Review of Swimming to Cambodia (1987) by Viginti T — 07 May 2010

A friend loaned me a small library of VHS tapes that include several titles by Spaulding Gray, the monologist whose recent attempt to swim to Cambodia ended in tragic failure. Or, maybe he made it. Maybe I'll find out someday. My initial reaction to his death was similar to John Belushi's - thinking what a waste! But each of those guys chose their own way, and it wasn't for me to decide how they did it or pass judgement on them.

Anyway, I was riveted by this. I had never seen it. Another friend had given me the book, but it paled in comparison to the experience of watching Gray perform his piece, which veers from intimately touching to disturbingly intense. And all this from a guy seated at a small wooden table with a glass of water, reading notes from a cartoon-covered spiral notebook and using a map of Southeast Asia as a visual aid.

Gray recounts his experiences in making The Killing Fields and comments on the socio-political aspects of Thailand and Cambodia. I found most of his comments about Thailand were accurate, and his reflections on Cambodia touching.

While most of the visual impact comes from Gray's expressions and subtle changes in lighting and direction by Jonathan Demme, the soundtrack by Laurie Anderson and scenes intercut from The Killing Fields, make the effect complete.