Avant-Garde, Experimental & Non-narrative Films on DVD

Discuss North American DVDs and Blu-rays or other DVD and Blu-ray-related topics.
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Gregory
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:07 pm

#26 Post by Gregory » Fri Jan 26, 2007 2:48 am

I was pretty sure making nothing off them was something he agreed to for charitable reasons. I remember when I ordered the disc the gallery told me to make the check out to one of two L.A.-based non-profits -- a homeless shelter and I can't remember the other one. But it's conceivable that he regretted the decision because, as you point out, he depends on the print rentals. These DVDs can put a serious dent in those, as the Brakhage set did for those particular films, even though no one intended the discs to be any kind of real substitute for them. There can be a downside to almost anything, I suppose.

planetjake

#27 Post by planetjake » Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:26 pm

Can anyone share thoughts on The films of Charles & Ray Eames? Upon reading descriptions of their work, I am very interested...

Harvey Domino
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#28 Post by Harvey Domino » Wed Jan 31, 2007 3:29 pm

Oh man -- it's good stuff!

Start with Powers of Ten and then watch the rest... A lot of them are (maybe) what you'd call "educational" or "industrial" or even "institutional" films, but they all manage to bear the hand and personality of the Eameses themselves. Some approach (almost) Brakhage-like abstraction (Blacktop,) some are Marker-like "essays," other are simply the kind of thing a gradeschool teacher would show his or her class in lieu of actual study (that's not meant as an insult -- if you grew up in the 60s or 70s and you watch these films, you'll be transported.)

And of course if you're at all interested in the history of industrial design, there will be much for you to admire and appreciate.

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Scharphedin2
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#29 Post by Scharphedin2 » Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:16 pm

planetjake wrote:Can anyone share thoughts on The films of Charles & Ray Eames? Upon reading descriptions of their work, I am very interested...
Jake, these people were amazing... far beyond merely their films. Funny that you should bring it up, because I just received the set of six DVDs that is out from Image last week, and I have been meaning to create a separate thread dedicated to their work.

If you need the last push, the discs look great, and are very representative of the different types of films they made and variety of subjects they covered in their work. If you want to sample a taste to begin with, love me do is right in suggesting "The Powers of Ten." It is the epitome of their film work (what I have seen of it in any event).

The disc of "Powers" includes a film that their grandchild did about Charles and Ray, and it is a neat little film in its own right, and a good intro to who these people were, and the huge body of work that they left behind.

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carax09
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#30 Post by carax09 » Wed Jan 31, 2007 7:13 pm

How about Su Friedrich's work (dvds on Outcast)? Anyone seen them, and care to comment?

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sevenarts
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#31 Post by sevenarts » Wed Jan 31, 2007 7:38 pm

carax09 wrote:How about Su Friedrich's work (dvds on Outcast)? Anyone seen them, and care to comment?
I have all 5 volumes, although I've only watched a few films so far since I just received it fairly recently. Sink or Swim is absolutely stunning. A girl's voiceover relates an autobiographical account of Friedrich's ambiguous relationship with her father over the years, while the images relate to this text in a somewhat casual manner, mixing home movies, documentary footage, video clips, etc. It's a remarkable film. I don't really want to talk too much about it because it's such a visceral piece of filmmaking, it really should just be approached and digested without too much foreknowledge. Suffice it to say I highly recommend it.

Other than that I've only dipped into a few other films from the DVDs, which have all been fairly interesting. I'm obviously eager to watch the rest in the coming months. Maybe someone else can comment more about the rest of the set, but I'd certainly recommend that anyone in doubt should check out Sink or Swim to awaken your interest.

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carax09
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#32 Post by carax09 » Wed Jan 31, 2007 8:07 pm

Thanks, Sevenarts. I'll try Sink Or Swim first, and if I feel as strongly as you, I'll pick up more.

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sevenarts
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#33 Post by sevenarts » Thu Feb 01, 2007 10:11 am

One addendum on Su Friedrich. I watched Damned If You Don't last night after posting about Sink or Swim, and it definitely confirmed my impression that this is a very interesting filmmaker. It's not quite as affecting as the latter film, but it is every bit as intelligent and well-constructed. She's working in a mix of essay film and narrative that owes quite a bit to Marker, but she also has her own aesthetics, interests, and approaches that she brings to this blend. And this film has a real sense of humor and fun, and a seething sensuality, that really set it apart. It opens with a light-hearted feminist deconstruction of Powell & Pressburger's Black Narcissus, and from there the images mostly trace a silent courtship between a nun and a young woman. Friedrich pairs these images with voiceovers that relate a woman's experiences with Catholicism and sexual repression, and the stunning account of a lesbian nun who was imprisoned for her "immoral acts." These voiceovers have a self-conscious element in them that is constantly pointing towards the people making the film -- emphasizing that this film is very much a personal statement, a way of working out the filmmaker's thoughts on religion, sexuality, and repression. It's a wonderfully funny, sexy, and thought-provoking film, with a stunningly sensual finale.

