REVIEW
Barbara Hammer's (Nitrate Kisses) latest project is a video & film collage of images of women that shows just how pervasive lesbian imagery is in our culture. Piecing together archival newsreel footage with dramatic recreations, old lesbian porn and classic stills Ms. Hammer creates a unique crazy quilt of humor, sensuality and beauty. Sex education and health class instructional films will now be seen a whole new light after one sees this film. The director has located headlines from trashy tabloid newspapers including: "Worse than Lesbians!", "Lesbian Lovers Nabbed in Armed Robbery", and the best "Prison Made Me A Lesbian". Incorporated in the film is footage from early lesbian porno movies that are sexy and fun - who knew these films existed? History Lessons features an original score that fuses avant-garde electronica with historical sound clips and humorous original folk songs to forge sounds as inventive as the marvelous film they accompany.