Site-Specific: Virtual Refinishing in Contemporary Rhetorical Practice Author(s): Joseph Janangelo Source: College Composition and Communication, Vol. 61, No. 2 (DECEMBER 2009), pp. 297-320 Published by: National Council of Teachers of English Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40593444 . Accessed: 10/10/2014 01:09
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp
. JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
.
National Council of Teachers of English is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to College Composition and Communication.
http://www.jstor.org
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions JosephJanangelo
Site-Specific:Virtual Refinishing inContemporary RhetoricalPractice
Visualrhetoric fuels composition as rhetorsrefinish filmed moments to showothers whatthey "see" in them.My work examines projects that model strategic discourse in publicspaces. It offersideas forachieving full and guardeddisclosure when clarity is butone ofseveral communicative goals.
V isual rhetoricfuels composition as viewers-rhetorstransform existing audioand visual material into texts that serve their communicative goals. Such workfinds expression in thevideos people create for sites like YouTube, where theyalter and augmentfilm scenes in orderto rendertheir interpretations ofwhat is "really"going on. Some renderingsspotlight eroticism as rhetors engagescenes fromTwilight and Top Gunto amplifymoments of same-sex desireand fandom.What's remarkable about these projects is their"straight" ahead approachto representingdiversity; they are so directand "out"there for all to see. Yet,it strikesme thatdeclarative texts evince little understanding ofthe vulnerability of public exposure and repercussion,caution, and learned reticencethat can markLGBT(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) interpretive and composingpractices (Sedgwick). Here, I exploretwo projects that help us understandvisual rhetoric, especially as it pertainsto representingdiversity, as artfuland strategicdesign. CCC 61:2 / DECEMBER 2009
297
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions CCC 61:2 / DECEMBER 2009
Here,I showhow a filmsequence, the "Trolley Song" from the 1944film MeetMe in St.Louis, inspires two refinishings: a 1993 video TrolleyRide and a scene fromthe 2001 miniseriesLife with Judy Garland: Me and MyShadows. Byexamining these refinishings, I argue that a once "fixed"film sequence be- comesa learningvehicle that reflects and refinescommunity literacy. My goal is to showhow refinishing models an interventionof artistry and agency- one where"interested" readers (Green 161) becomeinteresting rhetors who offer finelessons for revising public texts and memory.I begin by discussing theories drawnfrom composition, multimedia, and architecture.
Composing Insight,In-Site I define"virtual refinishing" as an activitythat accounts for the need and abil- ityto changesomething and to keepit as it is. The term"refinishing" is often appliedto workingwith furniture. It usuallymeans the physical act ofputting a new finishon something.Physical refinishing signifies a definitiveexterior modification:strip, sand, paint, lacquer, or gild: a lighteror darker stain, chang- ingthe hardware. It meansmaking a definitive,visible change.1 Refinishing is heavy-handedwhen it impinges upon the subtlety or integrity of a piece.Such designchanges are reductivebecause havinga new finishinvolves a loss of patinaand ofmoments in thepiece s story.2 Designfinds purchase in compositiontheory. Diana Georgewrites that designyields "a morecomplete way of understanding verbal and visualcom- municationpractices" and offers"more than image analysis, image-as-prompt, or imageas dumbed-downlanguage" (32). MaryE. Hocksargues that "design movesus fromrhetorical criticism to inventionand production"(644), adding that"we sometimesborrow elements of visual rhetoric from moving-image studiesand designfields as well as drawmore upon the fullyvisual culture withinwhich our students work, live, and learn"(630). GüntherKress is an eloquentadvocate of design.In 1999,he explained thatliteracy involves "the competence of subtleunderstandings of complex text"and "theproduction of sensitive'responses to aestheticallyvalued texts" ("'English'"68). Focusing on production, he writes that "individuals are now seen as the remakers,transformers, of sets of representationalresources- rather than as users of stable systems"(87). Remakingrequires acumen: "Display and arrangementare thefundamental features of the logic of the visual. The implicitand foundationalquestion posed by the organization of a visualrepre- sentationis: what are the salient elements, and inwhat spatial relation to they standto each other"(79). In 2005,Kress aligned salience with digital rhetoric:
298
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions JANANGELO /SITE-SPECIFIC: VIRTUAL REFINISHING
"Insteadof competence in relation to stablesocial frames and stableresources forrepresentation, we needthe notion of design, which says: In thissocial and culturalenvironment, with these demands for communication of these materi- als,for that audience, with these resources, and giventhese interests of mine, whatis the designthat best meetsthese requirements" ("Gains" 20)? Focus necessitatesprecision. Kress adds that"aptness of mode to thecharacteristics ofthatrepresented is muchmore a featurenow- it is the facilityof the new media"(19). To discernaptness, rhetors ask: "Whatdoes readingmean here? . . . Whichmode carries which kind of information? What kinds of information are notfocussed on here?"(19). To describeways of modifying things without physically modifying them, I drawon theoriesof multimedia. In "WillNew Media Produce New Narratives?" theoristMarie-Laure Ryan explains that we can use digitaltechnology to modify a versionof a textwithout altering the original. She writesthat virtual works are composedof "volatilesigns" that, "unlike books or paintings,. . . can be refreshedand rewritten,without having to throwaway the material support" (338). In Narrativeas VirtualReality: Immersion and InteractivityinLiterature and ElectronicMedia, she linksthat capacity for refreshment to thefact that "thevirtual is an inexhaustibleresource" and that"using it does notlead to its depletion"(36). Since originaland alternateversions co-exist, the originalis leftintact with its storiedpatina undisturbed.3 Ryanexplains that digital texts can sustainendless retooling and mu- tation.She suggeststhat because "therelation of thevirtual to the actual is one-to-many,""there is no limiton thenumber of possible actualizations of a virtualentity" (Narrative 36). Thus,we can workin-site, by introducing new visualand audio componentsor reconfiguringexisting material, to (re)build meaninganew. Ryan discusses this ongoing mutation, arguing that "digital workstend to be composedof many autonomous objects" that "can be used in manydifferent contexts and combinations,and undergovarious transforma- tions,during the runof the work." ("Will" 338). The "run"includes the work itselfand ongoingprojects that refinish it. Themost effective refinishings evince rhetorical acumen. Here I referback to refinishingfurniture. When modifying a piece, one usuallypictures a spe- cificsetting in which it will "go." The anticipateddesign site offers a particular environmentin whichthe piece willcollaborate with others to addressusers' needs.The artists job,then, is to blendcreativity with compatibility: to refinish a piecein ways that will help it work (perhaps by complementing, questioning, highlighting,or counteringother pieces and designideas) in specificsettings.
