The Ax Fight: A Critical Engagement with the Work of Tim Asch and John Marshall

Abstract

Although The Ax Fight is one of the most discussed films in the history of ethnographic cinema, we argue that commentators have overlooked certain key aspects of the film. Critical engagement with Asch's techniques and how they work to shape a particular interpretation of the Yanomamo is crucial to understanding the kind of anthropological work that ethnographic film does and can do. Offered as an exercise in close reading, this essay is intended, first, to highlight the kinds of analytical skills necessary in taking film seriously as a medium of scholarly inquiry. Second, by juxtaposing The Ax Fight and associated Yanomami shorts with the work of his contemporary John Marshall, we extend our evaluation of Asch by challenging assumed continuities between the two filmmakers. We suggest that a careful examination of the complex web of overlap and distinction in their respective practice allows for a more nuanced understanding of technique, knowledge, and reflexivity in anthropological work.