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Gregory
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#34 Post by Gregory » Fri Feb 02, 2007 5:58 pm

There's been an outrageous oversight here. Why has no one thought to include MGM's series of "Avant Garde Cinema" DVDs? Let's give MGM some credit. It simply does not get any more avant-garde than this: River's Edge, Tank Girl, Alice's Restaurant, Bar Girls, The Lover, Hollywood Shuffle, American Buffalo, it goes on and on.

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carax09
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#35 Post by carax09 » Fri Feb 02, 2007 7:28 pm

Now you've got me thinking what a Chris Marker helmed Tank Girl project would be like. I guess it would be about the same...

planetjake

#36 Post by planetjake » Tue Feb 06, 2007 2:43 am

Perhaps it's time for us to peruse the plexifilm catalogue... My personal favorites are DRIFT by Lee Ranaldo and Leah Singer, Films About Christo & Jeanne-Claude: A Maysles Films Production, and Mysterious Object at Noon .

word...

Anyone know anything about Brian Eno's "14 Video Paintings"?

Anyone want to tell me anything about the Burroughs cut-up films? Very interested in the Brakhage that's on the disc

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sevenarts
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#37 Post by sevenarts » Thu Feb 22, 2007 11:35 pm

planetjake wrote:Anyone want to tell me anything about the Burroughs cut-up films? Very interested in the Brakhage that's on the disc
I don't have the Raro set you're referring to, but from what I've heard the quality on it is fairly horrible. I'd love to see screencaps on the Raro set if anyone has them, and also some info about that Brakhage film Thot-fal'n. I do have two of the Burroughs cut-up films on Synapse's release of the Antony Balch sexploitation flick Bizarre. The main feature on that was awful enough that I couldn't even get through it -- and I rarely turn off films without finishing them -- but it's still well worth a purchase just for the two Balch/Burroughs films. Towers Open Fire in particular is an amazing pastiche of sci-fi, chopped-up language, and rhythmic repetition of imagery. The Cut-Ups takes the repetition to another level, it's a pure hypnotic exploration of language and sound. Great films.

To continue my discussion of Su Friedrich, I recently watched The Ties That Bind, a kind of companion piece to her later masterpiece Sink or Swim. Where that film explored her relationship with her cold, uncaring father, Ties is a much warmer (but not wholly unambiguous) piece about her mother. The film is, like Sink or Swim, comprised largely of archival footage and some home-movies and documentary footage, entirely silent except for periodic interjections, in voiceover, from her mother. She tells the story of her childhood and early adulthood in Germany, during WW2 -- she was far from a collaborator, hated the Nazis in fact, but in any case bears some guilt and burden (from herself, her daughter, and society in general) for not being more active against the Germans. Though Friedrich gently nudges at her mother in various ways -- why didn't she join the resistance? how much did they know about the fate of the Jews? etc. -- the film doesn't come to any easy conclusions. Issues of war, anti-Semitism, and the politics of ordinary life are churned around with the same complexity and ambiguity that Friedrich usually lends to emotional issues. The end result is a wonderfully affecting and thought-provoking film that captures the feel of living as an "ordinary" German throughout WW2.

Zillertal
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#38 Post by Zillertal » Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:14 am

the quality of the burroughs set, is not bad, not bad at all. I can make screenshots if anyone's interested.

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sevenarts
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#39 Post by sevenarts » Fri Feb 23, 2007 9:33 am

Zillertal wrote:the quality of the burroughs set, is not bad, not bad at all. I can make screenshots if anyone's interested.
screens would be great if you get a chance, thanks.

Zillertal
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#40 Post by Zillertal » Sun Mar 04, 2007 6:32 am

check the snaps thread, just posted them.

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dave41n
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#41 Post by dave41n » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:02 pm

Anyone aware of any Bruce Baillie films on DVD? His website indicates a working relationship with Canyon Cinema in San Francisco which resulted in a few DVD sets of his films, but I can't seem to find these DVDs on their website. Does anyone know anything about these DVDs and their availability/quality? I suppose I could e-mail Canyon Cinema, but figured an inquiry here might be helpful. Any help in this area would be appreciated.

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vogler
Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 8:42 am
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#42 Post by vogler » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:12 pm

dave41n wrote:Anyone aware of any Bruce Baillie films on DVD? His website indicates a working relationship with Canyon Cinema in San Francisco which resulted in a few DVD sets of his films, but I can't seem to find these DVDs on their website. Does anyone know anything about these DVDs and their availability/quality? I suppose I could e-mail Canyon Cinema, but figured an inquiry here might be helpful. Any help in this area would be appreciated.
Bruce Baillie was actually one of the founders of Canyon cinema along with Bruce Conner, Larry Jordan & Robert Nelson. It actually started in Baillie's backyard in 1961. I'm not sure how much he has to do with running it now though.

I have been hoping for some of Baillie's films to be released on dvd for ages. They are some of my most sought after films of all time. I have a few of his films in vhs quality and even then the lyrical poetic genius shines through. Baillie is one of the true greats of American avant-garde cinema. I have seen this information about DVDs on his website before and I too was unable to find anything on the Canyon Cinema site.

