Stan Brakhage, 1933

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http://www.fredcamper.com/Brakhage/McPherson.html

Very sad news. Let's talk about Stan Brakhage.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 10 March 2003 17:16 (twenty-two years ago)

― mark s (mark s), Monday, 10 March 2003 17:22 (twenty-two years ago)

oh no!

― hstencil, Monday, 10 March 2003 17:27 (twenty-two years ago)

He seemed to working like a madman (as usual) until not long ago. I attended a few screenings of his most recent work, prodigiously beautiful if a bit stultifying.

He's a giant really.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 10 March 2003 17:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Did you see that documentary on him a couple years back? It was pretty unsatisfying, then again he'd be a hard person to do one on anyway considering his gigantic body of work and huge influence (sorry mark s) on American film. He will definitely be missed.

― hstencil, Monday, 10 March 2003 17:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Ken Jacobs called him the filmphallus--there was always a streak of macho in those Giants of the American Avant-Garde.

I actually think this is a good place to once again problematize that word "influence," since people have taken things from Brakhage in so many different ways none of them remotely replicating or even simulating his own achievement.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 10 March 2003 17:37 (twenty-two years ago)

well I was thinking of him as an "influence" not in a primarilly aesthetic sense, of course.

Ever read his book?

― hstencil, Monday, 10 March 2003 17:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Which one?

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 10 March 2003 17:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Uh, the one about other filmmakers. I'm fucking blanking on the title, but I've got it at home. Oh, okay, now I remember: Film at Wit's End.

― hstencil, Monday, 10 March 2003 17:39 (twenty-two years ago)

this really stinks.
i went and saw some of his retrospective at the nat gallery in Dc. one of the films was so mellow that i fell asleep, which is not a dis.

― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Monday, 10 March 2003 17:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Bummer. Have always wanted to see 'The Art of Seeing With One's Own Eyes' but Brakhage flicks never seem to get screened in London these days (does the London Filmmaker's CO-OP still exist?) Av-gar movies still seem v. scarce or stupidly expensive on DVD too (or Region 2, at least)

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Monday, 10 March 2003 19:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Ach! I didn't even realize he was still alive. I just saw one of his films for the first time not long ago -- Window Water Baby Moving -- which was intense and wonderful. Any suggestions on what to look for in particular?

― Chris P (Chris P), Monday, 10 March 2003 20:04 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.criterionco.com/asp/release.asp?id=184

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 10 March 2003 20:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Hmm.. didn't know Criterion was doing something. I wish they'd list what's being included. Oh well I'll probably get it anyway. I've only seen 6 or 7 of his films, but sorry to hear of his passing. Yeah The Art of Seeing With One's Own Eyes was amazing. Lots of folks walked out when I saw it.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Monday, 10 March 2003 20:24 (twenty-two years ago)

They do list the contents, and The Act of Seeing... is on there.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 10 March 2003 20:26 (twenty-two years ago)

A great loss
(if anyone has a couple of grand kicking around they'd like to see some of his films released send me a mail.)

― nick.K (nick.K), Monday, 10 March 2003 20:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Stereolab to thread!

Window Water Baby Moving is the only Brakhage film I've seen -- and I agree, it's amazing.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 10 March 2003 20:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Also, if anyone in London is deadly keen on seeing some of those films, mail me... or I could just show them at the next Plug and Play 16th March.

― nick.K (nick.K), Monday, 10 March 2003 20:45 (twenty-two years ago)

RIP

― slutsky (slutsky), Monday, 10 March 2003 21:12 (twenty-two years ago)

shit!! this sucks!! i really liked his work a lot.

― geeta (geeta), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 00:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Never heard of the guy at all, but now I'm interested. Roll on that Criteirion release, I guess.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 16:04 (twenty-two years ago)

He was definitely a fascinating dude, Ned. I recommend you check it out - plus look for his book Film At Wit's End.

― hstencil, Tuesday, 11 March 2003 16:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I didn't find that book too welcoming. It was more interesting as a glimpse at Brakhage's mind than for any revelations about the directors profiled. (Same with his book on Griffith et al.)

Chicago Review published a special double issue on Brakhage not long ago. There's a glossy insert of several pages, which includes numerous frames from his more recent films. They're gorgeous.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 16:09 (twenty-two years ago)

i dunno if you'll dig his stuff, ned - experimental film is not for everyone. brakhage's films are very abstract, completely silent, without any narrative. but i would definitely recommend checking some out to see what you think - 'dog star man' is the only one i know of that's available on video.

― john fail (cenotaph), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 16:42 (twenty-two years ago)

i dunno if you'll dig his stuff, ned - experimental film is not for everyone.

Won't know until I see it, will I? ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 16:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, now, Window Water Baby Moving has narrative, even if it's not much of a plot.

― Chris P (Chris P), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 16:54 (twenty-two years ago)

true. we watched WWBM in my experimental film class, junior year, and most of the class had to excuse themselves during or immediately after the film. i remember when the water broke, half the class shuddered.

― john fail (cenotaph), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 16:56 (twenty-two years ago)

It was the flinchiest avant-garde movie I'd seen since Wiseman's Meat.

― Chris P (Chris P), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 16:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Hm, you should see Wedlock House: An Intercourse then.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 17:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Speaking of flinchy, anybody here ever see John Duncan's John See flicks? YIKES!

― hstencil, Tuesday, 11 March 2003 17:09 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.indiewire.com/people/people_030310brakhage.html

― Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 11 March 2003 23:11 (twenty-two years ago)

seven years pass...

never been a huge brakhage dude, though i've liked what i've seen. looking forward to diving into this:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/515F2Z3pzPL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

― NUDE. MAYNE. (s1ocki), Wednesday, 26 May 2010 17:46 (fifteen years ago)

me too, except the blu-ray bit.

― toastmodernist, Wednesday, 26 May 2010 18:28 (fifteen years ago)

window water baby moving is the most beautiful thing i've ever watched that also made me sick. Biology scares me, all of it.

― toastmodernist, Wednesday, 26 May 2010 18:30 (fifteen years ago)

don't ever watch 'the act of seeing with one's own eyes', then

― a vaguely goofy lesbian (donna rouge), Wednesday, 26 May 2010 18:32 (fifteen years ago)

Thinking about getting rid of my one-volume dvd and upgrading to the two-volume blu-ray set.

― mh, Wednesday, 26 May 2010 19:17 (fifteen years ago)

just watched recordings of Brakhage being interviewed on an old public television show called Screening Room. He was obviously a personality that was one and the same with his work, without a hint of BS. Almost a William Blake-type figure in a way. Love him and looking forward to scoring that new Criterion box (though sadly not in Blu-Ray.)

― ¿Can Your Gato Do the Perro? (Capitaine Jay Vee), Wednesday, 26 May 2010 20:01 (fifteen years ago)

don't ever watch 'the act of seeing with one's own eyes', then

― a vaguely goofy lesbian (donna rouge), Wednesday, May 26, 2010 1:32 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark

Awhile back in class someone did a presentation with this playing in the background throughout.

― Tonight I Dine on Turtle Soup (EDB), Wednesday, 26 May 2010 20:12 (fifteen years ago)

Whether by coincidence or not it was probably the best presentation in that class as well.

― Tonight I Dine on Turtle Soup (EDB), Wednesday, 26 May 2010 20:13 (fifteen years ago)

in the dvd commentaries he spoke about how at the time he was teaching pop film classes or something. Wish I could've taken one

― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Wednesday, 26 May 2010 20:36 (fifteen years ago)

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Stan Brakhage, 1933–2003.