Best of Brakhage

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I just got the Criterion DVD. Every once and a while I discover a film or filmmaker that reminds me why I want to make movies. Most recently, I found some of these films to be most inspiring to that effect. I read the memorial thread that was started when Brakhage passed away. I wanted to start another thread where others could list a personal favorite amongst his work and talk about why said film is totally awesome.

― theodore fogelsanger, Sunday, 21 September 2003 20:49 (twenty-two years ago)

predictably i like his films with at least a ghost of a narrative thread, or at least a kind of a theme which the images serve. i never know what to do with his wholly abstract films, like his most recent work.

my favorite is wedlock house: an intercourse. is that on the dvd?

― amateurist (amateurist), Sunday, 21 September 2003 22:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Mothlight is about it for me...

― ModJ, Sunday, 21 September 2003 22:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Wedlock House is on the DVD. I also tend to prefer the films of his that are not purely abstract images of paint on film, though there are some shorter pieces in this vein in the collection that I've enjoyed. When I've seen his films in classes, or described, the painted films seem to be emphasized when this might not be the best introduction, or example, of his artistry. His camera framing of human subjects is particulary impressive.
One that has remained stuck with me especially is "The Stars Are Beautiful." The piece involves a jarring yet rhythmic combination of documentary footage of children being instructed to clip a chicken's wings and nature footage narrated by Stan with myths for the creation of the universe. While involving human subjects and narrative threads, I'd still definitely classify it as an abstract work since the structure of its stream of images and sounds plays like strangely haunting poetry.

― theodore fogelsanger, Sunday, 21 September 2003 22:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Two nights of Brakhage fests coming to Portland, rah rah rah! I have to make sure to get tickets early...

― Chris P (Chris P), Monday, 22 September 2003 00:24 (twenty-two years ago)

And, I mean, at that point I'll have an answer for the question. I just wanted to share my excitement.

― Chris P (Chris P), Monday, 22 September 2003 00:24 (twenty-two years ago)

i have to admit i've fallen dead asleep at both screenings of his recent (painted-on-film, wholly abstract) films that i've attended.

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 22 September 2003 02:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I saw The Act of Seeing With One's Own Eyes (also known as "that autopsy film") when I was in college and immediately afterwards I was not impressed, thinking anyone could make a powerful film by showing that type of subject matter. But it has stuck with me like no other film, and has changed my thinking on the body in ways I can't even put into words. Kind of like going from mysterious, unfathomable, and definately off limits to yeah, that's the way it is and it's very mundane but also very magical, if that makes any sense.

― nickn (nickn), Monday, 22 September 2003 06:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Um... eep. That sounds like a film I wouldn't be able to watch very easily.

― Chris P (Chris P), Monday, 22 September 2003 06:53 (twenty-two years ago)

http://ffmedia.ign.com/filmforce/image/brak-intl.jpg

― JasonD (JasonD), Monday, 22 September 2003 07:03 (twenty-two years ago)

First night: Arabic 1 & 2; Garden of Earthly Delights; Desistfilm; Window Water Baby Moving; Dog Star Man: Part 1; Mothlight; Burial Path; Visions In Meditation.

I suspect I liked the popular faves: Garden, Mothlight, Dog Star, and Baby (the only Brakhage I'd seen before). I was quite stunned and smitten with the inscrutible logic behind Dog Star Man. I dunno, I should have more to say, but my mind was racing with thoughts and possibilities during the showing (at least, until I had to pee, and then it became hard to concentrate, stupid physical body) so I suspect it will take some time for it all to sink in and for me to have something interesting to say about it.

― Chris P (Chris P), Monday, 29 September 2003 04:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I think I'm gonna ask for this for my birthday.

― hstencil, Monday, 29 September 2003 04:52 (twenty-two years ago)

it's really worth getting. quite fantastic (i'll write something longer about it later)

― geeta (geeta), Monday, 29 September 2003 09:57 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...

I rented this over the weekend and some of it is just wonderful. Another addition to my Chanukah list.

Does anyone know the film showing a horse tied to a post running in circles? I think it was a piece of found footage. I must know the name!

Also-Any good reading on Brakhage?

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Monday, 17 November 2003 18:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Also-Any good reading on Brakhage?

Check the Criterion site. They should still have a looong interview with Brakhage on there you can print. Really great.

Yes -- the DVD set is one of my favorite purchases this year.

― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Monday, 17 November 2003 19:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm slowly working my way through this (I have the disc here at work, I just realized, it's still in my laptop -- and they're silent so furtive office Brakhage film festival, here I come!). I'm finding myself rarely up for the more "difficult" pieces (I just saw a bunch on film a few months ago), though, even though they're great.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Monday, 17 November 2003 19:32 (twenty-two years ago)

three weeks pass...

I rented it a second time because I'm so in love with it. I find it fascinating to hear him speak, for one thing.

My favorites are without a doubt Desistfilm and I...Dreaming. I really DO hope someone buys this for me this fine season.

Did Geeta end up writing something longer, I wonder?

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Saturday, 13 December 2003 06:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Bolex Poetics.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Saturday, 13 December 2003 07:06 (twenty-two years ago)

(Pester me about this next time you see me on chat, @d-rock.)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 13 December 2003 08:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I will!!!

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Saturday, 13 December 2003 15:15 (twenty-two years ago)

eight months pass...

> Does anyone know the film showing a horse tied to a post running in circles?

Berlin Horse. http://www.wwvf.nl/2004/0dv_pioneers_legrice.htm

it's a horse, tied to a post running in circles with the colors going all screwy and plinky plonky music going on in the background. taped it off channel 4 back when they used to have those 4mations things along with great little things like Tango (see recent Kylie video and those ariston-and-on-and-on adverts) and those Len Lye shorts.

― koogs (koogs), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 07:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Thta is the one!

― adam. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 12:33 (twenty-one years ago)

That is the one!

― adam. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 12:33 (twenty-one years ago)

six years pass...

http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lcmlji4lsy1qdmmiqo1_400.gif

z s >>> sb

― rouxymuzak (nakhchivan), Tuesday, 30 November 2010 03:14 (fifteen years ago)

cats > art

― for the next throbbing minutes (corey), Tuesday, 30 November 2010 03:27 (fifteen years ago)

clearly not a valid comparison

― rouxymuzak (nakhchivan), Tuesday, 30 November 2010 03:32 (fifteen years ago)

CAT!

― Popular Beat Combo Platter (j.lu), Tuesday, 30 November 2010 04:00 (fifteen years ago)

stan surely worth naming a cat after in any case

― straight old fashioned, virgin (another al3x), Tuesday, 30 November 2010 04:01 (fifteen years ago)

four years pass...

this is one of the most beautiful 70s things i've seen recently:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5PGGDCp3VM

― sʌxihɔːl (Ward Fowler), Monday, 27 April 2015 22:18 (eleven years ago)

i wish hulu would put up the criterion brakhage anthology

― the late great, Tuesday, 28 April 2015 07:12 (eleven years ago)

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