Stan Brakhage

Personal Info

Known For

Directing

Known Credits

60

Gender

Male

Birthday

1933-01-14

Deathday

2003-03-09 (70 years old)

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

Stan Brakhage

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

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Acting

2022
Please Leave a Message: Anthology Film Archives Voicemails Through the Ages
2013
Diaries, Notes, and Sketches as Self
2011
Free Radicals: A History of Experimental Film as Himself
2009
For Stan as Himself
2008
Dinner with Brakhage and Gamow
2006
Brakhage Crosses Central Park as Self
2006
A Visit to Stan Brakhage
2006
Notes on Marie Menken as Self (archive footage)
2003
A Visit to Stan Brakhage as Himself
2003
Sonic Youth: Koncertas Stan Brakhage Prisiminimui (April 12, 2003) as Self (archive footage)
2003
Keeping an Eye on Stan
2003
Encomium as Self
2002
Life with Stan #4: Stan Painting
2002
Stan Brakhage Exits the Cinema and Enters the Light of Day as Himself
2002
In the Mirror of Maya Deren as Himself
2002
Vakvagany as Himself
2001
Garden Path
2000
As I Was Moving Ahead, Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty as Self
2000
Looking at Forest of Bliss as Himself
1999
Keepers of the Frame as Himself
1998
Brakhage as Self
1998
I Met Stan Brakhage (At Moma, N.Y.C)
1997
Birth of a Nation as Self
1997
Stan Brakhage on Gregory Markopoulos
1997
Stan Brakhage on Jim Davis
1996
Cannibal! The Musical as Noon Sr.
1996
BRAKHAGE ON BRAKHAGE as self
1995
As Is Was
1994
Jonas in the Desert as Self
1993
Abstract Cinema as Himself
1993
Z (Zee Not Zed)
1991
Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box as Self
1989
Watunna as Narrator
1988
I... Dreaming
1988
Faust's Other: An Idyll
1987
Doodlin': Impressions Of Len Lye as Self
1986
Invocation: Maya Deren as Himself
1985
Reflecting Thought: Stan Brakhage as Self
1984
Tortured Dust
1981
Stan & Jane Brakhage as Self
1979
Grand Opera: An Historical Romance as Himself (voice)
1974
The Stars Are Beautiful as Narrator (voice)
1972
Screening Room as Himself
1972
Reality's Invisible as Himself
1969
Filmmakers as Himself
1965
The Art of Vision as Man
1965
Dog Star Man
1964
Dog Star Man: Part III
1964
Dog Star Man: Part IV
1964
Song 1
1963
Dog Star Man: Part I
1963
Dog Star Man: Part II
1962
Prelude: Dog Star Man
1959
Window Water Baby Moving as Self (uncredited)
1959
Wedlock House: An Intercourse
1959
Cat's Cradle as Self
1956
Flesh of Morning
1956
Trumpit
1956
The One Romantic Venture of Edward
1954
The Extraordinary Child

Camera

1985
Jane as Director of Photography
1974
The Text of Light as Director of Photography
1972
The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes as Director of Photography
1969
Nuptiae as Director of Photography
1965
Dog Star Man as Director of Photography
1960
Colorado Legend as Director of Photography
1959
Window Water Baby Moving as Director of Photography

Crew

2011
Drawings by Billy and His Friends as In Memory Of
2009
Sweetgrass as Thanks
1978
Thot-Fal'N as Cinematography
1976
Trio as Cinematography
1974
The Stars Are Beautiful as Cinematography
1967
23rd Psalm Branch: Part II as Cinematography
1965
The Art of Vision as Cinematography
1964
Song 1 as Cinematography
1964
Song 5 as Cinematography
1962
Blue Moses as Cinematography
1961
Thigh Line Lyre Triangular as Cinematography
1961
Ballad of the Colorado Ute as Cinematography
1960
Colorado Legend as Cinematography
1959
Pittsburgh as Cinematography
1955
The Wonder Ring as Cinematography
1955
Reflections on Black as Cinematography
1955
In Between as Cinematography
1954
The Extraordinary Child as Cinematography
1954
The Way to Shadow Garden as Cinematography
1954
Desistfilm as Cinematography
1953
Unglassed Windows Cast a Terrible Reflection as Cinematography
1952
Interim as Cinematography

