sor aaa sa Rese ONLY (A) MEMORY CAN SAVE US NOW? THE INSTANT OF DEATH IN CHRIS MARKER'S LA JETEE AND MAURICE BLANCHOT'S LINSTANT DE MA MORT Jeff Fort ‘The went century mis te centr fcatstrphe Tis statement is wl radon tht hee ile ned to ge examples, hich rend come to mid But we coll sy thats lo resons tat are wurely lly eld, i wat fhe cry of memory, Bt hat legible ie mumerous works of at and ‘Boogin,inculing those of some of the entry's mon spat figures (Bergun, Prout Trev, Beojmin, Alin Rema, Marguerite Darr, Joes Roubeud.-to mente only haf) Over the Int century, memory hs tee somcing of an obeion, and tines it as comet seem, byperbily tnd peblematily, lke the a gree reservoir of hope and (ea |) ‘Shaton orn at ks, invoke some rehted term af salvage, ric, Fecapention, revery, Tetorten, retin, reuiel..not to mention eager sengely hope Wikehlng (epeton). Inded, i the face of the marine detraction wrouph daring the lt cetary, we might be tempted to wonder, ins dénveant of Hedeggers amos testamentary phate, tehther only a memory can sve us nom memory salient to the oof Tningng ws teugh te ongoing xtstrope tat modernity ee Heidegger Sictie), At the ame tin, ich a quesion would also rele us to Waller Benji reflections on the destrcton of experence, and ofthe aa, and thor to memory elon to the technology of ie re productin ad the tehogy af war, dentro, and urvellance—a pares rlatonsip ks apna etn 08 ara DLO 200 a eeein wich the meas of preserving memory rc ound yp wt the violence Ea senders imponble (oe The Wark of Art.-." 2810283)" T ould like t lok nto one very anal connetre of thst enormous queton by prowrting and ommenting on two sort workin which memory tps precy th vole the mene of react he mi of tc pital Progmmel setrton and dewth, The two works are Chris Markers 1962 ‘hort fin fa Jas at Marie Blanch’ nte-indeed lst prove marae, Tino de mar publ in 1998." Ta ihe short spe I ave bare, tl ve teed he eng ring aeenes ha spurte the eo picss~ anther ahors inorder 1 “ancetate on he dai ad resmancs been them, of whic here ae Gunes fom My sms that pling topeher eo daprite bt convergent frail hypeine i {hea be only fet shcchy but polis begining With th pi, wl epee» gusto of the an tm which hae ioe converge Marker: Memory's Rescue 1's ln elt » ear hte nek withthe pt andi, with web iy an eds the by wig he ted wd rope of Workl War Hand acer enon Seding {ict he alr work ar which the oy onto wih at wld Ssakagh memeny, Morr ths proces nh ny eral Shae ny hos aking expel presario agile were ta san none owe tb expe. The ns main character x in a underroun onset can at ap afer the estado Tie ened im experiments designed Yo expt nen with “images meraler tis foster inthe hope of wrk (being) trough me, rt othe ppnt—to the vega mall of memory tegen, wich ab, perks, chat [imagination fanty, an reompecveimention (he murtor expres 2 Soubtat to wether he man’s mage as been invented, mer dreamed) and then ito the ftere, here the trv reste erin a enwanter wih he we td diane (nd ofcourse tecnoogialy anced survivors of ths destoyed “ghee of worl. The proto heen for tese experiments precely eeu hes atemed ih an nue fom hepa: x woman ce (igure 1. te image surviving fom a childhood tmomest on the “gun ade" of the prewar Oxy arpor (pre WWill, at) an nage presse upon hin by om wh ue il cee fas ethic he has wed here “This image wd the experiment nr" to train the man tbe tow, Inunched or “proce” atl into erent ser of pst me; ater thse ‘otrls have ben perfected in numero encounter withthe woman of the stand then ter the si by he experimenters and can only seat i "ison Bu he, tthe ination ofthe mane the Fate ( dan Te temps tps alert”) he gate 3 eh ret fs clibod where, rans twa the woman at the al of heft deri” that te bye wan me te ms vn the pont ume tht a too, he la by an get The Hens with heen "I compre quan needa pes oT eige Tistane ql hl vat & donne de vr nf et us ara ps eee {ke obec it ell de propre mor” (igre 3) “Thi lin snowy what pts nein mind