Category: Avant-Garde
-
WARNUNG VOR EINER HEILIGEN HURE aka BEWARE OF A HOLY WHORE
“Beware of a Holy Whore” (Warnung vor einer heiligen Hure) is a 1971 film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, renowned for its exploration of complex psychological and social dynamics, as well as its subversion of traditional cinematic forms. This avant-garde film, while brimming with Fassbinder’s trademark themes of existential struggle, interpersonal alienation, and self-destruction, offers…
-
SHORT FILM: INAUGURATION OF THE PLEASURE DOME
“Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome” is a short avant-garde film directed by Kenneth Anger in 1954. The film vividly explores mythological, historical, and occult figures engaging in ritualistic and hedonistic ceremonies. Anger drew inspiration from Aleister Crowley’s Thelemic philosophies and a Halloween party-themed “Come as your Madness,” hosted by artist Renate Druks. The film features…
-
SHORT FILM: THE TABLE
‘The Table’ (1972) is a short film directed by Adrian Lyne. It stars Kate Williams as the woman, Derek O’Connor as the man, and Louis Lyne as the child. It centers around a family’s kitchen table at breakfast one morning. The “Table” is the catalyst for an emotional unraveling of events from the night before,…
-
SHORT FILM: THE GIRL CHEWING GUM
The Girl Chewing Gum (1976) by John Smith is a short experimental film that deconstructs the relationship between film, reality, and directorial control. The film begins with a commanding voiceover directing various elements of an everyday street scene in Dalston, East London. The voice, resembling that of a film director, orchestrates the movement of people,…
-
SHORT FILM: THE FROG (1908)
The Frog (1908), directed by Segundo de Chomón, is a silent, surreal short film that blends early special effects with whimsical storytelling. The film begins with a magician performing a series of tricks in front of an audience. As the magician conjures a variety of objects, one of his creations is a small frog that…
-
CET OBSCUR OBJET DU DESIR aka THAT OBSCURE OBJECT OF DESIRE
That Obscure Object of Desire (Cet obscur objet du désir) is a 1977 surreal, darkly comedic drama directed by the legendary Spanish filmmaker Luis Buñuel in his final film. The movie is an adaptation of Pierre Louÿs’ 1898 novel La Femme et le Pantin (The Woman and the Puppet), delving into themes of obsession, desire,…
-
SHORT FILM: SCORPIO RISING
“Scorpio Rising” is a groundbreaking 1963 experimental short film directed by Kenneth Anger. The film explores themes of rebellion, sexuality, and the intersection of popular culture and subversive iconography. “Scorpio Rising” is a non-narrative film that conveys its themes through visual symbolism, pop music, and a provocative editing style. The film is divided into several…
-
SHORT FILM: THE ARGUMENT
“The Argument,” a short film directed by Donald Cammell and edited by Frank Mazzola, is an experimental piece that was filmed in 1971 but remained unfinished until 1999. The film centers on an intense and enigmatic dialogue between two characters, a man and a woman, whose identities and relationships remain deliberately ambiguous. Set within the…
-
BLONDE
“Blonde,” a 2022 biographical drama film directed by Andrew Dominik, is a fictionalized retelling of the life of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe. Based on the 2000 novel of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates, the film delves into the inner turmoil and complexities of Monroe’s life, exploring her struggles with identity, fame, and personal…
-
DEMENTIA (DAUGHTER OF HORROR)
“Dementia,” a 1955 experimental horror film directed by John Parker, is a nightmarish and surreal journey into the mind of a disturbed young woman, often referred to as “the Gamine.” The film, notable for its lack of dialogue, relies heavily on its eerie visual style and unsettling score by George Antheil to tell the story.…
The Other Cinema 