BRAKHAGE
A film by Jim Shedden
Year of production :
2004
Running Time: 106 Minutes
Language: English
Country: Canada
One of the greatest artists of our
time. Stan Brakhage has constantly redefined the
shape of film and art.
"Brakhage. A magnificent documentary homage to
experimental film master Stan Brakhage that
manages to make sense of the Colorado-based
filmmaker’a elusive methodology."
The Boston Phoenix"
I think it will go down in the books as one of
the best films ever made about an artist."
Bill Pence, Co-director, Telluride Film Festival
Stan Brakhage (1933-2003) was possibly the most
important filmmaker of the avant-garde, and one
of the greatest artists of our time. From 1952,
at the age of nineteen, until his death, Brakhage
created more than 400 films, ranging in length
from several seconds to several hours, constantly
and consistently redefining cinematic art.
The film BRAKHAGE explores the depth and breadth
of the filmmaker?s genius, the exquisite splendor
of his films, his magic personal charm, his
aesthetic fellow travelers, and the influence his
work has had on generations of other creators.
While touching on significant moments in
Brakhage?s biography, the film celebrates
Brakhage?s visionary genius, and explores the
extraordinary artistic possibilities of cinema, a
medium mostly known only for its commercial
applications in the form of narratives, cartoons,
documentaries, and advertising.
BRAKHAGE combines excerpts from Brakhage?s films
and films of other avant-garde filmmakers (eg,
George Kuchar, Jonas Mekas, Willie Varela, Bruce
Elder, and others); interviews with Brakhage, his
friends, family, colleagues, and critics;
archival footage of Brakhage spanning the past
thirty-five years; and location shooting in
Boulder, Colorado and New York.
BRAKHAGE is directed by Jim Shedden and produced
by Alexa-Frances Shaw (who worked together on
Michael Snow Up Close), and executive produced by
Ron Mann (Twist, Comic Book Confidential, Imagine
the Sound). An original score was composed for
the film by long-time Brakhage associate and
noted avant-garde composer James Tenney.