Directing

Visions in Meditation as Director
Arabic Numeral Series as Director
Persian Series as Director
Persian Series 1-5 as Director
Cornell's Portrait of June as Director
2012
20 Little Films as Director
2010
By Brakhage: An Anthology, Volume Two as Director
2003
By Brakhage: An Anthology, Volume One as Director
2003
Chinese Series as Director
2003
Stan's Window & Work in Progress as Director
2002
Panels for the Walls of Heaven as Director
2002
Resurrectus Est as Director
2002
Seasons... as Director
2002
Ascension as Director
2002
Song of the Mushroom as Director
2002
Max as Director
2001
Persian Series #13 as Director
2001
Persian Series #15 as Director
2001
Persian Series #17 as Director
2001
Persian Series #14 as Director
2001
Persian Series #16 as Director
2001
Persian Series #18 as Director
2001
Micro Garden as Director
2001
Garden Path as Director
2001
Lovesong 5 & 6 as Director
2001
Dark Night of The Soul as Director
2001
Lovesong 4 as Director
2001
Lovesong as Director
2001
Lovesong 3 as Director
2001
Occam's Thread as Director
2001
Rounds as Director
2001
Very as Director
2001
Night Mulch as Director
2001
Lovesong 2 as Director
2000
Jesus Trilogy and Coda as Director
2000
Persian Series #11 as Director
2000
Persian Series #12 as Director
2000
Persian Series #10 as Director
2000
The God of Day Had Gone Down Upon Him as Director
2000
Water for Maya as Director
2000
Persian Series #8 as Director
2000
Persian Series #7 as Director
2000
Persian Series #9 as Director
2000
Persian Series #6 as Director
2000
Dance as Director
1999
The Lion and the Zebra Make God's Raw Jewels as Director
1999
Moilsome Toilsome as Director
1999
Persian Series #1 as Director
1999
Persian Series #3 as Director
1999
Persian Series #2 as Director
1999
Persian Series #4 as Director
1999
Persian Series #5 as Director
1999
The Earthsong of the Cricket as Director
1999
The Birds Of Paradise as Director
1999
The Dark Tower as Director
1999
Coupling as Director
1999
Stately Mansions Did Decree as Director
1999
Cloud Chamber as Director
1999
Worm and Web Love as Director
1999
Cricket Requiem as Director
1998
"..." Reel 3 as Director
1998
"..." Reel 5 as Director
1998
"..." Reel 4 as Director
1998
"..." Reel 1 as Director
1998
"..." Reel 2 as Director
1998
The Female Mystique and Spare Leaves (for Gordon) as Director
1997
Self Song/Death Song as Director
1997
Yggdrasill: Whose Roots Are Stars in the Human Mind as Director
1997
The Cat of the Worm's Green Realm as Director
1997
Last Hymn to the Night - Novalis as Director
1997
Divertimento as Director
1996
Comingled Containers as Director
1996
Prelude 2 as Director
1996
Prelude 4 as Director
1996
Prelude 3 as Director
1996
Prelude 1 as Director
1996
Prelude 5 as Director
1996
Prelude 10 as Director
1996
Prelude 11 as Director
1996
Prelude 8 as Director
1996
Prelude 9 as Director
1996
Prelude 12 as Director
1996
Prelude 7 as Director
1996
Prelude 13 as Director
1996
Prelude 6 as Director
1996
Prelude 14 as Director
1996
Shockingly Hot as Director
1996
Prelude 16 as Director
1996
Prelude 15 as Director
1996
Prelude 23 as Director
1996
Prelude 18 as Director
1996
Prelude 19 as Director
1996
Prelude 20 as Director
1996
Prelude 21 as Director
1996
Prelude 17 as Director
1996
Prelude 22 as Director
1996
Prelude 24 as Director
1996
Blue Value as Director
1996
Sexual Saga as Director
1996
Two Found Objects of Charles Boultenhouse as Director
1996
Beautiful Funerals as Director
1996
Polite Madness as Director
1996
Concrescence as Director
1996
Through Wounded Eyes as Director
1996
The Fur of Home as Director
1995
I Take These Truths as Director
1995
I... as Director
1995
We Hold These as Director
1995
The 'b' Series as Director
1995
In Consideration of Pompeii as Director
1995
Spring Cycle as Director
1995
Paranoia Corridor as Director
1995
The "Lost" Films as Director
1995
Earthen Aerie as Director
1994
Black Ice as Director
1994
From: First Hymn to the Night – Novalis as Director
1994
Chartres Series as Director
1994
The Mammals of Victoria as Director
1994
Naughts as Director
1994
Elementary Phrases as Director
1994
Cannot Exist as Director
1994
Cannot Not Exist as Director
1994
Alternating Currents as Director
1993
Stellar as Director
1993
Autumnal as Director
1993
Three Homerics as Director
1993
The Harrowing as Director
1993
Tryst Haunt as Director
1993
Boulder Blues and Pearls and... as Director
1993
Study in Color and Black and White as Director
1993
Ephemeral Solidity as Director
1993
Blossom-Gift/Favor as Director
1992