of Blinc’ narsve, cant dene mrt wb et a orien. fee, rn Soth an indi, sheave mentary and» rupture of memory ina “typical trou trace of wlestrangerene ht Marker Meralies by aging one mons death asthe impossible experience of two figures spared in space (he boy who mathe the ying an over there a the end of te jt, ad who vl grow up obese na), Ts ian of rapa ie to a peter Cceample of what i cll—sery approprately eres "oreon memory fa ren seme, since te bey deci in fiet remeber the lent death te witneee butyrate, “Raster” onthe mich more fcting ad uring ‘rap ofthe won’ face This na doa the nly wx to reper, clique ‘uch an impooble ad unasailible experience (which nt one).Fall, we should aoe tht 2 ve red wo wget, there Init be called the means of devoucon tn give re to technol means which, Morter connec In varous way to hatogphy, fe, and {pric won In general, Thee ate ible ashe ct the continuation i Hor” ile Temp” ic pte te Hor) but abo inte mete eT rcs tng al ioral mat est eof Germ the Hi aes ate tt would enc mean 1962 tof he iter Bren pking Gaptured wer? Marker, ho itroptd work om Le hates omard the Algerian war, make Lae tiple fs clemer,t Inngnge. Fly wesho fom that hres space and test tine Gat precede i And yet, a te ‘peal ire {Dye opened by complete emaon ado show i paing beyond the vey dof wok oder to se he plant? To are done ths by Toeting She emergence of memory as pnts Soule plae—vbere memory both reptred and taken up txt (as) joe no eternity bythe very techno rr Fim ts fcntig tnd abuse. Te ambigy party ht of tecnology uel pects embotied Inthe get from te sderground sto bl the pretagers tne eryfrcs of technolo destruction thatmemory, 40 be exploit Sm by sha vay same gine wich the agent — Tn other words, deepest memory, in the Prout / Feudan / Nichcoskan sense, i bere net cly inured and scbordsated ro the tins ofa techno police in sarch af its own sural, regeeraion, and ‘Ronan hn memory depth ala vague by reine of tectolgi ‘ntl ep ping wherever, ad whenever, # wibes Blanchot: The Saving Instant of Destruction hae aoa ate the “pit in common tween La te nd lac ‘artn, Finan ema ort The tle el ames atrng but po doubt Tmvnetond echo of Markers A The impossible instant of death imporshe to wit, pone t0 nae, impomible to experiences [sted a the ptr and rpturing momento a mmoriou sage, Ae with icy Hancor's exe ton of ah iit remainder persising feyond enteme esructin, a wartime desration wrought By technic Imei lv» god bt more odthoned nth ve inna mrp in 19%, rear vet ht took pl Jone 19447 tet i thereto bth + memoral ht maka an genesis ad tester saat writen hy an 7 vo Blt The teat bogie 2 memory whe re mien fo Sn vin fe ear premt [O rnering da wee eyeing th aro rn thne om {he ngs ppc Ps foo sar te bn lr Sligo fo ak once he lal an coving in Marker in {ine Blmr's spon mater males he dane a avigeness fs fated sl ddan avg ding th eo the arate al the more nny. but terry praia the wer who “remember” bu riper th sum dened npr by he step ens he oy Ini sl ost ow revo Ta jon T44 tran se rr, ig dracon ta wake They rome upon Blanchot and some of fly rakes in lage Gy own Bangui bch more Hke + marion or “Chit” the als CS (Noe tei cage plas the oon a ne rng qd Lee i on rg shames pour ander an ergs, a ec suman” (3). The machinery fection hs Ber put nae Wat ht torment that, wereld bythe aiming gu ie young an experince ‘hat anh cal un inet de geet extrac” (10) Teli ‘Tenrannnary ifs hat conte tenga Kral rund which he rms teneron Toems age cies hry. The moment ONLY (A) MEMORY CAN SAVE US NOW? comes pose wher »neiby explosion grab the atetion of she ofr, ‘tho supends the execution to vest. In his aboence, one ofthe sede {Gn he jong man ht hey the solders, ae fc Rasa rom the Vlasov lay and he geste to hin to “daprse” which he does” Thi intl ‘sce escape ae ote, pon the yung ar ear to the house, by the owtedge tht in he sven the nearby rms were set ablaze and tee fermer led, no daub fo pce af de young. "chitein” (14) swe, he mums only beue “mtn aux yeu dex Ruse he deserved eps Fe Tehmagug ors ae sla (hie mie the meat elle "etme Fajeice® [1e), Fartermeres the Naa cr as ransacking ‘arouses, ag +h maninrpt—ne doubt» book (psy 3 wove Tring writen by the young Baha. Dope these biter restos an low Blanot ates the cant experence a ne that "remains He sur up ts Demearai cepenit 8 momenta aide n't pls en acne, Ieoomimest fe leerete qe Jen nurs aire: Bre de awe? (pa Power ?Nilenbeu i maou Si Tabane de erat et peace Tipe ges ade esa magne qo ce semtimcn inanalyble changes gather Peisence” Comme 8! ls mort hort de fame pouat ‘Tales gue oe Herter 3 a mort ep a fe uh fant, Nan; to es orem (16-1 ova, Banc comets ry imet sical kor ee lat ngs he ps Sperm of ane det {imal pcos bof death Ted hoe Tomlin Ini the pen the pr gcse anes satire cae, tard which thi ost Tus fue erypertne nce sconce ark tt mis he hs Rouen vr fam wltinate aration "Quimper, Sol dereure ke Teoumen de lgreté ui xa ert mn 0, pour rep prem Fon de wa met Gorm ours on tacs” (1) “Ths intat™ property vertigoar- ath ay 4 strangely wnlcaable reaver als tex moment at would ps, preset "ature imo» marvelously come. Hot, om imcy Sm FH (not aa cae Woy") of rence aed nine The pe Sipe fe “auras remains “eh imac tht by ris Seah pret an fae Het tate hi pase Hote bere a lng epi ing ae an ay angi, il coming creat wth esha fore st [erauncho an il to mee he ve ed the imperative wo we dt > Unpaid cure om a pt “De conclude, I mould Moe to ak exactly bow memory ltrs in this ese minnie Markers film, memory does ro pre >Iyper-uhected image mace to sve the dy. The mite reso ocarsather yen of complicated poll Betas he Raman slr, already a tor, Soe forward to betsy the Neh master t whom be I indented). Memory Iervens as ve sendy sugested tthe evel writing ala Beto al in abe texts inugual moment Je me toens d'un jane Borme,” et) that inthe nevave yes sesperton snd conerson 3 Baumaac "aprince ito what Blinchot cls ckewbere a "lemon toute puss” (Ce de an 126)" which versely sels the eter redatoesip (0 ‘hie pe fant a ful sealing, "Reneeondh” » by tow vel completed the mit of th overelming deacon of war surly one ofthe most charaertic emblems forthe dius tnporaty of he meee CeomuryBhchot fins the very point or “ita dat Mites all oes (CQutimporte) and allrns een death, to be more precbe: Blanchot finds the resource fan inex frmation I a poable bu away tlreulysccomped encounter with death tat somchow mine” TH “xvemel eutocl gesture ers what Blanchot ls rary pace” and lends {tur fo ict “writing of the dager” and co ral shining of ‘isctroe temporal, “Thus, "ie tan of eat” toward and Som which we ate thrown gnc to ho Blanchot and Marker he tea erm foram tempt gun ll {Ek to arte the meager esouet f mama inthe eof he fete ‘Srur's manivedearactn ehich shows le sgn of waning a he ret. Fiat cory, although tangent forms). The vergnous hyperbole "hat inte temps sok wt Be surprises prety god Incarnate ser hop x reas Notes 1 Ont qu the "ttn of exprens” Bs, 6 tng funy he ple rr) the hme eel yA, nmin an 2 chu short tet won publ smal ook, Marker reworked Fei, whith ei attain my il et 3 pt bok ‘ih impel copie Gow Marc) {will quote rs th nk which Rav page mere 1 Re euatning foretha Marce wei ith Alin Rea athe er 4 te Dotns Deter nba nt Ri Jal 1984, hcg ga Fm a Fa ONLY (A) MEMORY CAN SAVE US NOW? 5 Generl Vaso rhs were caper byte German and gen he hac to sree to dn of Ig a th ney. Vn Ge the ae {See Dera 51). 16 Blac was the pve the story a longa ats ery amir gee Works Cited enjin, Walter, “The Wok of Artin he Age of he Mest Repay” Sette Wiking vl 4. Ed. Howard land ea. Cambie Lond {he Be Pf Hara 203 enjoin, Andre al Peer Osborne, Nair Rajan’ Pop: Detain Ewen, Uno: Roel, 199% aor Mace. Fade ar Gali, 1948, eye de dete Pat Cslimard, 198, Pico deme mo Pr ata Moran, 1984 Devel Josue Manresa, Prt: Cal, 196. elingger Marin "Only « God Ca Sane De Spee teri wih Marin Hetigge" vin Mare Per ad eb Bs Capo Te Hedger Carry A Cit Renker E Ribard Wek. Cami ad anon