Stan Brakhage

"Hard to sell, but interesting to watch." ▲

Criterion has been pushing this dvd for the last few months. I think they are finding it a difficult product to move. Stan Brakhage is a visual artist (scroll down to see actual film frames). He is a filmmaker, but not in the sense that we think. His work is non-narrative (usually), highly colored and fast. Very fast. I watched several of his pieces on 1/16th speed so I could catch every frame. Mothlight is one of my especial favorites. His pieces range in length from ten minutes to nine seconds. Most of them created in his home, with his own resources and time. Most have no sound track whatsoever. An interesting guy.

WARNING: watching Brakhage requires concentration and can cause headaches from staring intently at the screen trying to decipher what is happening. I highly recommend that you experience his work at least once.