Quinton Brock

Anticipation of the Night is a 41 minute film from 1958 by Stan Brakhage.  This film was a total loss for me.  I really didnt understand the point nor did i understand why it was so long or the shots.  But I did like the ferris wheel shot and the lights on the wheel as well as the children at the carnival.  

Reflections On Black is a 10 minute film from 1955 by Breakhage.  To me this film felt as though it depicted the fear some people go through in an abusive relationship.  I liked a lot the shots and facial expressions the actors made really helped depict the fear. 

Mothlight is a 3 minute film from 1963 also by breakhage.  This film was really crazy to watch.  I’m curious as to how it was made and what material was used to make the effect shown.  at first i thought it was a film about the perpective of a moth but as the film progressed i began to think it was shots of moth wings. 

Black Ice is a 2 minute from from 1994 also by Breakhage.  This film was fun to watch.  The varous colors and blues used in the film were very cool.  it created a sense of motion in which the viewer felt as if he was moving forward further into this new world. 

A man and his dog out for air is a 2 minute film from 1957 by Robert Bree.  This film was light and slightly refreshing.  Although the man and dog don’t make their appearence until the end of the film, the lines and shapes used to build up to the man and dog were very fun to watch. 

White Lite is a 3 minute film from 1968 by Jeff Keen.  This film was very interesting and unique to watch for me.  I really like the negative effect used on all the people.  the best way for me to describe is if your sitting below a flat screen and your viewpoint of the screen makes everything look computer animated.  the quick images and overlapping was done well too. 

Thoughts?

• Meshes Of The Afternoon is a 13 minute film from 1943 by Maya Darren.  This film was unique.  The large robed character in the film with the mirror face reminded me of a character from an animated film by hayo miazaki.  I’ll post a picture of the charter on my blog.  The way in which both of these charters held themselves was similar too.  The most interesting part of the comparison is that the animated film, Spirited Away, is a Japanese film and made in 2006. 
• A Study In Choreography For Camera is a 2 minute film from 1945.  Although it was very short i liked the dancing.  I don’t feel like the shorter films are as appreciated as much as the longer ones solely because of length.  but i’m really into music videos so i know how much work probably went into creating the dance for the film and getting every step perfect for filming especially in 1945.  
• Fireworks is a 14 minute film from 1947 by Kenneth Anger. This film was strange to me and i know held a lot of personal symbolism to Anger.  I feel as though he has a form of repressed anger against America and feels as though they turned their back on him.  I didn’t understand a lot of the sexual symbolism though, maybe he has is expressing a form of sexual confusion and misjudgement. 
• Eaux d’ Artifice is a 12 minute short film from 1953.  The blue filter that was used really gave this film its own character.  I also took notice to the dress of the person in the film.  She wore a large hat that looked like a feather as she ran through what seemed to be a garden.  The shots of the water were very cool as well.  i really liked the design of the fountains.  I wonder how some of it was filmed without getting the camera wet.  
• Lights is a 6 minute film from 1965 by marie menkin.  I’ve always had a weird obsession with lights so this film was really fun for me to watch.  I liked how the camera moved throughout the lights almost creating new images with the camera.  the lights in the film almost told a story with the ways in which the lights were shown.  first very close then over head city shots.  I think next time i perform and have a projection behind me i may use this film. 
• Geography of a body is a 7 minute film from 1943 by Willard Maas.  This film was interesting to me because of the way the narrator interpreted the human body as if it was a landscape its self.  I also liked how it tastefully depicted the differences of males and females.  the camera use was very well done as well. 
•   Thoughts?

• The Granton Fishing Trawler is a 10 minute film from 1934 by John Grierson.  When i first read the title of this film i didn’t know what a trawler was, so after a short web search i found it is a specific fishing vessel.  After watching the film the title of this is pretty self explanatory.  I really liked the use of close up shots showing a side of the fishing vessel that we really don’t get a chance to see or rather take notice to.  
• Manhatta is a 10 minute film from 1921 by Charles Sheer and Paula Strand.  This film was interesting to me because i really like new york city.  Its interesting to me to see the viewpoint of a new yorker from the early 20’s apposed to how we view new york today.  I also liked the shots of all the people.  I wonder if she had the consent of all the people in the film to use them.
• Man with a movie camera is an hour and eight minute film from 1929 by Dziga Vertov.  This film while interesting at parts really felt very long.  I’m not sure if it was vertov’s intention for it to feel so long.  I think because the film was just shots of peoples lives throughout a day he wanted it to actually feel like a day.  I was curious as to why he used slow motion at parts.  Perhaps to make it feel like the slower parts of our day.  
• Weekend is a 11 minute film from 1930 by Walter Ruttman.  This film was fun for me to watch because of the sounds.  As a musician i’m always looking for new experimental ways to use music and sound this film is a goldmine of samples! I especially liked the various nature sounds.