299
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions CCC 61:2 / DECEMBER 2009
The idea thatrefinishing, both physical and virtual,should serve the local en- vironmentis ofinterest to rhetoriciansbecause itpromotes subtlety. It shows howwe can alterpieces so thatthey are distinctive,but not intrusive.It also suggeststhat the goal is notfor a piece to standout in a space,but for it to use thevernacular in order to speakto a designsite persuasively and idiomatically. The idea thatcompositions should evolve strategically is consonant with vanguardtheories and practices of architecture. In HowBuildings Learn: What HappensAfter They're Built, Stewart Brand outlines "steps toward an ad, ive architecture"'(190). He arguesthat spaces are best redesigned by those who live in themand that"adaptive use is thedestiny of most buildings" (109). Brand praisesevolutionary design and admiresbuildings, both public "and some - less public- thatchange constantly to matchthe changing work they have to do" (48). Brands writesthat buildings "learn by paying attention" (221), that is to say,when architects anticipate and respondto inhabitants'multiple and evolvingneeds.4 That interplayof anticipationand responseyields a storied maturitythat is complexand compelling.Brand notes that some (re)builders courtmaturity by using materials like bronze and marble"which age welland take advantageof deep experience"(190). But he remindsus that"maturity can'tbe bought,"and adds that "some of the best manage almost without money, lavishingtime and attentioninstead" (49). The trickto lavishingattention is to do it discreetly.5Brand asserts that mature buildings are not monuments; insteadthey offer a maskedcomplexity that eludes some viewers:"They are not distinguished-/ooÄ;z>zg.What such buildingshave insteadis an offhand, haphazard-seemingmastery, and layersupon layersof soul. They embody all themeanings of the word 'mature'- experienced, complex, subtle, wise, savvy, idiosyncratic,partly hidden, resilient Timehas taughtthem, and theyteach us" (49). Brandspraise of experienced, multipurposed buildings finds expression inthe work of architect Rem Koolhaas. While Koolhaas is famousfor designing theSeattle Central Library,6 1focus on anotherproject: the Beverly Hills Prada store,which he calls "an epicenter"(Hawthorne Dl). That space features"an accumulationof precise if expensive details, along with the deployment of Mr. Koolhaas'salways-inventive attempts to carveout visual connections between variouslevels of a building"(D12). Theyinclude references to otherlocations: "Severalelements are borrowedfrom the SoHo store,including the central stair;the glass panels thatcan go fromtransparent to opaque at the flickof a switch. . . and fittingrooms with special mirrors that allow shoppers to see themselvesfrom the front and theback at thesame time"(D12).
300
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions JANANGELO /SITE-SPECIFIC: VIRTUAL REFINISHING
The epicenterrewards memory by alluding discreetly to thesource text. "In an alcoveunderneath the invertedV ofthe stairway,the architectshave createda Prada timecapsule of sorts. The roomincludes copies of the check- erboardmarble floor and antiquewood-and-glass display cases thatfilled the veryfirst Prada store in Milan" (D12). LikeBrand, Koolhaas knows that builders arerhetors7 and thatsome messages profit by remaining partly hidden. Thus, he includes"a piece ofarchitecture whose most dramatic gesture is invisible:the buildingis completelylacking a storefrontin thetraditional sense" (Dl). That portalis rhetorical.Koolhaas states "we wanted to use thisabsence of façade to let thepublic enter absolutely freely, to createa hybridcondition between publicand commercialspace" (D12). To thosewho call "thenonfacade façade ... a calculated,even arrogant kind of nothingness," he adds "thatis whatmakes Pradaunusual as a client. . . theyare willing to experimentwith their identity ratherthan insisting on overdeterminingit'" (D12). "The idea, Mr.Koolhaas said,was to shakeup Pradas reputationas one ofthe most exclusive brands in fashionby stressing an openness,even what he calls an easy'and 'welcoming' quality"(Hawthorne D 12). Fromthese ideas, I learnthree things. First, a site'smaterial is an archive thatcan be reminedfor purposeful experimentation. Second, builders/rhetors experimentto achievespecific effects. Such experimentsmean offeringcues thatare invisible to casual viewers,yet compelling to thosewho are attuned to theproject s goals.Third, serving viewers' various needs means experimenting witha site'sidentity (e.g., its reputation and publichistory) in waysthat mask the intricacyand achievean uncomplicated,welcoming appearance. I bring thesecross-disciplinary theories into conversation to build links between newer mediaand rhetoricalpractice. While Ryan shows how digital technology can modifystatic texts, Kress, Brand, and Koolhaasoffer ideas forreferencing and revisingmaterial in orderto make compellingvisual arguments.Together, theymodel the rhetorical skills necessary for composing projects for varying publicsites, aims, and audiences.Before examining the two refinishings, I will discussthe source text.
'TrolleySong' "TrolleySong" celebrates Esther Smith's (age seventeen)interest in John Truett, whoshe hopes will join her on a rideto theupcoming World s Fairsite. First, we see thesigns "Special to FairGrounds" and "Trolleysto St.Louis Fair Grounds." We also see Estherwaiting. The conductorsays, "Hurry it along! We don'thave all day,"and Estherasks, "Are we ... are we all here?"The driverreplies, "Oh,
301
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions CCC 61:2 / DECEMBER 2009 it'sjust too bad forthose that aren t" because "Time,tide and trolleywait for no man.Let hergo motorman."The bell is rung,and eventsare immediately in train.Esther climbs stairs, pauses, looks out, and walksto a seat.Dejected, she accepts,tries to pass, and thenholds a bag ofpopcorn. She stilllooks for John,whom she had earlieridentified as "The BoyNext Door." A voice yells"Hey," and we see Truettrunning. Silent and nimble,John is indeedboyish and clean cut.Dressed in a suit,he holdshis hat.Esther sees Johnand startssinging; the chorus listens, whispers, and singsbackup. Esther becomes excited,tosses herhair, mops herbrow, and offersa mockswoon. Unawarethat John is sittingbeside her, she singsin his face,then looks away and pats herhair. They exchange bashful glances, and she smilesweakly. As theylook at and awayfrom one another,the image fades into a framedshot of theSmith home bearing the inscription "Autumn - 1903." Upon release,Meet Me in St.Louis and "TrolleySong" received popular and criticalpraise. Director Vincente Minnelli was eventuallyvaulted to auteur statusfor the filmscomplete integration of music into the narrative.8As a landmarkmusical, the film was honoredby the Directors Guild in 2004.9Like thebuildings Brand discusses and Koolhaasbuilds, the scene is layeredand fo- cused.Consider its subtle "cinematic realism" (Manovich 192). The sceneworks to makeus forgetthat we arewatching a movie.It strives,through deployment of multipletechnologies, to help us to enjoythe momentof people singing spontaneously,inharmony, and incoordinated outfits, on a movingtrolley. The ironyofthat seductive persuasion (that it takesartistry and mediato helpus "see"someone singing on a trolleyor in therain) is notlost on scholars.For as JaneFeuer explains, "The musical,technically the most complex type of film producedin Hollywood, paradoxically has alwaysbeen the genre that attempts to givethe greatest illusion of spontaneity and effortlessness"("Self-Reflective" 335).10The artistsfoster that illusion by building an indoorset thatsimulates an undulatingtrolley proceeding by daylight, and by using rear projection, a bell thatdrives the melody, and synchronizedsound. Concealing its technologies, thissequence reflects the invisible artistry of studio filmmaking. "TrolleySong" is multipurposed.It advancescharacters' relationships and servesas a starmoment for Judy Garland, who portrays Esther. Thus, the sequenceoffers audio and "visualclues deployed to keepthe star in thecenter ofattention" (Cubitt 165). Forexample, the chorusintroduces and supports hervocal. Color is used forcontrast. With the other women dressed in pastels, shestands out in a darktop with white trim. When she sings, no cutawayshots
302
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions JANANGELO /SITE-SPECIFIC: VIRTUAL REFINISHING derailour attention. Not surprisingly, the song became a landmarkin Garlands career,one thatserved her well across decades and media.11 Since "TrolleySong" enjoyslandmark status, one mightwonder: why refinishit? Myresponse engages Brand s idea thatevolutionary design helps landmarksresist calcification. I say "involves" because passionaterefinishing entailsemotional and intellectualinvestment. It engagesthe question "could our artifactsembrace enough future with enough liveliness to embodyand radiatehope" (Brand 221), by answering"yes" and showinghow. Refinishing treatsfilmed moments as an archivewhose material can be edited,augmented, and redeployed.Rhetors who undertake such projects engage the needs of new and returningviewers through compelling conceptualizations and strategic presentationsof source material. They see theartifact as a designsite, a supple platformthat stimulates and sustainsnew building. The twoprojects I discuss meldknowledge, creativity, and literacyin waysthat help us learnmore from and about "TrolleySong." They model the reciprocitybetween building and learning,and learningand teaching.I beginby describingone such project: BlueBoy's video TrolleyRide.
