Avant Garde And Experimental Films

83. AVANT GARDE and EXPERIMENTAL FILMS
1. UN CHIEN ANDULOU (1928-France). (An Andalusian Dog) by LUES BUNUEL and SALVADOR DALI. Perhaps the most famous avant garde film of all; the slit eyeball, the ants emerging from the human palm, the severed hand in the street. A series of visual shocks symbolizing nothing. Successful attempt at pure surrealism. With synchronized music score selected by Bunuel.
2. REGEN (RAIN) by JORIS IVENS and MANNUS FRANKEN. (1929-Holland). A lyrical impression of a shower of rain in Amsterdam. Beautifully photographed.
3. UBERFALL by ERNO METZNER (c. 1929-Germany). A grim account of a street robbery presenting sordid facts in an objective light. Once banned as “brutalizing and demoralizing” Silent film with music score, correct projection speed.
4. THE HEARTS OF AGE (1934-USA). Directed by and starring ORSON WELLES. No plot, but the young Welles (age 19) is easily spotted as a nascent genius. The first footage ever shot by Welles (and way, way before Citizen Kane). Silent film with music score, correct projection speed.
5. BALLET MECANIQUE (1924-France) by FERNAND LEGER. A delightful abstract film with a minimum of geometrical forms and a maximum of photographic images. Supposedly shows Freudian symbolism but regardless, a delight to behold visually. Your eye will shake your hand. Silent film with music score, correct projection speed. 74 minutes total Avant-Garde