Stan Brakhage
Known for Directing · 66 credits
- Born
- 1933-01-14
- Died
- 2003-03-09
- Place of birth
- Kansas City, Missouri, USA
- Also known as
- James Stanley Brakhage · 스탠 브래키지 · スタン・ブラッケージ · 斯坦·布拉哈格 · Стэн Брэкидж · სტენ ბრეკიჯი
Biography
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.
Known For
TV Shows (1)
Movies (65)
As I Was Moving Ahead, Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty
2000
as Self
Cannibal! The Musical
1996
as Noon Sr.
Jonas in the Desert
1994
as Self
Diaries, Notes, and Sketches
1968
as Self
Invocation: Maya Deren
1986
as Himself
BRAKHAGE ON BRAKHAGE
1996
as self
Reality's Invisible
1972
as Self
In the Mirror of Maya Deren
2002
as Himself
Dog Star Man: Part I
1963
Faust's Other: An Idyll
1988
Dog Star Man
1965
Free Radicals: A History of Experimental Film
2011
as Himself
The Extraordinary Child
1954
Abstract Cinema
1993
as Himself
Watunna
1989
as Narrator
Birth of a Nation
1997
as Self
Keepers of the Frame
1999
as Himself
Garden Path
2001
Cat's Cradle
1959
as Self
Doodlin': Impressions Of Len Lye
1987
as Self
Window Water Baby Moving
1959
as Self (uncredited)
Prelude: Dog Star Man
1962
Dog Star Man: Part III
1964
Life with Stan #4: Stan Painting
2002
Wedlock House: An Intercourse
1959
Please Leave a Message: Anthology Film Archives Voicemails Through the Ages
2022
Sonic Youth: Koncertas Stan Brakhage Prisiminimui (April 12, 2003)
2003
as Self (archive footage)
I... Dreaming
1988
Keeping an Eye on Stan
2003
Reflecting Thought: Stan Brakhage
1985
as Self
Dog Star Man: Part IV
1964
As Is Was
1995
Flesh of Morning
1956
Filmmakers
1969
as Himself
Looking at Forest of Bliss
2000
as Himself
The Art of Vision
1965
as Man
Grand Opera: An Historical Romance
1979
as Himself (voice)
Vakvagany
2002
as Himself
Cyclopean 3D: Life with a Beautiful Woman
2011
Encomium
2003
as Self
Tortured Dust
1984
For Stan
2009
as Himself
Song 1
1964
Brakhage Crosses Central Park
2006
as Self
Brakhage
1998
as Self
Stan Brakhage on Gregory Markopoulos
1997
The Stars Are Beautiful
1974
as Narrator (voice)
Notes on the Buffalo Conference: “Autobiography in American Independent Cinema”
1973
Z (Zee Not Zed)
1993
Dinner with Brakhage and Gamow
2008
Dog Star Man: Part II
1964
Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box
1991
as Self
A Visit to Stan Brakhage
2003
as Himself
A Visit to Stan Brakhage
2006
Notes on Marie Menken
2006
as Self (archive footage)
I Met Stan Brakhage (At Moma, N.Y.C)
1998
Stan Brakhage on Jim Davis
1997
Legendary Epics Yarns and Fables Part 2: Stan Brakhage
1969
as Himself
Stan & Jane Brakhage
1981
as Self
The One Romantic Venture of Edward
1956
Trumpit
1956
Preserving Cultural Traditions in a Period of Instability
2004
as Voice
Stan Brakhage Exits the Cinema and Enters the Light of Day
2002
as Himself
Brakhage by Mothlight
2016
as Self (voice)
Songs
as Self (Uncredited)
About Stan Brakhage
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 visc… With 66 credits spanning from 1954 to 2022, Stan Brakhage has appeared in 65 films and 1 TV show.
Fans searching for Stan Brakhage movies, Stan Brakhage filmography, or the latest projects starring Stan Brakhage can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Stan Brakhage Movies
- As I Was Moving Ahead, Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000) — as Self
- Cannibal! The Musical (1996) — as Noon Sr.
- Jonas in the Desert (1994) — as Self
- Diaries, Notes, and Sketches (1968) — as Self
- Invocation: Maya Deren (1986) — as Himself
Where to Watch Stan Brakhage Films
Most Stan Brakhage movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Stan Brakhage, check our movies catalogue and browse page.