'Look, Its Judy' TrolleyRide beginsin black and white,then turns to color.The colorsvary frompale to saturatedand blendinto one another.As thespectrum is digitally deprivedand enhanced,its palette resembles tinted postcards. Many images focuson Esther,who is alreadyon thetrolley. She is seen insideornate gilded frames.At times,the imagesdissolve into an orangescreen and back again. The screenis sometimesdivided into nine boxes that containportions of shots.Those bouncing boxes contain cropped shots (e.g., the top of the images frameshows through) that resemble faulty projection. At times,split screens offerparallel shots of Estherlooking. The creatorsadd new footageso that, as Estherlooks, she sees the San Franciscohills. In thatnew location,Johns partis amplified.Though anonymous, the "boy"is seen fivetimes as looped shotsshow him reaching for the trolley. The audio is rearranged:the chorus is deleted,and Estherrepeats the word "chug." While the creators add a second piano and a dance beat to hersolo, her out-of-synch vocal repeatsthe verse as she singswith her mouth closed. After the couple exchange glances, earlier shotsare revisitedas thevideo ends with them riding together. Since TrolleyRide is a stand-alonevideo, the burdenis on Blue Boyto createa workthat references the originalfilm while establishing its own co-
303
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions CCC 61:2 / DECEMBER 2009 herence.Rhetoricians remind us thatmultimedia texts need cuingdevices to buildcoherence, motivate recognition, and supportreadability. In discussing virtualnarratives, Wendy Steiner writes that "all genres, of course, have cohe- siondevices." They include "those factors that identify old informationas such, repeatit, and linkit to thenew" (155). Ryanadds thatviewers need retrieval databases- "a collectionof individual objects, arranged according to a certain structure;and a searchalgorithm with flexible parameters that enables users to retrieveobjects according to their personal needs" ("Digital" 331). Composition scholarsalso discussthe cuingdevices pertinent to visualtexts. In Picturing Texts,Lester Faigley, Diana George,Anna Palchik,and CynthiaSeife discuss "intendedaudience" and ask rhetorsto considerwhat viewers are "likelyto knowand believeabout your subject" (19). To helpus think,they pose three questions:"What, if anything,can you accomplishwith a visual argument thatyou cannotaccomplish with a verbalargument?" (397) "Whatwill you emphasize?What then might you pay less attention to?" (19). Discussingvisual rhetoric,Mareia F. Muth and KarlaSaari Kitalong ask us to consider"what ele- mentscontribute to thedesign of the image" and ask ourselves"what feeling, memory,or associationdoes thedesign evoke" (47)? Thesedesigners have thought carefully about audience; they build cuing devicesthat recall and rewardviewers' memories and perceptions. Trolley Ride is repletewith visual links to "TrolleySong." Chief among them are therefer- encesto Minnellis establishingshots that punctuate the narrative by season and thewindows that frame Esther. The framedimages of Esther,John, and San Franciscorecall the films period look. That look is also linkedto Gains- boroughs1770 painting Blue Boy,a name theband shares.The splitscreens and digitalpalette may remind viewers of the "multi-framepictures" (Kenny 52) foundin AndyWarhol s color-drenchedcelebrity portraits. Here, Trolley Rideis a "palimtext"(Davidson 78)- a sitewhere "borrowed" (Hawthorne D12) materialbuilds a storiedsurface where the contributions of, and referencesto, Gainsborough,Minnelli, and Warhol co-exist in purposeful, stylized interplay.12 Havingshared these references, I add thatBlue Boy is also thename of a magazinethat Richard Dyer calls "a gaymale equivalentof both Playboy and Cosmopolitan,with that odd mixtureof civil rights editorializing and consumer/ hedonistcopy, plus sexypictures" (Heavenly 142). Dyer's description reminds us thatwhile TrolleyRide is not "gay"per se (rememberPrada's "nonfacade façade"[Hawthorne D12]), it is notgeneric either.13 With its high concept, Trol- leyRide craves a situatedviewing. Given the audience and venue(I firstsaw it at a gayclub where a patronsaid, "Look, it s Judy"),the relocationand shots
304
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions JANANG ELO /SITE-SPECIFIC: VIRTUAL REFINISH ING ofthe dapper young man work well. Moving to San Franciscoand amplifying Johnspart offer specific literacy cues. Discussingvisual art, Steiner reminds us that"in painting this narrative center resides in a literalagent, the carrier ofa name"(155). In TrolleyRide, the carrierof a name is JudyGarland, whose presence activatesthe project s "timecapsule" quality (Hawthorne D12). It evokescom- munityunderstanding of her importance to manywhite, gay men, a kinship documentedderisively by criticsin Garlandslifetime (Goldman; "Séance"), revisitedby scholars (Babuscio; Boyt, Bronski, Dyer, Heavenly), and referenced in suchfilms as Swingersand CruelIntentions. With Garland as itsfocal point, designtriggers insight and agency.For fans, this refinishing is an intervention "withbenefits." It constitutesa victory for the artists who compose a comeback forGarland by revitalizing her as a contemporaryclub artist. It is also a winfor fans.Garland appearing in a "new"project that uses contemporarytechnology almostequals Judy appearing in ourtime. If we couldnot be thereto cheerher inconcert, we can havethe present-tense excitement of seeing her in the club.14 Yet,within that celebration, there is a detailthat may interest those who are awareof Garland s biographyand career.Film scholars Matthew Tinkcom and AmyVillarejo ask us to "understandthe staras a text,as a carefullycal- culatedproduct with dimensions that reach far beyond the films in whichthe starappears" (117). Dyercalls this "the concept of a structuredpolysemy" that refers"the range of things" a star"could be readas meaningby different audi- ence members"(Stars 72). TrolleyRide, like the source text, mobilizes around a youngand glamorousGarland. Yet she was insecureabout her appearance. As musiccritic Henry Pleasants elaborates: "A tendency to put on weightwas fateful,eventually fatal. The cameramagnifies pudginess, especially in a girl onlyfive feet tall. Judy, accordingly, was heldto a near-starvationdiet. Pills were prescribedto stillthe hungerand to provideenergy for an undernourished body alreadyovertaxed by the dailyroutine of picturemaking. Other pills wereprescribed to bringher down from the elation of successful rehearsal and performanceand to put herto sleep"(283-84). It is truethat Garland s bodywas notalways among "the trained, honed, sculptedbodies" that define "the technology of the star"(Cubitt 354). Steven Cohanoffers this description: "With a bodythat did not conform to the regimen ofHollywood glamour and was oftendifficult to clothe- because ofher short- waistedbuild as wellas herunstable weight"- she came to representto film studios,critics, her public, and herselfa "sense ofinadequacy and inferiority'" (123).MGM colleague Mickey Rooney underscores that sense, suggesting, "She
