History Lessons

Released Oct 26, 2001

1h 5m

Documentary

List

33%

Tomatometer

12 Reviews

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Filmmaker Barbara Hammer redefines the history of lesbianism from the late 19th century to the present day with images from various mediums.

Ted Shen

Chicago Reader

Devoid of voice-over commentary but still remarkably lucid, her gleeful reconstruction of the past also serves to celebrate the more progressive climate today.

Mar 21, 2019

Full Review

Jonathan Foreman

New York Post

An intermittently instructive and amusing jumble that might have been seen as daring and 'transgressive' in both form and content if it had been released, say, three decades ago.

Rated: 1.5/4

Oct 26, 2001

Full Review

Dave Kehr

New York Times

The clips themselves are so battered, grainy and sordid that they are more depressing than inspiring.

Rated: 2/5

Oct 25, 2001

Full Review

Brandon Judell

PopcornQ

What this in-your-face filmmaker has done is take historical newsreel footage, music, and vintage lesbian porn and cut it into a hard-hitting, visually enchanting, clitorally stimulating art piece that makes you think every woman . . . was a dyke.

Mar 17, 2017

Full Review

Film Threat

Rated: 2.5/5

Dec 6, 2005

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 2/5

Jul 24, 2005

Full Review

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Audience Member

Archival historical footage superimposed with lesbian erotic films. Off-screen voice-over and dubbed dialogues that claim to be part of the pictures. Barbara Hammer writes the history of female emancipation, intervening in the archives of a nation and including lesbians and their right to love and make love freely. Images become a reminder of the control that govenrments have over what the population sees. A comment on the unreliable nature of the film medium as a "channel" to create and spread history.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

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Barbara Hammer

Director

Barbara Hammer

Producer

Eve Beglarian

Original Music

Lisa Ben

Original Music

Mikael Karlsson

Original Music

Jean Paul Keenon

Original Music

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Synopsis

Filmmaker Barbara Hammer redefines the history of lesbianism from the late 19th century to the present day with images from various mediums.

Director: Barbara Hammer
Producer: Barbara Hammer
Distributor: First Run
Production Co: Barbara Hammer Productions
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 26, 2001, Wide
Release Date (DVD): Jun 18, 2002
Box Office (Gross USA): $9.2K
Runtime: 1h 5m