No matter how you may feel about the films contained within this collection and they are definitely a mixed bag, MASTERWORKS OF AMERICAN AVANT-GARDE EXPERIMENTAL FILM 1920-1970 (the title says it all) is an invaluable collection not only for its vocabulary of film technique but also as a historical document of trends long past and objects no longer with us. The set is bookended by the earliest film in the collection MANHATTA, a photographic study of NYC from 1920-21.
Other notables from the 1920s include the once notorious BALLET MECHANIQUE with music by George Antheil and Robert Florey’s LIFE & DEATH OF 9413 – A HOLLYWOOD EXTRA. During the 1930s the experimentation continues with the 20 year old Jay Leyda’s A BRONX MORNING, the once shocking short feature LOT IN SODOM, the visually striking POEM 8 by Emien Etting and 1938’s OPTICAL POEM an abstract cartoon from Warner Brothers set to Liszt’s HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY # 2 (2 years before Walt Disney came out with FANTASIA).
As we all know, World War II had a powerful impact on Hollywood and society in general. Well it affected avant-garde cinema as well. During and after the war the tone of the shorts becomes darker and more abstract. Titles in the 1940s segment such as 1941, MESHES OF THE AFTERNOON and MEDITATION ON VIOLENCE reflect this. By the 1950s it seemed as if anything and everything was possible. The selections ABSTRONICS, BELLS OF ATLANTIS (with Anais Nin), and GYROMORPHOSIS bear this out.
The 1960s were the 1960s and there’s some really wild stuff here including CASTRO STREET and the bizarrely titled FILM THAT RISES TO THE SURFACE OF CLARIFIED BUTTER. As a fan of 19th century illustrations & engravings, I especially enjoyed OUR LADY OF THE SPHERE. The 1970s segment leads off with LOVE IT / LEAVE IT which opens with a “Naked City” parade in Chicago that has to be seen to be believed. The abstract DL2 and Amy Greenfield’s powerful TRANSPORT leave a strong impression. 36 films in all make up this collection. These shorts (as the title implies) are far removed from mainstream cinema but they are worth preserving and once again Film Preservation Associates & Flicker Alley have done an exceptional job.
The Capsule Critic 