305
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions CCC 61:2 / DECEMBER 2009 looked,well, different" (100). From an earlyage, Garland apparently felt that way, too.Rooney writes that when he accompaniedher to thepremiere of her first featurefilm, she recoiledat thesight of herself on screen."'Frightful,' she said, Tm a fatlittle pig in pigtails'"(101). Despiteher success, the fright remained. BiographerDavid Shipman recounts a 1962meeting between Garland and Ray Bolger.He writesthat Bolger "was saddened when she told him that, all her life, all she wantedto do was eat and hide" (430). The fearsof the self-perceived "fatlittle pig" who, at theheight of fame, wanted to "eatand hide"were real. In 1969,Garland s obituaryin theNew YorkTimes was frontpage news.It made tworeferences to herbody, one ofwhich was "Shewas overweightfor a star" (Keylinand Fleischer119). Knowledgeableviewers may see theshot of Garland holding food and link it to herstrained capacity for glamour that compromised her well-being and contributedto heranorexia-related death at age forty-seven.15In describing the detailsthat influence perception, Brand writes that "nuances are as important as systematicproblems" (209). Forsome viewers, the image of Garland hold- ingfood may offer a painfullesson in "structuredpolysemy" (Dyer, Stars 72). Thus,this refinishing may stimulate a newaccounting of the costs of being and beholdingthis slender star and howwe see "M-G-M'sglorious love story with music"in which"Judy Garland never looked better" (eBay listing).16 How does thisproject reflect the rhetoricalactivities discussed earlier? First,it demonstrates the capacity to helpchange and maintainthe meanings offilmed moments. Designed as familyfare, "Trolley Song" recounts a sweet momentbetween Esther and John.The centrallearning in thatwholesome sequenceis thatthose two like each otherand thatflirting occurs on public conveyances.If not traditional family fare, Trolley Ride is nowheredeclaratively gay.Its strategyof indirection (it is stillpossible to "see"a girllooking at orfor a boy)continues the source text's innocence. Insistently wholesome, this video enactsa duality.It is simultaneouslystraight and verygay- friendly, reminding us ofJames N. Green'sdiscussion of how, in the1950s, male muscle magazines "offerederotic stimulation for an interestedreadership" (161). WhenI say"interested readership," I mean viewers who notice that Trolley Riderefinishes the source text in orderto amplifyits homoerotic reception. In resituatingthe characters from St. Louis to San Francisco,a resonantreloca- tionfor many gay men, it rewardsmemory and redirectsthe sequence s erotic energies.17It also invitesus to joinJudy/Esther gaze at someonewho, if not a neighbor,is an agilehottie. The possibilityof variable spectatorship suggests
306
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions JANANG ELO /SITE-SPECIFIC: VIRTUAL REFINISH ING thatbuildings can be politicallyrepurposed. Brand acknowledges this and states that"an adaptive building would not surprise us ifit startedconventional and became unique,started conservative and became radicalby being true to its uniquelife" (190). The process of refinishing supports unique and parallel lives. On theone hand,Trolley Ride s idiomaticportals open links that may have been invisibleto thegeneral public but that were seen by some viewers. Conversely, less interestedspectators may see a playful"cover" of an old song. Thisvideo has a politicaleffect; by offering links that reward viewers* "deep experience"of the source text (Brand 190), it acknowledges their existence and value. Such acknowledgmentreifies Sean Cubitts idea thatdigital projects foster"the openness of thinking to the as-yetunthought, the connectionas yetunmade" (72). Cubittargues that digital works do "notso muchdepict or falsifyactuality but communicate aspiration." In otherwords, we use newmedia to composethe images and soundswe wantto see happenon screen."To that extent,"he writes,"they are Utopianor dystopian"(260). This Utopianproject shows the "unthought"connection that was made bysome viewers. By honoring what some fans saw and nowhelp others see, it celebratescommunity knowledge of historical artifact and figure.18In amplify- ingthe meaning some viewers inferred from the sourcetext and articulating it in theclub, this refinishing melds artistry to activism.The idea thatpublic artifactsshould include the ideas ofLGBT usersis gainingsway. In Designing forDiversity: Gender, Race, and Ethnicityin theArchitectural Profession, Kath- rynH. Anthonysays, "when women, persons of color, gays and lesbians,and personswith disabilities work side by side with white male architects, they are betterable to respondto thecomplex environmental needs of diverse clients and users"(55). TrolleyRide reachesviewers who, suspicious of sedimented designschemes, know that landmarks are not onlybuilt, loved, or inhabited bystraight people.19 TrolleyRide addresses an audiencethat has been"paying attention" (Brand 221) and welcomesconfirmation. The projectsignifies refinishing for a site- specificfit for a specificaudience. Like the Prada time capsule, it is tailoredto workin a space thatgoes unnoticed/unvisited bymost. It practices refinishing forsome, rather than many.20 Brand understands that, over time, "all buildings grow,but some grow more outward and some moreinward" (218). Despiteits inclusivepolitics, Trolley Ride grows inward, expressing its knowledge within gay-thinkingspace. From that project, we moveto a multidirectionalrefinish- ing,one thatgrows simultaneously outward and inward.
307
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions CCC 61:2 / DECEMBER 2009
'Oh" Lifewith Judy Garland: Me and MyShadows was a 2001ABC miniseriesabout Garlands life.One scene re-createsthe filmingof "TrolleySong" and shows peoplewho were critical to theproject. It takes the memoir of Garland s daugh- terLorna Luft as itssource text and setsthe action on a studiosound stage in 1943.As thecast and crewof Meet Me in St.Louis awaitGarlands arrival, we meetpeople whose names and dialogueI quote: Arthur:She's here. Kay:Hallelujah, sound the trumpets. Arthur:How s mylittle girl? Judy:I'm wonderful.I'm wonderful. Vincente:You want to runthrough it once more? Judy:No. You showedit to me before.I remember.Let s just startit. Roger:Judy, I would like you to meetMiss KayThompson. She did all the musicalarrangements on thepicture. If you want to knowall theways to stylea song,Kay s yourlady. Judy:Oh. Kay:Your lady in waiting.