Untitled (For Marilyn) as Director
1992
Interpolations 1-5 as Director
1991
Christ Mass Sex Dance as Director
1991
Agnus Dei Kinder Synapse as Director
1991
Delicacies of Molten Horror Synapse as Director
1991
Crack Glass Eulogy as Director
1991
A Child’s Garden and the Serious Sea as Director
1990
Passage Through: A Ritual as Director
1990
Vision of the Fire Tree as Director
1990
Glaze of Cathexis as Director
1990
Visions in Meditation #4: D.H. Lawrence as Director
1990
Visions in Meditation #3: Plato's Cave as Director
1990
City Streaming as Director
1990
Babylon Series #3 as Director
1990
Babylon Series #2 as Director
1990
The Thatch of Night as Director
1989
Babylon Series #1 as Director
1989
Faust IV as Director
1989
Visions in Meditation #1 as Director
1989
Visions in Meditation #2: Mesa Verde as Director
1988
I... Dreaming as Director
1988
Faust 3: Candida Albacore as Director
1988
Faust's Other: An Idyll as Director
1988
Rage Net as Director
1988
Marilyn's Window as Director
1988
Matins as Director
1987
The Dante Quartet as Director
1987
Loud Visual Noises as Director
1987
Faustfilm: An Opera as Director
1987
Kindering as Director
1986
The Loom as Director
1986
Dance Shadows by Danelle Helander as Director
1986
Fireloop as Director
1986
Night Music as Director
1986
Confession as Director
1986
The Aerodyne as Director
1985
Jane as Director
1984
Tortured Dust as Director
1984
Tortured Dust Part 2 as Director
1984
Tortured Dust Part 4 as Director
1984
Tortured Dust Part 1 as Director
1984
Tortured Dust Part 3 as Director
1984
Egyptian Series as Director
1983
Hell Spit Flexion as Director
1982
Arabic Numeral Series 18 as Director
1982
Arabic Numeral Series 14 as Director
1982
Arabic Numeral Series 15 as Director
1982
Arabic Numeral Series 17 as Director
1982
Arabic Numeral Series 16 as Director
1982
Arabic Numeral Series 19 as Director
1981
Nodes as Director
1981
Unconscious London Strata as Director
1981
Made Manifest as Director
1981
Aftermath as Director
1981
Arabic Numeral Series 12 as Director
1981
Arabic Numeral Series 9 as Director
1981
Arabic Numeral Series 8 as Director
1981
Arabic Numeral Series 11 as Director
1981
Arabic Numeral Series 7 as Director
1981
Arabic Numeral Series 0 + 10 as Director
1981
Arabic Numeral Series 13 as Director
1981
Arabic Numeral Series 4 as Director
1981
Arabic Numeral Series 1 as Director
1981
Arabic Numeral Series 2 as Director
1981
Arabic Numeral Series 3 as Director
1981
Arabic Numeral Series 5 as Director
1981
Arabic Numeral Series 6 as Director
1981
The Garden of Earthly Delights as Director
1981
RR as Director
1980
Murder Psalm as Director
1980
Sincerity as Director
1980
Duplicity III as Director
1980
Roman Numeral: VI as Director
1980
Roman Numeral: V as Director
1980
Roman Numeral: VII as Director
1980
Roman Numeral: IV as Director
1980
Roman Numeral: IX as Director
1980
Roman Numeral: VIII as Director
1980
4A as Director
1980
Sincerity V as Director
1980
Other as Director
1980
Salome as Director
1979
Roman Numeral: I as Director
1979
Roman Numeral: II as Director
1979
Sincerity IV as Director
1979
Creation as Director
1979
Roman Numeral: III as Director
1979
@ as Director
1978
Burial Path as Director
1978
Thot-Fal'N as Director
1978
Bird as Director
1978
Centre as Director
1978
Nightmare Series as Director
1978
Sluice as Director
1978
Duplicity I as Director
1978
Sincerity III as Director
1978
Purity and After as Director
1978
Duplicity II as Director
1977
The Governor as Director
1977
Tragoedia as Director
1977
Soldiers and Other Cosmic Objects as Director
1977
The Domain of the Moment as Director
1976
Absence as Director
1976
The Dream, N.Y.C., The Return, The Flower as Director
1976
Desert as Director
1976
Highs as Director
1976
Rembrandt, Etc., and Jane as Director
1976
Trio as Director
1976
Window as Director
1976
Airs as Director
1976
Gadflies as Director
1976
Sketches as Director
1976
Short Films 1976 as Director
1975
Short Films 1975: #1 (Jane’s Memory) as Director
1975
Short Films 1975: #2 (Dante’s Styx) as Director
1975
Short Films 1975: #5 (Niagara Falls) as Director
1975
Short Films 1975: #4 (Lady in Glass) as Director
1975
Short Films 1975: #3 (Hollis Frampton) as Director
1975
Short Films 1975: #6 (Stars, Chickens, Eyes, Candles) as Director
1975
Short Films 1975: #8 (Small Town Streets) as Director
1975
Short Films 1975: #7 (Turning the Raccoon Loose) as Director
1975
Short Films 1975 as Director
1975
Sincerity II as Director
1975
Short Films 1975: #10 (Painted Lightning) as Director
1975
