‘Star Spangled to Death’: Ken Jacobs’s History of the United States

Why It Matters

The piece demonstrates how avant‑garde montage can re‑contextualize archival media to confront entrenched narratives of racism, militarism and consumer culture, offering curators and scholars a powerful model for political filmmaking.

Key Takeaways

• 6½‑hour film blends vintage clips with contemporary performances
• MoMA screens installation until April 7, 2026
• Digital layering exposes racism, militarism, and piety
• Includes controversial 1934 blackface finale “Going to Heaven on a Mule”
• Jacobs reshapes archival footage as incisive political commentary

Pulse Analysis

Ken Jacobs, a pioneering figure in experimental cinema, spent five decades refining “Star Spanged to Death,” a monumental montage that reflects both his personal vision and broader American anxieties. By digitizing the work in 2004, Jacobs unlocked the ability to overlay sound effects, freeze frames, and on‑screen titles, turning a chaotic collage of found footage into a coherent, albeit unsettling, narrative. The MoMA exhibition positions the film within a lineage of institutional retrospectives that celebrate boundary‑pushing art, while also inviting audiences to confront uncomfortable chapters of U.S. cultural history.

The film’s technique—mixing cartoons, soft‑core erotica, educational reels, political propaganda, and the infamous blackface segment—creates a kaleidoscopic portrait of the nation’s media legacy. Jacobs’ use of bricolage forces viewers to witness how seemingly innocuous entertainment can reinforce systemic racism and militaristic fervor. By allowing entire clips to play out before subverting them with commentary, the work mirrors contemporary debates about media responsibility and the ethics of archival reuse. This approach resonates with today’s remix culture, where creators repurpose historical material to challenge dominant narratives.

For museums and cultural institutions, “Star Spanged to Death” underscores the growing relevance of digital preservation and reinterpretation of archival content. Its presence at MoMA signals a shift toward programming that embraces confrontational, research‑driven installations rather than solely traditional exhibitions. Filmmakers and curators can look to Jacobs’ model as a blueprint for leveraging technology to amplify critical discourse, suggesting that future projects will increasingly blend historical footage with modern commentary to shape public understanding of America’s complex past.