The focusis on filming:the "trolley" is a set,seen in longshot. There are close- ups oflights and a handdropping a phonographneedle. We see a buzzerand countdownleader, more lights, and a clapboard. Someone says "and playback," and Garlandfaces a rearprojection screen and lip-synchsto herrecording. We see two cameras;one showsmen movingthe "trolley"on a crane.Shots showArthur, Roger, and Kaywatching Garland admiringly, as Kaypats Rogers shoulder.Vincente studies the performance. After he says"Cut" and "Perfect," all applaudGarland, who smilesand returnstheir praise. This refinishingoffers another take on the story.20While "Trolley Song" showsEsther in transit,Life shows Garland at workin a signaturemoment. It showswhat is oftenobscured: the backstory about how a landmarkcame into being,an appreciationof which exists in scholarship on narrativeand architec- ture.As PeterLunenfeld argues, "the backstory - theinformation about how a narrativeobject comes intobeing - is fastbecoming almost as important as thatobject itself" (14). We see thisas the DVD directorscommentaries offerinsight into artistic decisions. Discussing architecture, Brand says that,
308
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions JANANG ELO /SITE-SPECIFIC: VIRTUAL REFINISH ING insteadof focusing on publicrooms that often remain static, we shouldstudy backstageareas because "they'rewhere all the actionis" (48). Lifeis a back- storyproject with family of choice connections. For those who are attuned,it recentersthe "action." Recognizingaction and assigningmeaning to it requireattentiveness. Faigley,George, Palchik, and Seiferemind us thatwe need to look at,through, and aroundcompositions in orderto see themwith clarity. They write that "seeingis as muchabout memoryand experienceas it is about perception" (53) and that"we mustalso learnto makesense ofwhat we see" (324). They contendthat "as carefuland thoughtfulreaders, we need to seekthe outlines ofuntold elements in a narrativeand to ask questions"(168). Ryansuggests thatnarrative "captures a segmentin the history of a worldand ofits members" ("Will"337), and adds that"visible or hidden links can be usedto givethe tactile pleasureof mousingover hot spots and of makingsomething happen- the expansionof the textual world into a diversifiedsensory experience" (343). We can see howLife provides "a diversifiedsensory experience" by examining its subtlecuing network, one thatoffers insight into Garland s kinshipwith her MGM colleagueswho were often "uncredited contributors" (Ray 264) to that celebratedtextual world. Arthuris ArthurFreed, head ofthe Freed Production Unit, which created MGMs greatestmusicals (Fordin). At MGM,the unitwas Garlands training groundand mostproductive work environment. Cohan writes"of Garland s professionaldebt to and close friendshipswith the gay men in the Arthur Freedproducing unit at MGM,who mentored,directed, choreographed, and costumedher, in effect,shaping her distinct performing style" (123). Rogeris vocalcoach RogerEdens. Of the artists involved in Garlands career,Edens was hermusical arranger and principalarchitect.21 Many of her MGM filmsfeature thewords "Musical Adaptation by Roger Edens." Vincenteis Garlands directorand (then)future husband, Vincente Min- nelli,who is creditedwith cultivating her talents into those of an adult star. Marriedto Garlandfrom 1945 to 1951,he was rumoredto be bisexual(Clarke) - somethingalluded to ina close-upof his mascara-covered eyelashes and ringed finger.To buttressthat hint, the project offers two discreetly explanatory scenes. In thefirst, Roger tries to quellJudy s attractionto Vincenteby saying, "He's a terriblysweet man, but I dont thinkhe's marrying material." Judy responds, "I don'tlisten to thoserumors. It's just his artisticflair." And Rogeradds, "Fran- ces [hergiven name], listen to old Roger."A laterscene in whichVincente is
309
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions CCC 61:2 / DECEMBER 2009 unresponsiveto herromantic overtures underscores Roger s point.When the Advocateinterviewed Judy Davis, who portrayed Garland, it stated that "Garland also had gayconnections beyond her magnetic stage persona. She keptfalling inlove with gay men" (Stockwell 36). The textfeatures a photoof the actor who portrayedMinnelli. Kay is KayThompson, Garland s vocalarranger, friend, and, some alleged,occasional romantic partner.22 In theinterview, Davis said that Garland"understood bisexuality, absolutely; there's enough evidence to sug- gestshe had bisexual relationships herself" (36) (as DavidShipman and Gerald Clarkesuggest in theirGarland biographies). Asked, "Are you playing Garland to includeany same-sex attraction?" (36), she said,"Yeah, we did a scenelike that[between the charactersof Garlandand singingcoach KayThompson]. I don'tknow whether it will be includedin thefinal cut, but, yeah, we did."23 Viewerswho know the backstory may find this scene rewarding. To us,a scenethat credits key sources in Garlands artisticand personaldevelopment whilerecognizing the eroticwithin the collégialmay seem likerecovery and redress.24That sentiment is expressedby Kathryn H. Anthony,who asks us to "considergays and lesbiansas creatorsof the built environment" (72). Anthony refersto OLGAD,the Organization of Lesbian and GayArchitects and Design- ers,"whose work has focusedon threekey issues: (1) reclaiminglost history, identifyinglesbian and gayarchitects throughout history and recognizingtheir contributionsto architecturaldesign; (2) identifyingspaces and places that haveplayed a significantrole in thehistory of the lesbian and gaymovements; and (3) analyzinga uniqueaesthetic of what gay and lesbiandesigners refer to " as queerdesign (104).25Scholar Jane Feuer celebrates queer design, arguing that"the attribution of gay authorship to FreedUnit musicals and to musical filmsin generalenables us to conceptualizemusicals as gaymale texts created byand addressedto gaymen. It also authorizesa readingof Judy Garland as knowinglyqueer'" (Hollywood 140). Lifeoffers no explicitmention of queer design or designers. Its indirection mirrorsthe "glass panels that can go fromtransparent to opaque"(Hawthorne D 12).This scene shows how refinishing for an in situfit is complicatedbecause Lifeis a networkproject that addresses a wideconstituency. As a publicperfor- manceof a cherishedsequence, it is mindfulof multiple viewers and venues. The considerationof venue returns us to rhetoric.The authorsof Picturing Textsask, "Where is yourtext likely to appear?"(Faigley, George, Palchik, and Seife397). Ron Fortuneexplains: "the attention to rhetoricalcircumstance opensup and complicatesin a positiveway efforts to understandhow writing and image interactinsofar as the reader'sexperience with each, separately
310
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions JANANGELO /SITE-SPECIFIC: VIRTUAL REFINISHING and together,will significantly influence the relative congeniality with which she or he regardsthe presenceof the visualand the verbalin the textbeing read"(52). He adds that"if their prior experience permits them to respondto theinteraction between visual and verbalin morethan the simplestof ways, theyshould realize the full communicative possibilities of the texts they read and compose"(52). Life'screators know that one communicativepossibility of trumpetingqueer designis invitingderision. Cohan notesthat Garland s identificationwith gay men hurt her appeal to "massculture" (128), especially thosewho are "continually reinterpreting the relation of her life and herwork" (134). Indeed,"Garlands status as a gay icon" (126) earned BetteMidler a mixed-companylaugh on The TonightShow when she joked that"gay couples are gettingmarried faster than you can say..." and thenrecited the "Trolley Song's" chorus.26 Life s creatorssee thestigmatizing potential of outing artists, somethingFeuer voices in asking,"what happens when, for instance, The Freed Unitat MGM gets rewritten as 'thefairy unit', the phrase heterosexual producer ArthurFreed jokingly used to referto his unit?"(Hollywood 140). Sometimesvisibility fuels exposure and devaluation.27Let s remember theconcern that a persuasiverefinishing can damagethe public s perception ofa landmarkand endangerits protectedstatus.28 Beyond putting Garland s vulnerablestar text at furtherrisk, it begsthe question: would the public still like"Trolley Song" as muchafter learning that they have been fond of an artifact ofqueer design?Feuer anticipates that disconnect in a tellingparenthetical aside:"for of course MGM musicalswere supposed to be addressedto a family audience"(Hollywood 140). So was Lifewith Judy Garland. Giventhis complexcommunicative situation, rhetors need strategies forrefinishing landmarks without damaging them. That goal findsvoice in Koolhaass ideas forthe St. Petersburg Hermitage Museum. Seeking to develop his "curatoriallaboratory" (114) bycreating an "'invisible'addition" (110), he explainsthat "we are tryingto reimaginethe Hermitagewithout making a manifestintervention" (Zalewski HO).29 Koolhaas states: "I wantto inspirenew curatorialstrategies. . . . The goal is to maintaincurrent conditions as much as possible,and also inspirenew ideas ofhow to displayart" (112). He wants changes"to be readable"(117) and provideslinks that trace use throughtime. His questionis "insteadof erasingthat history, why not highlightit?" (113). Lifespotlights history and debateshow readablelinks should be. Awarethat elaborationcan be reductive,distracting, or alienating, it offers "partly hidden" (Brand49) linksvisible to some but not to others.Life's "nonfacade façade" (HawthorneD 12)) beckonssubtly.