Short Films 1975: #9 (Forest Love Scene) as Director
1974
The Stars Are Beautiful as Director
1974
The Text of Light as Director
1974
Hymn to Her as Director
1974
Star Garden as Director
1974
Aquarien as Director
1974
Skein as Director
1974
Clancy as Director
1974
Flight as Director
1974
“He was born, he suffered, he died.” as Director
1974
Sol as Director
1974
Dominion as Director
1973
Gift as Director
1973
Sincerity I as Director
1973
Sexual Meditation: Open Field as Director
1973
The Women as Director
1972
The Process as Director
1972
The Riddle of Lumen as Director
1972
Sexual Meditation: Faun's Room, Yale as Director
1972
Sexual Meditation: Office Suite as Director
1972
The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes as Director
1972
The Wold-Shadow as Director
1972
Wecht as Director
1972
Sexual Meditation: Hotel as Director
1972
The Shores of Phos: A Fable as Director
1972
Eye Myth Educational as Director
1972
The Presence as Director
1971
Deus Ex as Director
1971
Fox Fire Child Watch as Director
1971
The Trip to Door as Director
1971
Western History as Director
1971
Sexual Meditation: Room with View as Director
1971
Door as Director
1971
The Peaceable Kingdom as Director
1971
Angels' as Director
1970
Eyes as Director
1970
The Machine of Eden as Director
1970
The Animals of Eden and After as Director
1970
The Weir-Falcon Saga as Director
1970
Scenes from Under Childhood as Director
1970
Scenes from Under Childhood, Section Four as Director
1970
Sexual Meditation #1: Motel as Director
1969
Scenes from Under Childhood, Section Three as Director
1969
Scenes from Under Childhood, Section Two as Director
1969
My Mtn. Song 27 Part II: Rivers as Director
1969
Song 28 as Director
1969
Song 29 as Director
1969
American 30s Song as Director
1969
Window Suite of Children's Songs as Director
1968
Scenes from Under Childhood, Section One as Director
1968
The Horseman, the Woman, and the Moth as Director
1968
Lovemaking as Director
1968
Song 26 as Director
1968
My Mtn. Song 27 as Director
1967
Eye Myth as Director
1967
Song 24 as Director
1967
Song 25 as Director
1967
For Life, Against the War as Director
1967
23rd Psalm Branch as Director
1967
23rd Psalm Branch: Part I as Director
1967
23rd Psalm Branch: Part II as Director
1966
Song 18 as Director
1966
Song 19 as Director
1966
Song 21 as Director
1966
Song 22 as Director
1966
Song 20 as Director
1966
Song 16 as Director
1966
Song 17 as Director
1966
Pasht as Director
1965
Two: Creeley/McClure as Director
1965
Fire of Waters as Director
1965
Three Films: Blue White/Blood's Tone/Vein as Director
1965
Song 14 as Director
1965
Song 12 as Director
1965
Song 13 as Director
1965
Song 11 as Director
1965
15 Song Traits as Director
1965
Black Vision as Director
1965
The Art of Vision as Director
1965
Song 9 as Director
1965
Song 10 as Director
1965
Dog Star Man as Director
1965
Blood's Tone as Director
1964
Dog Star Man: Part III as Director
1964
Dog Star Man: Part IV as Director
1964
Song 1 as Director
1964
Song 6 as Director
1964
Song 7 as Director
1964
Song 2 as Director
1964
Song 3 as Director
1964
Song 4 as Director
1964
Song 5 as Director
1964
Song 8 as Director
1963
Mothlight as Director
1963
Oh Life - a Woe Story - the A Test News as Director
1963
Dog Star Man: Part I as Director
1963
Dog Star Man: Part II as Director
1962
Blue Moses as Director
1962
Prelude: Dog Star Man as Director
1962
Silent Sound Sense Stars Subotnick and Sender as Director
1962
Mr. Tompkins Inside Himself as Director
1961
Thigh Line Lyre Triangular as Director
1961
Sartre's Nausea as Director
1961
Films by Stan Brakhage: An Avant-Garde Home Movie as Director
1961
Ballad of the Colorado Ute as Director
1960
The Dead as Director
1960
Colorado Legend as Director
1959
Sirius Remembered as Director
1959
Window Water Baby Moving as Director
1959
Wedlock House: An Intercourse as Director
1959
Cat's Cradle as Director
1958
Anticipation of the Night as Director
1957
Loving as Director
1957
Daybreak and Whiteye as Director
1956
Flesh of Morning as Director
1956
Nightcats as Director
1956
Zone Moment as Director
1955
The Wonder Ring as Director
1955
Untitled Film of Geoffrey Holder's Wedding as Director
1955
Reflections on Black as Director
1955
Centuries of June as Director
1955
In Between as Director
1954
The Extraordinary Child as Director
1954
The Way to Shadow Garden as Director
1954
Desistfilm as Director
1953
The Boy and the Sea as Director
1953
Unglassed Windows Cast a Terrible Reflection as Director
1952
Interim as Director

