Stan Brakhage

Born

January 14, 1933

Died

March 9, 2003 (70 years old)

Known For

Directing

Place of Birth

Kansas City, Missouri, USA

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.

Please Leave a Message: Anthology Film Archives Voicemails Through the Ages

0.0

2022

Diaries, Notes, and Sketches

Diaries, Notes, and Sketches

Self

7.5

2013

Free Radicals: A History of Experimental Film

Free Radicals: A History of Experimental Film

Himself

6.7

2011

For Stan

For Stan

Himself

7.0

2009

Dinner with Brakhage and Gamow

Dinner with Brakhage and Gamow

0.0

2008

Brakhage Crosses Central Park

Brakhage Crosses Central Park

Self

4.0

2006

A Visit to Stan Brakhage

A Visit to Stan Brakhage

0.0

2006

Notes on Marie Menken

Self (archive footage)

5.4

2006

Preserving Cultural Traditions in a Period of Instability

Preserving Cultural Traditions in a Period of Instability

Voice

0.0

2004

A Visit to Stan Brakhage

Himself

0.0

2003

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

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

Self (archive footage)

5.0

2003

Keeping an Eye on Stan

Keeping an Eye on Stan

0.0

2003

Encomium

Encomium

Self

0.0

2003

Life with Stan #4: Stan Painting

Life with Stan #4: Stan Painting

0.0

2002

Stan Brakhage Exits the Cinema and Enters the Light of Day

Stan Brakhage Exits the Cinema and Enters the Light of Day

Himself

7.6

2002

In the Mirror of Maya Deren

In the Mirror of Maya Deren

Himself

7.4

2002

Vakvagany

Himself

10.0

2002

Garden Path

Garden Path

5.3

2001

As I Was Moving Ahead, Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty

As I Was Moving Ahead, Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty

Self

7.6

2000

Looking at Forest of Bliss

Looking at Forest of Bliss

Himself

0.0

2000

Keepers of the Frame

Himself

10.0

1999

Brakhage

Brakhage

Self

7.0

1998

I Met Stan Brakhage (At Moma, N.Y.C)

0.0

1998

Birth of a Nation

Birth of a Nation

Self

6.3

1997

Stan Brakhage on Gregory Markopoulos

Stan Brakhage on Gregory Markopoulos

0.0

1997

Stan Brakhage on Jim Davis

Stan Brakhage on Jim Davis

0.0

1997

Cannibal! The Musical

Cannibal! The Musical

Noon Sr.

6.3

1996

BRAKHAGE ON BRAKHAGE

self

0.0

1996

As Is Was

0.0

1995

Jonas in the Desert

Jonas in the Desert

Self

5.5

1994

Abstract Cinema

Abstract Cinema

Himself

8.0

1993

Z (Zee Not Zed)

0.0

1993

Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box

Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box

Self

0.0

1991

Watunna

Narrator

0.0

1989

I... Dreaming

I... Dreaming

5.8

1988

Faust's Other: An Idyll

Faust's Other: An Idyll

5.7

1988

Doodlin': Impressions Of Len Lye

Doodlin': Impressions Of Len Lye

Self

0.0

1987

Invocation: Maya Deren

Invocation: Maya Deren

Himself

5.0

1986

Reflecting Thought: Stan Brakhage

Reflecting Thought: Stan Brakhage

Self

0.0

1985

Tortured Dust

Tortured Dust

7.0

1984

Stan & Jane Brakhage

Stan & Jane Brakhage

Self

6.0

1981

Grand Opera: An Historical Romance

Himself (voice)

8.0

1979

The Stars Are Beautiful

The Stars Are Beautiful

Narrator (voice)

5.0

1974

Screening Room

Screening Room

Himself ยท (1 episode)

0.0

1972

Reality's Invisible

Reality's Invisible

Himself

5.9

1972

Filmmakers

Filmmakers

Himself

0.0

1969

The Art of Vision

The Art of Vision

Man

7.0

1965

Dog Star Man

Dog Star Man

6.6

1965

Dog Star Man: Part IV

Dog Star Man: Part IV

6.1

1964

Dog Star Man: Part III

Dog Star Man: Part III

6.1

1964

Song 1

Song 1

4.4

1964

Dog Star Man: Part I

Dog Star Man: Part I

6.2

1963

Dog Star Man: Part II

Dog Star Man: Part II

6.5

1963

Prelude: Dog Star Man

Prelude: Dog Star Man

6.1

1962

Window Water Baby Moving

Window Water Baby Moving

Self (uncredited)

6.9

1959

Wedlock House: An Intercourse

Wedlock House: An Intercourse

5.6

1959

Cat's Cradle

Cat's Cradle

Self

5.8

1959

Flesh of Morning

Flesh of Morning

4.3

1956

Trumpit

Trumpit

4.4

1956

The One Romantic Venture of Edward

The One Romantic Venture of Edward

6.0

1956

The Extraordinary Child

The Extraordinary Child

5.4

1954