311
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions CCC 61:2 / DECEMBER 2009
If"Trolley Ride" has a specificfocus, Life is "flexible"and multipurposed (Kowal 4). As an "epicenter"of professional/personalhistory, it addressesa diverseaudience by offering clues that are (not) there for all to see (Hawthorne Dl). Designedfor those who are (or are not) "paying attention" (Brand 221), Life refinishesfor the few and themany by rewarding multiple levels of knowledge. Its "hybridcondition" (Hawthorne D12) offersun/readable links that speak publiclyto all and confidentially to some. Pedagogically, Life communicates with newlearners, those with baseline knowledge, perceived "insiders," and people whomight want their stories told discreetly. Itproceeds "'to let the public enter absolutelyfreely'" (D12) bysimultaneously functioning as a corecourse and an advancedseminar. Masked intricacymarks a projectthat composes specific teachablemoments for each segmentof its audience.30 This pedagogicalproject also refinishesfor inclusion. Since filmsshow thosewho are in frontof the camera,helping viewers see artistswhose con- tributionsare usuallyeffaced counters cinemas strategiesof erasure.Such interventionsuggests that "writing, of course, is onepowerful way to take back somepublic space, but it is not the onlyway and shouldnever be privileged. Anotherway to reinventpublic space is throughcreating public exhibitions of work,showing unseen cinemas, and creatingrooms for repressed dialogues to be madevisible" (Zimmermann 388). Life features rooms that show Garland as an artistwho loved, and was lovedby, her colleagues. It also offersrooms that depictthe storiesand workof "diversedesigners" both successfuland those "strugglingto remainafloat" (Anthony 181). By representing the invested and theinvestments, it shows that "the processes of looking closely, of reading at- tentivelyand skeptically,can lead to thetesting of tired conventions and well- wornperspectives and to theinsights we gainas we composetexts that make ourlives visible" (Faigley, George, Palchik, and Seife168). This project reveals whatsome alreadyknow: that MGM was a siteof considerable creativity and thatflirting occurs on filmsets and on trolleys.
Conclusion:Virtual Refinishing in ContemporaryRhetorical Practice These projectsfeature valuable rhetorical elements including an installation designedto workin situ;the designand deploymentof apt audio and visual detailsthat speak idiomaticallyto specificaudience members; an audience awarenessthat helps rhetors decide what some viewers might know, look for, orbe repelledby; a senseof occasion that specifies what's possible, persuasive, dangerous,and optimalin a givencommunicative moment; an assessmentof
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions JANANG ELO /SITE-SPECIFIC: VIRTUAL REFINISH ING venueaffordances and constraintsthat helps rhetors discern how explicit their projectsshould be; and theinclusion of in/visible, multipurposed touch points thatreward and protecttextual history and communityknowledge, and that are (not) therefor everyone to see. These projectsalso showrhetors communicating compellingly in semi- andvery public venues. Studying such intricate (yet deceptively simple) projects can enhanceour understandingof visual rhetoricand move us fromusing reductiveterms like "mash-up," "appropriation," and "manipulation"(with their simplistic,predatory connotations) that mark and limitstudent work, toward moreexpansive terms like "adaptation," "distillation," "meditation," and whatI call"rhetor response." For rhetors who repurpose visual texts for public arenas, a worthychallenge is learninghow to discernwhat's in-contest in (and among) audiencemembers in orderto presentmaterial in waysthat reward specific individualswithout distracting or alienating viewers with other affiliations and needs.Refinishing brings understanding of the complexities of public perfor- mance (e.g.,calls forprecision, discretion, declaration, and understatement) intorhetorical practice by offeringtools thathelp rhetorsbalance a need to tellwith the ability to suggest.This strategyextends Kress s questions:"What does readingmean here Whichmode carrieswhich kind of information?" ("Gains"19). Discerning rhetors might ask: how much information is too much, forwhom and when?Design imbues composition as rhetorsdecide when to cede and seed a bit.I say "cede"because refinishinghelps rhetors use a light touchto maskintricacy. Some rhetorsknow that playful approach- -refinish- ingfor a smoothrather than a "distressed"look - maypermit and protectacts ofrevision and redress. I say"seed" in appreciationof Kress s suggestion:"Design takes the results ofpast productionas theresource for new shaping, and forremaking. Design sets aside past agendas,and treatsthem and theirproducts as resourcesin settingan agenda offuture aims, and ofassembling means and resourcesfor implementingthat" ("'English'" 87). Kress s wordscomport with media theorist Lev Manovich'sidea that"if live-action footage was leftintact in traditional filmmaking,now it functions as rawmaterial for further compositing, animat- ing,and morphing"(179). I wouldoffer a query:what if some projectsdon't dismisspast agendas,but contendwith them? In engagingpast productions, theserhetors set littleaside. Rather,they use insightto effectin-site repre- sentationof a vauntedtext's creators and reception.Also, for some viewers, the materialwas neverraw. It was preparedaccording to others'recipes and debatedin theirtest kitchens. That is anotherreason refinishing matters. As
313
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions CCC 61:2 / DECEMBER 2009 rhetorscompose new projects that redress past productions, we minetexts to bringbackstories forward and delivercritical messages about what we think shouldbe amplifiedor acknowledged. The footageis still"material," though. It is materialto viewer-rhetor, identity, and literacy practice. It merits engagement as a historicalartifact that seeds and needscontemporary work. What we want fromtexts varies; so does whatwe wantfor them. As rhetorscreate projects thatrespond to long-heldideas and inspirenew ones, refinishing offers valu- able strategiesfor telling compelling stories about stories that have been told.
