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Michael Blackwood has an incredibly dense archive of documentation featuring iconic 20th century artists, dancers, musicians, and composers. It’s actually insane how many people he’s documented. You can rent nearly the entire archive on his vimeo/via his website.
Related Recs
on it’s face this is not a particularly interesting documentary, the editing is serviceable and the interviews aren’t exactly dynamic, but what it lacks in creativity it more than makes up for in content. blank city tells the story of the no wave movement in 70s/80s downtown nyc from the ones who lived it. truly one of the most inspiring documentaries that i found at a pivotal point in my life that changed the trajectory of how i view filmmaking, art, and just coolness in general. blank city is the story of one of the most transgressive artist communities of all time and they’re not very well known, just a few names made it to the mainstream with many others becoming underground legends. in fact a few of the films featured in this documentary are only viewable by screening at the museum of modern art, totally unreleased everywhere else (and trust me i’ve tried to find them) this doc got me into the new york art scene, velvet underground, jim jarmusch, glenn o’brien’s tv party, patti smith, andy warhol, lydia lunch, john lurie, jean-michel basquiat and on and on and on. this film opened a gateway into filmmaking that i had never even considered at that point in my life and i’m grateful i found it. the best part is: kino lorber was kind enough to upload the entire thing on youtube to watch right now!
Jan 17, 2025
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On a big ol’ documentary kick and have been steadily working through Adam Curtis’s filmography.
More than being informative and engaging, they’re almost like multimedia collage pieces. I read on his Wikipedia that he cites Robert Rauschenberg as an influence and I definitely see and feel that. Beautiful stuff. Great soundtracks.
He goes in so many different historical, geopolitical, cultural directions and somehow it doesn’t feel insane or boring or overwhelming. It‘s almost relieving to have someone articulate so clearly the depth of the mess we have made.
Most of his work can be found for free on YouTube/Internet Archive. Proceed w caution, may contribute to feelings of anger and frustration.
Mar 16, 2025
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Saw this exhibition back a few weeks ago and can't stop thinking about it. After seeing the exhibition, I ended up taking a deep dive into his life and work. He was truly one of the most interesting artists out of the 20th century, and continued to make art, and evolve as an artist, musician, and experimental filmmaker until he passed away in 1991.
In the exhibition the films they chose (by courtesy of Anthology Film Archives) are very surreal, and dreamlike. My favorite of the exhibition is his 2hr 30min epic called No. 18: Mahagonny, that features a collection of influential artists of the 60s and 70s, like a young Patti Smith, Jonas Mekas, and Robert Mapplethorpe, amongst others. Go to it before it closes in January.
Nov 9, 2023
Top Recs from @sharleen
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I would never tell a lie.
Jan 18, 2024
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The Sacred Idol is a gorgeously cinematic soundtrack that was made for a movie that was never released. It’s mysterious and fantastical. It transports you to some other imaginary dimension. I suggest you avoid looking at pictures of Les Baxter as this may ruin the music for you. The genre of exotica is kinda fucked up mashing up disperate cultures of South America, Africa, the Southeast Asia and the Levant without having any knowledge of the cultures. I’m half Peruvian-half Lebanese, so I too am a mashup of disparate cultures. There must be some metaphor within exotica for people like me. Growing up 1st gen American never feeling fully connected to either of my ethnicities and maybe I relate to this pictorial version of “exotic” cultures.
Jan 18, 2024
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I’m in a little Glenn Branca phase right now. Sometimes his pieces are too much. This video is probably my favorite performance of his. I like the way he ‘conducts’ the guitar orchestra like it’s a dance. His convulsions are similar to kids slam dancing to hardcore; the same way his pieces are like elongated punk songs. Also he’s from my hometown of Harrisburg, PA.
Jan 18, 2024