Editing

1985
Jane as Editor
1978
Thot-Fal'N as Editor
1974
The Stars Are Beautiful as Editor
1972
The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes as Editor
1967
23rd Psalm Branch: Part II as Editor
1965
The Art of Vision as Editor
1965
Dog Star Man as Editor
1964
Song 5 as Editor
1964
Song 1 as Editor
1962
Blue Moses as Editor
1962
Mr. Tompkins Inside Himself as Editor
1961
Thigh Line Lyre Triangular as Editor
1961
Ballad of the Colorado Ute as Editor
1960
Colorado Legend as Editor
1959
Window Water Baby Moving as Editor
1955
The Wonder Ring as Editor
1955
Reflections on Black as Editor
1955
In Between as Editor
1954
The Extraordinary Child as Editor
1954
The Way to Shadow Garden as Editor
1954
Desistfilm as Editor
1953
Unglassed Windows Cast a Terrible Reflection as Editor
1952
Interim as Editor

Production

By Brakhage: An Anthology as Producer
1965
The Art of Vision as Producer

Sound

1954
The Way to Shadow Garden as Sound Designer

Writing

1974
The Stars Are Beautiful as Writer
1972
Eye Myth Educational as Writer
1965
Dog Star Man as Writer
1962
Blue Moses as Writer
1962
Mr. Tompkins Inside Himself as Writer
1955
Reflections on Black as Writer
1955
In Between as Writer
1954
The Extraordinary Child as Writer
1954
The Way to Shadow Garden as Writer
1954
Desistfilm as Writer
1953
Unglassed Windows Cast a Terrible Reflection as Writer
1952
Interim as Writer
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Stan Brakhage