Acknowledgments I thankDeborah Holdstein, the CCC reviewers Jane Curran, CarmellaFiorelli, Joseph Harris,Beckie Menzie, Earl Moshinsky, John Schub, Susan Thomas, and Joyce Wex- lerfortheir acuity of insight and generosity ofspirit. I salute Yola C. Janangelo and FarrellJ.Webb for their peerless work in my ongoing WPA-Judy Garland seminar.
Notes 1. We mightcompare refinishing to restoration,which can attemptto return somethingto itsoriginal "look" That work can be doneby relying on memoryor byreferring to a graphicor visual archive. 2.A compellingrefinishing can certainly affect viewers' perceptions of the original work. 3. Ryanattributes that to "modularity."She writesthat "because the computer makesit so easyto reproducedata, digital works tend to be composedof many autonomousobjects. These objects can be used in manydifferent contexts and combinations,and undergo various transformations, during the run of the work" ("Will"338). Modularity suits virtual texts "because the story of a lifeor a com- munityis nota dramaticnarrative aimed at a climaxbut an episodicnarrative madeof many self-sufficient units that can be madein manyorders" (343). Peter Lunenfeldmakes a largerclaim. He statesthat "the business of the computer is alwaysunfinished" and adds that "in fact, 'unfinish' defines the aesthetic of digital media"(7). Buildingon thatidea, he assertsthat "technology and popular culture propelus towarda stateof unfinish in which the story is neverover, and the limits ofwhat constitutes the story proper are never to be as clearagain" (14). 4. Payingattention means creating spaces that respond to and anticipateusers' diverseand evolvingneeds. The challengeto thinkcritically and to plan ahead resonateswith Cynthia L. Selfe'sargument in Technologyand Literacy in the Twenty- FirstCentury: The Importance of Paying Attention. 5. Whileoccupancy can meanliving with others' design schemes, we can also
314
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions JANANGELO /SITE-SPECIFIC: VIRTUAL REFINISHING considerour own needs for space, perhaps by using a kitchenisland as a deskor a diningroom as a bedroomfor an ailingparent. 6.Describing its interstitial fit,Jessica Kowal suggests that "the central library seems particularlylikely to suitthe local populations intelligence and love of books" (4). 7. the KunsthalRotterdam, Victoria Newhouse writes that Koolhaas's Praising ' "uniqueand surprising spaces encourage a freshvision of what they contain (234). 8.See Meet Me inSt. Louis at http://www.reelclassics.com/Musicals/StLouis/stlouis. htmfor a discussionof the films artful integration of music into the story line. 9. See http://www.thejudyroom.com/louis/pictures/liza4apr04.htmlforphotos ofthe event. 10.Feuer incisively notes that "of course spontaneous performances that mask their technologieshave been calculated, too- notfor audiences within the films but for audiencesof the film" ("Self-Reflexive" 335). 11.In 2005, the soundtrack was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame. "This is a little misleading.The Decca albumis actuallystudio recordings of the songs from the filmrecorded at theDecca Studios,NOT theperformances as recordedat MGM forthe soundtrack of the film. Original Soundtrack' albums were still a fewyears away,and it was commonpractice to makestudio versions of songs from films to sellon 78rpmrecords and in albums of 4-78rpm records (8 songstotal)." See "The JudyRoom" at
315
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions CCC 61:2 / DECEMBER 2009 fullynurtured innocence" that Pleasants argues imbues Garland s MGMmusical performances(285). 14.Comebacks defined Garland s adult career. Trolley Ride is a postcareercomeback projectthat weds fan loyalty and imagination to newer media. Through technology, we can be withJudy in St.Louis and San Francisco.We can also see to itthat she performsnow among other contemporary artists. 15.In a 1965interview a reporter asked, "Judy, what do youthink that you most missedas a teenager?"Garland replied, "Eating" (Judy Garland: By Myself). 16. SheridanMorley and Ruth Leon (73) showGarland on theSt. Louis set smiling andlooking up froma plateof food. 17.For some fans, the relocation may create a linkto anotherof Garland s songs, "SanFrancisco." She introduced it into her act in 1959and oftenused it as an Act I closerand sometimesas a repeatedfinal encore. 18.Published accounts suggest that Garland was notan entirelyunfamiliar pres- encein gayclubs. Friend and composerJohn Meyer writes about playing for her whenshe sang informally at one in New York in 1968. 19. Myfirst learning moment about Garlands presence in gaymale culture oc- curredat age nine.I was happyto see themusical Applause at thePalace Theatre, thesite of Garlands famous concert appearances. In onescene, the lead character was takento a clubthat featured posters of Mae Westand ofJudy Garland. I read laterthat that scene, which featured the same posters that hung in mybedroom, was setin a "gaybar." 20.The creatorsknow that they are working with a landmark.They understand thattheir work entails being attentively creative with a sequencethat is iconic and beloved.Hence, this refinishing is not a copy.The goalis to capturefeelings ofon-set energy and artistry, not to composea simulation.On theDVD commen- tary,Lorna Luft and her collaborators state their high level of intentionality. They saythat editing was doneout of respect for the source text. They add that,since "everyoneknows what these films look like," they wanted to offerviewers "a piece" ofthe scene and "anothertake." To "showthe excitement of how these films were made"and increase recognition of Garlands associates, the editing, cutaways, and newcamera angles let us see moreof "Trolley Song" and to see itdifferently. Since Luftwas bornafter the filming, she and hercolleagues largely imagine what that momentwas like. John Lincoln Schilb reminds me that "the 'Trolley Song' produc- tionsequence is Lornas 'refinishing' ofan episodefrom Judy's life" (email to author). 21. See thebio ofRoger Edens at http://www.glbtq.com/arts/edens_r.htmlfora discussionof his crucial personal and professional stewardship of Garland. As Luft writes,"He cameinto her life when she was onlythirteen and remained in ituntil theday she died" (206).
