COM 329

Contemporary Film

Dr. Kim Neuendorf

SELECTED UNDERGROUND AND AVANT GARDE FILMMAKERS

PART II

UNDERGROUND CINEMA• Michael Snow

• Canadian artist working in various media

• Noted for his experimental work in “Structural film” (content was secondary to form or structure)

• Key work:

• Wavelength (1967)

AMERICAN UNDERGROUND CINEMA• Jack Smith

• Performance artist and experimental filmmaker

• Part of a 1960s gay arts movement in NYC (with Andy Warhol and John Waters)

• His Flaming Creatures (1962), a satiric stab at Hollywood B-movies, included nudity and sexual activity; it was banned in New York City (and, technically, it still is). But, pretty tame by today’s standards.

• Other key works:

• Blonde Cobra, with Ken Jacobs (1959-63)

• See also the documentary about Smith: Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis, 2007

CONTEMPORARY AVANT GARDE: ROBERT BANKS

• Native Clevelander

• Influenced by Stan Brakhage, others

• Key Works:

• X The Baby Cinema (1993)

• Motion Picture Genocide (1997)

CANADIAN AVANT GARDE:NORMAN MCLAREN (1914-1987)

• Per a former class member’s request...a heartfelt nod to Norman McLaren, who, although not very contemporary, has been a vital influence on avant garde and experimental film

• Scottish-born Canadian animator was hired by documentary guru John Grierson at the Canadian Film Board in 1941—where he was tasked with training staff animators, and was supported in his experimental film work

• Noted especially for his experiments in methods for synchronizing sound and animation

• His innovations are best explained via viewing; some of his numerous key works:

• Boogie-Doodle (1948)—hand-painting on individual frames

• Neighbours (1952)—stop-motion live-action Academy Award-winning short

• Synchromy (1971)—the bars you see in the images are actually what McLaren created and then photographed in the optical sound track; this is what actually produces the “electronic” music you hear (it’s really optical, not electronic, and his original work on this technique pre-dated “true” electronic music by years)

COM 329

Contemporary Film

Dr. Kim Neuendorf

END OF PART II:

SELECTED UNDERGROUND AND AVANT GARDE FILMMAKERS