I noticed this bit on the Baillie site.
There are a few copies of DVD two-disc Volume I* available through Canyon Cinema, SF at a reduced price, good for viewing on monitors up to 27". I am working on a brand new, second DV master at this time for Volume I, straight from 16MM internegatives to lab DV masters and DVD copies, with a number of interesting archival inserts, some changes to format, improved graphics, etc. Ought to be available via Canyon by June.
So it seems there is a better version of these dvds coming, although June of what year I wonder? I seem to remember seeing that on his site quite some time ago. I think I'll have to contact Canyon about this. If you hear anything can you report back and I'll do likewise.

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dave41n
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#43 Post by dave41n » Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:55 am

vogler wrote:I have been hoping for some of Baillie's films to be released on dvd for ages. They are some of my most sought after films of all time. I have a few of his films in vhs quality and even then the lyrical poetic genius shines through. Baillie is one of the true greats of American avant-garde cinema.
Agreed. I've had the pleasure of experiencing some of his films on film recently and that sensual, lyrical quality in his work is spellbinding (e.g. All My Life and Valentin de las Sierras).
vogler wrote:So it seems there is a better version of these dvds coming, although June of what year I wonder? I seem to remember seeing that on his site quite some time ago. I think I'll have to contact Canyon about this. If you hear anything can you report back and I'll do likewise.
I've contacted Canyon and will post any info I receive. Here's hoping Bruce Baillie makes it to DVD in the near future. Until then, YouTube will have to do...

patrick
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 12:15 pm
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#44 Post by patrick » Tue Apr 03, 2007 1:36 pm

Cohen, Ira
Invasion of Thunderbolt Pagoda DVD (Bastet, R0)
This is a terrific disc, although it cost me well over $30 and took a few months to arrive (I'm assuming that Bastet used preorder money to actually press the thing).

patrick
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#45 Post by patrick » Thu Jun 21, 2007 5:45 pm


Greathinker

#46 Post by Greathinker » Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:56 pm

patrick wrote:Kino's Avant Garde 2
TRAITÉ DE BAVE ET D'ÈTERNITÉ
(Venom and Eternity) France 1951 B&W 111 Min.
Jean Isidore Isou

Anyone familiar with this feature that takes up most of the second disk?

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LionelHutz
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#47 Post by LionelHutz » Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:37 pm

I saw it a couple of years ago on a worn out vhs.. Could have never dreamt about having it on dvd! I rather liked it! It's quite a peculiar film,from what I remember it starts with some kind of manifesto about avant garde cinema and then basically we are submitted to a series of unrelated scenes of Paris (but it might also be another french city) while a narrator is telling about the story of a couple. Anyway apparently you can check it out here.

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tryavna
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#48 Post by tryavna » Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:03 pm

patrick wrote:Kino's Avant Garde 2
Good God, not another release of Watson & Webber's Fall of the House of Usher! I know I'm just nit-picking now, but I already own that title on at least three other collections. Couldn't they have found something rarer?

At least Donald Sosin's name is nowhere to be found....

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colinr0380
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#49 Post by colinr0380 » Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:40 pm

Interesting to see four Brakhage films on there. Does that suggest that another Criterion volume is still a way off? Or just that these films in both of Kino's avant-garde volumes are those in the Raymond Rohauer Collection and therefore licensed from there? That might explain yet another version of Fall of the House of Usher if including it was necessary as part of their tribute to this collection. It could have been stipulated that it would be important to include it to represent the collection despite it being available, among other places, on the first Treasures from American Film Archives set (the copy of the film used for the Treasures set was made from a 35mm nitrate negative held at George Eastman House according to the included book).

There is an interesting quote here from Glenn Erickson's review of the first Avant-Garde set:
The films seen here are all from the Raymond Rohauer collection. Rohauer was an exhibitor and distributor of rarified art pix most famous for helping Buster Keaton preserve and reissue his classic silent comedies. When I first heard of him in the early 1970s, he was criticized as being too concerned with re-copyrighting his acquisitions in his own name, and speculation was that he had exploited Keaton. He had the habit of replacing silent intertitles with new ones bearing a Rohauer trademark. One gag film shown to great approval at Filmex in 1972 was an ersatz Rohauer copy of Fred Ott's Sneeze, an Edison film that lasts about four seconds. The parody surrounded the snippet with at least three minutes of redundant and insulting new scrolling titles, mostly proclaiming Rohauer's copyright and threatening legal action to pirates. It ended with the statement that Rohauer had successfully acquired the copyright on sprocket holes.
According to this article this earlier All Day Entertainment disc of Fall of the House of Usher was from the "Rohauer 35mm preservation positive". I'm not up on technical matters - is there a particular difference between a copy of a film made from the positive and a copy from the negative?

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LionelHutz
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#50 Post by LionelHutz » Fri Jun 22, 2007 6:21 am

colinr0380 wrote:this article this earlier All Day Entertainment disc of Fall of the House of Usher was from the "Rohauer 35mm preservation positive". I'm not up on technical matters - is there a particular difference between a copy of a film made from the positive and a copy from the negative?
A copy from a positive is basically a copy of a copy..So just like a xerox (and a human clone),when you go through two passages the quality gets a bit worse.

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