316
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions JANANGELO /SITE-SPECIFIC: VIRTUAL REFINISHING
22.See "Kay Thompson" at http://www.eloisewebsite.com/kay_thompson.htm for moreabout Thompsons career, especially as authorof the Eloise books. A largepart ofMinnellis 2008 Palace "comeback" was a tributeto Thompson. 23.Life shows "Judy" and "Kay" dining and stroking each others hands while joking aboutlife without men. 24.Fans are divided about whether to celebrateGarland s linksto gaymen. Daniel Harrisequates fandom with community and describesit as "a wayof achieving a collectivesubcultural identity" (17). Some say that while sexuality does not define an artistor fan, it should not be heldsecret. Others ask, why risk further injury by reprisinga limiting stereotype? Discussing both perspectives, Steven Cohan argues that"the multiple formulations comprising Garland s fandomdo notoverlap but in factcompete with each otherin theclaims fans make for the authenticity of theirown interested readings - readingsthat are themselves historically situated as articulationsof cultural marginality" (131). 25.Anthony warns that "ironically, unless drastic changes are made, the profession willlikely continue to alienatethose diverse members that it needsmost. Archi- tecturewill remain a bastionof homogeneity. In sum,diversity in designis only in itsincipient stages. Although many diverse designers have ridden the wave to success,too many others are struggling toremain afloat" (181). Admitting progress, shedetails its liminal nature. "Only recently have we begunto see thehomes and interiorspaces of gay or lesbian couples identified in mainstreammagazines like ArchitecturalDigest, Metropolitan Home, and ElleDécor" (72). To me,programs on Homeand GardenTelevision , which show the work of gay architects, design- ers,and occupants,advance that progress. While the spaces are mostly domestic and thedesigners are often white, HGTV shows nonwhite and biracialsame-sex couplesliving and building together. 26.That episode of TheTonight Show with Jay Leno aired in Chicagoon NBC on July7, 2004. 27.Two examples: When I presentedon Garlandat work,our student newspaper advertisedthe talk with arresting alliteration: "Judy Garland s LesbianLinks Ex- posed."Second, at age eight,I was askedby my mother what talk show host David Susskindmeant when he said,"If it weren'tfor homosexuals, where would Judy Garlandbe?" That was just one time I wishedpeople were not, or would stop, "pay- ingattention" (Brand 221). 28.Discerning viewers see theirmemory rewarded by gloss, rather than exegesis. Discretionthus serves a dualgoal of showing key people in Garland s lifeand career whilehonoring their privacy. 29.Koolhaas generally resists creating iconic architecture. Expressing his commit- mentto buildingunobtrusive structures, he says,"St. Petersburg does notneed a
317
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions CCC 61:2 / DECEMBER 2009
GuggenheimBilbao" (Zalewski 112). Yet, the architect s witty irreverence is evident whenhe defendshis proposed showpiece project for Beijing's CCTV: "Unlike St. Petersburg,it [Beijing] could stand a newicon' (117). 30.The connectionto gaymen persists. In 2005,Garland was thesubject of the firstentry in Trachtenberg and Bachtell's When I Knew.Some gay viewers are less attractedto the post-MGM Garland. When I championedthat work to friends they said,"We liked her better when she was Andy Hardy's girlfriend, 'the girl next door.'" To mymind, Garland is stillthe "girl next door." It just depends on whereyou live.
WorksCited
Anthony,Kathryn H. Designing/orDiver- Cubitt,Sean. The Cinema Effect.Cambridge, sity:Gender, Race, and Ethnicityin the MA: MIT P,2004. ArchitecturalProfession. Urbana: U of Davidson,Michael. "Palimtexts:Post- IllinoisP, 2001. modernTheory and the MaterialText." Babuscio,Jack. "Camp and the Gay Sensibil- PostmodernGenres. Ed. MarjoriePerloff. ity."Gays and Film.Ed. RichardDyer. Lon- Norman:U of Oklahoma P,1988. 75-95. don: BritishFilm Institute,1977. 40-57. Dyer,Richard. Heavenly Bodies: Film Stars Blane,Ralph, and Hugh Martin."Trolley and Society.2nd ed. New York:Routledge, Song."1943. 2004.
Bornstein,George. Introduction. Palimp- . Stars.London: BritishFilm Institute, sest:Editorial Theory in theHumanities. 1979. Ed. Bornsteinand Ralph G. George "16 mm Meet Me in St Louis- Williams.Ann Arbor:U. of P, eBay listing. Michigan Garland- LPR" Item#1533460493. 1993: 1-6. Judy 27 April2002. Boyt,Susie. MyJudy Garland Life. London: "Edens, Roger(1905-1970)." GLBTQ: An ViragoP, 2008. Encyclopediaof Gay,Lesbian, Bisexual, Brand,Stewart. How BuildingsLearn: What and Transgender,and Queer Culture. Happens AfterThey're Built. New York:
318
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions JANANGELO/SITE-SPECIFIC: VIRTUAL REFINISHING
TheArthur Freed Unit. New York: Da ChangingRole in Society."Chicago Tri- CapoP, 1996. bune28 May2004: 5C 1 + 4. Fortune,Ron. "'You're Not in Kansas Kress,Günther. "'English' at theCrossroads: Anymore':Interactions among Semiotic RethinkingCurricula of Communication Modesin Multimodal Texts." Computers in theContext of the Turn to theVisual." and Composition22.1 (2005): 49-54. Passions,Pedagogies, and 21stCentury Technologies.Ed. GailE. Hawisherand Diana."From to George, Analysis Design: CynthiaL. Seife.Logan: Utah State UP, VisualCommunication in theTeaching 1999.66-88. ofWriting." College Composition and Communication54.1 (2002): 11-39. . "Gainsand Losses: New Forms ofTexts, Knowledge, and Learning." Goldman,William. The Season: A Candid Computersand Composition22.1 (2005): Lookat Broadway.New York: Harcourt, 5-22. Braceand World, 1969. Lifewith Judy Garland: Me andMy Shadows. Green,James N. Beyond Carnival: Male Ho- Dir.Robert Allan Ackerman. 2001. DVD. mosexualityin Twentieth-CenturyBrazil. Miramax,2001. Chicago:U ofChicago P, 1999. Luft,Lorna. Me andMy Shadows: A Family Harris,Daniel. The Rise and Fallof Gay Memoir.New York: Pocket Books, 1998. Culture.New York: Hyperion, 1997. Lunenfeld,Peter. "Unfinished Introduction." Hawthorne, Koolhaas Christopher."Capt. TheDigital Dialectic: New Essays on New Sailsthe New Prada Flagship" New York Media.Ed. Peter Lunenfeld. Dl + D12. Cambridge, Times15 July 2004: MA:MIT P,1999. 7-21. Hocks, E. Visual Mary "Understanding Manovich,Lev. What Is DigitalCinema?" Rhetoricin DigitalWriting Environ- Lunenfeld.172-92. ments."College Composition and Com- munication54.4 (2003): 629-56. MeetMe inSt. Louis. Dir. Vincente Minnelli. 1944.DVD. Turner Entertainment, 2004. JudyGarland: By Myself. DVD. Dir.Susan Lacy.Turner Entertainment, 2004. MeetMe inSt. Louis (1944). Reel Classics website, website.
319
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions CCC 61:2 / DECEMBER 2009
Pleasants,Henry. The Great American Shipman,David Judy Garland: The Secret PopularSingers. New York: Simon and Lifeof an AmericanLegend. New York: Schuster,1974. Hyperion,1992. Ray,Robert B. TheABCsof Classic Hollywood. Steiner, Wendy. "Pictorial Narrativity." Ryan Oxford:Oxford UP, 2008. 145-17. Rooney,Mickey. Life Is TooShort. New York: Stockwell,Anne. "Judy on Judy." Advocate VillardBooks, 1991. 27 February2001: 32-36 + 39.
Joseph Janangelo JosephJanangelo is immediatepast president of the Council of Writing Program Administratorsand associateprofessor of English at LoyolaUniversity Chicago.
320
This content downloaded from 129.82.28.124 on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:09:39 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions