Stan Brakhage Rocks

by Emma Wunsch, Free Press Contributor

n 1952 Stan Brakhage, 19, made Interim, his first film. American Cinema is grateful he hasn't stopped. Brakhage developed a new autobiographical art film - 300 films later he is one of our most respected filmmakers. His subjects are endlessly varied: childbirth, war, children playing, sex, trees, potted plants, trips to towns, snow storms; his films span from seconds to hours and consistently challenge and change. In addition to doing his own cinematography, Brakhage has worked with hand-painted and found footage. In recent years, after being diagnosed with bladder cancer, he has produced works by scratching and gouging film emulsion. J. Hoberman, film critic from the Village Voice, describes Brakhage's work: "The onrushing imagery and the spatial conundrums it creates evoke not only Pollock but also the work of Frantz Kline, Willem De Kooning and even Mark Rothko-that is Pollock et al., at 24 frames per second."

Brakhage has also written several books and been a professor of film studies.

May 29-June 3 The Grand Illusion and the Henry Art Gallery present Jim Shedden's remarkable documentary Brakhage, a film that will make viewers hungry and full. Brakhage is satisfying: cinematically beautiful, thoughtful and comprehensive. Through interviews, excerpts from Brakhage's works, on-site cinematography and a haunting score, Shedden captures Brakhage's humanity by showing his vulnerability in relationships, illnesses, fears and artistic blocks. And yet, at the end, the viewer is hungry for more. Of course this is Shedden's intention--an artist like Stan Brakhage cannot be fully understood or appreciated by a mere 75-minute documentary. Viewers will want to rush to see every Brakhage work. Based on the sheer number of his works and their limited availability, this would be impossible. But on May 28 the Grand Illusion will present a special screening of The Ellipses Series, new work from Brakhage that will be introduced by Stranger writer Eric Fredericksen.

May 28 Recent Work by Brakhage The Ellipses Series plays at 7 and 9pm May 29-June 3 Jim Shedden's documentary Brakhage and Brakhage's Female Mystique plays at 5,7&9pm; Sat. matinees at 1&3pm.

The Grand Illusion is located at 1403 NE 50th St. at University Way NE.