Stan Brakhage | WatchedThis

Stan Brakhage

Stan Brakhage

Directing

Biography

Stan Brakhage is one of the most influential filmmakers in American avant-garde cinema, noted for his unflinching social commentaries and technical innovations. Over his nearly 40-year career, he has made over 200 films of varying length. He made his first film, Interim (1952) at age 18 after dropping out of college. Brakhage films seek to change the way we see. They encourage viewers to eschew traditional narrative structure in favor of pure visual perception that is not reliant on naming what is seen; rather his goal is to create a more visceral visual experience, for he believes that a "stream-of visual-consciousness could be nothing less than the pathway of the soul." To this end, his films are shot in highly sensual colors and utilize minimal soundtracks. His work can be divided into distinct periods. His first short films explored the properties and possibilities of light. In many of his experimental ventures, Brakhage has forgone traditional cinematography in favor of working directly with the film stock itself. He has occasionally painted, inked, scratched and dyed images onto it; he has also tried pasting organic objects on the film. His most famous example is the 1963 short Mothlight in which he glued moth wings onto the stock. Some of his early films were based on his most intimate experiences that included making love to his new bride--depicted on negative film--in Wedlock House: An Intercourse (1959), and an attempt to bring his dead dog back to life with a camera in Sirius Remembered (1959). During the 1960s, Brakhage's iconoclastic views were celebrated for their poetry, but during the '70s, his focus changed to social issues and he alienated many supporters with such disturbing film series as the "Pittsburgh documents" in which he presented many gruesome views of inner city life with films such as Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes (1971) which was shot in a morgue. He also continued with autobiographical material with the "Sincerity/Duplicity series. During the 1980s, Brakhage's focus again changed--this time he became intrigued with creating truly "abstract" films such as Arabics (1982) which consists of brilliant bursts of colored light which he claims, represent "envisioned music." In addition to filmmaking, Brakhage also wrote books about films and filmmaking and also served as a teacher.

Filmography Movies

Acting

A Visit to Stan BrakhageMOVIE
MOVIE

A Visit to Stan Brakhage

A Visit to Stan Brakhage
Himself
Poster for Sonic Youth: Koncertas Stan Brakhage Prisiminimui (April 12, 2003)
MOVIE

Sonic Youth: Koncertas Stan Brakhage Prisiminimui (April 12, 2003)

5.0(0.0K)
Sonic Youth: Koncertas Stan Brakhage Prisiminimui (April 12, 2003)
Self (archive footage)
Poster for Encomium
MOVIE

Encomium

Encomium
Self
Poster for In the Mirror of Maya Deren
MOVIE

In the Mirror of Maya Deren

7.5(0.0K)
In the Mirror of Maya Deren
Himself
Poster for Stan & Jane Brakhage
MOVIE

Stan & Jane Brakhage

6.0(0.0K)
Stan & Jane Brakhage
Self
Poster for Brakhage Crosses Central Park
MOVIE

Brakhage Crosses Central Park

4.0(0.0K)
Brakhage Crosses Central Park
Self
Poster for Cat's Cradle
MOVIE

Cat's Cradle

5.9(0.0K)
Cat's Cradle
Self
Poster for Window Water Baby Moving
MOVIE

Window Water Baby Moving

6.9(0.1K)
Window Water Baby Moving
Self (uncredited)
Poster for Dog Star Man: Part IV
MOVIE

Dog Star Man: Part IV

6.1(0.0K)
Dog Star Man: Part IV
Poster for Doodlin': Impressions Of Len Lye
MOVIE

Doodlin': Impressions Of Len Lye

8.0(0.0K)
Doodlin': Impressions Of Len Lye
Self

Production

Poster for Visions in Meditation
MOVIE

Visions in Meditation

Visions in Meditation
Director
Poster for Arabic Numeral Series
MOVIE

Arabic Numeral Series

Arabic Numeral Series
Director
Poster for Persian Series
MOVIE

Persian Series

Persian Series
Director
Untitled Film of Geoffrey Holder's WeddingMOVIE
MOVIE

Untitled Film of Geoffrey Holder's Wedding

9.0(0.0K)
Untitled Film of Geoffrey Holder's Wedding
Director
Poster for Dog Star Man: Part I
MOVIE

Dog Star Man: Part I

6.2(0.1K)
Dog Star Man: Part I
Director
The Boy and the SeaMOVIE
MOVIE

The Boy and the Sea

9.0(0.0K)
The Boy and the Sea
Director
Poster for Delicacies of Molten Horror Synapse
MOVIE

Delicacies of Molten Horror Synapse

5.4(0.0K)
Delicacies of Molten Horror Synapse
Director
Poster for The Art of Vision
MOVIE

The Art of Vision

7.4(0.0K)
The Art of Vision
Director
Poster for Glaze of Cathexis
MOVIE

Glaze of Cathexis

5.3(0.0K)
Glaze of Cathexis
Director
Poster for Window Water Baby Moving
MOVIE

Window Water Baby Moving

6.9(0.1K)
Window Water Baby Moving
Director

Gallery

Stan Brakhage portrait
Stan Brakhage portrait
Stan Brakhage portrait
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