Watch The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes

The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes is a documentary film from 1971 that presents the brutal reality of death through the depiction of autopsy procedures performed on real human bodies. Directed by Stan Brakhage, the film is a visual exploration of the boundary between life and death, and the unnerving reality of coming face-to-face with our own mortality.

The film is a completely unscripted documentation of a series of autopsy procedures performed by forensic pathologists in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Brakhage, known for his experimental films, employs a unique approach to the footage by focusing on the realistic and procedural nature of the autopsies, devoid of any commentary or explanation. The viewer is thus presented with the raw and unfiltered reality of death as it is expressed physically and biologically.

The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes is a profoundly disturbing film, and is not for the faint of heart. The graphic and unflinching depiction of human bodies being dissected in order to determine cause of death is shocking, and perhaps even unbearable for some viewers. However, the purpose of the film is not to disgust or scare the viewer, but rather to confront them with the reality of death and force them to come to terms with its inevitability.

The film is divided into several scenes in which viewers have the opportunity to witness the specific aspects of the autopsy procedures. The first scene presents the process of cleaning the body and preparing it for examination. The second scene shows the incision of the body and the removal of its organs. The third scene is focused on the examination and dissection of the organs, while the fourth and final scene showcases the closing of the incision and the return of the organs to the body.

Throughout the film, viewers are confronted with various forms of bodily violation, such as the use of scalpels, saws, and hammers to crack open the ribs and examine the organs. The sound of the tools as they penetrate and break the skin and bone, combined with the surgeons' matter-of-fact demeanor, creates a sense of clinical detachment that is deeply unsettling. By removing any form of narrative or exposition, the film invites the audience to confront death on a visceral, non-intellectual level.

The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes is not only a confrontation with death, but also an examination of the human body and its relationship to the world. The film is a stark reminder that the body, once inhabited by a living being, is nothing more than a host for the physical processes of decay and decomposition. The violence and disturbance that is inflicted on the body during autopsy provides a final glimpse and understanding of the body as it actually is, devoid of sentimentality and cultural cliches.

Brakhage's documentary is a unique cinematic experience that challenges viewers to confront death and decay head on. By restricting the use of dialogue and music, Brakhage creates an atmosphere of objectivity and impartiality that enhances the authenticity of the film's visceral and disturbing subject matter. This raw and uncompromising approach to the subject matter is what makes The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes a provocative and unforgettable contribution to the cinematic canon.