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Volcano Saga Extent: See the record for "New Television, Episode 512 (1989)" for descriptions of videos containing this work. Copyright Date: 1989 Copyright Holder: Joan Jonas Artist: Jonas, Joan

Background:
Broadcast as Episode 512 of the 1989 season of "New Television."

Scope:
See the record for "New Television, Episode 512 (1989)" for descriptions of videos containing this work.

"Imaginative storytelling stemming from a thirteenth-century Icelandic myth. Sitting in hot springs, a woman recounts four mysterious dreams while her male companion interprets the tales." -- WGBH press release

Each dream features the loss of a headdress or ring. The man interprets these items to represent the four husbands that the woman will have. Stories told by a female narrator, played by Jonas, are interwoven with the telling of the dreams and feature symbolic accidents, ghosts, apparitions, and animals. Additional voiceover narration is by Ruth Malaczech. The imagery of the work features the landscape and wildlife of Iceland. Images are manipulated to evoke a volcano.

Music includes Alvin Lucier's "Dream Songs"; accordion music by Jon Cooper; "Glen Caladh Castle," played by Carl MacKenzie on the violin; and Icelandic song performed by Anne Thorhallsdottir.

Directors:
Backus, Jules (Director of Photography, New York)
Illegens, Toon (Director of Photography, Iceland)

Producers:
Jonas, Joan
Kleinberg, Alan

Coproducers:
Continental Video, Antwerp
New Television (Producer in Association)

Editors:
Burden, Robert (Online Editor)
High, Kathryn (Offline Editor)
Miller, Branda (Offline Editor)
Kroesen, Jill (Digital Editor)

Funders:
New York State Council on the Arts
Checkerboard Foundation
Art Matters, Inc.
Polaroid Corporation, The

Performers:
Swinton, Tilda (Gudrun)
Vawter, Ron (Gest)
Jonas, Joan (Woman)
Karason, Bardi
St. Ignadottir, Ragna
Wurmfield, Charles
Wurmfield, Esther

Subjects:
Dreams
Dream interpretation
Marriage
Mythology
Iceland



See Also:
New Television, Episode 512 (1989)

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