen. In the final 20 minutes of the film the tenor changes somewhat and Jason goes from being the star of the show to a subject under examination as the unseen Clarke, Jason’s boyfriend, Carl, and another male called Richard start challenging his façade, trying to wrest some acknowledgement from Jason that he is not the innocent he pretends to be.  No doubt by this time worn-out and unable to maintain his cavalier pose Jason starts to crumble under the attack. It’s uncomfortable viewing and although one senses that the anger is well-justified one also feels somewhat saddened by the at least temporary unmasking.

Portrait Of Jason, for the most part, is hugely entertaining and especially if you are interested in this rich period of American cultural history you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to see the film in this fully restored version.

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