These six essays on film/image history reconstruct cinema history by 're-imagining' its origins, and its poetries, and use historical films themselves (as 'text') to provide the meanings of their creations. Together, these film essays comprise a critical/structural investigation of silent cinema ending with Segei Eisenstein's works (for Stalin) - from Lumiere and Melies through surrealism and horros, to montage and propaganda, we 're-invent' epochs in cinema that became its language and culture.
Penthesilea, the first of six films made by Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen, traverses thousands of years to look at the image of the Amazonian woman in myth.
As the city of Paris and the French people grow in consumer culture, a housewife living in a high-rise apartment with her husband and two children takes to prostitution to help pay the bills.
Alinur, a student filmmaker, tries to make a film about the apocalypse for his capstone project. The movie itself happens to be about a mercenary named M who inadvertently causes an apocalypse.
A youngster writes a letter to his grandmother about his last trip to Donosti (Spain). This city inspires him to ponder about the language of cinema, time, cities, and sharing memories with our loved ones.
For 'Et les chiens se taisaient' Maldoror adapted a piece of theatre by the poet and politician Aimé Césaire (1913–2008), about a rebel who becomes profoundly aware of his otherness when condemned to death.
Basically an artist is also a terrorist, the protagonist thinks in an unguarded moment. And if he is a terrorist after all, then he might just as well be one.
Bern, 1979: a tower block called Tscharnergut. A group of friends get together to make a film about their experiences growing up in suburban Switzerland.
Freely adapted from the eponymous novel, Une vie pour deux is inspired by real events, the discovery by the novelist's husband (director Jean-Pierre Ronfard) of the corpse of a young woman on a beach in Ireland in the late 1970s.
Alternative movies trailers for Visual Essays: Origins of Film
More movie trailers, teasers, and clips from Visual Essays: Origins of Film:
Storming the Winter Palace ('Visual Essays: Origins of Film') - a film by Al Razutis
Storming the Winter Palace - a film by Al Razutis 1984 - 1 min. excerpt - part of Visual Essays: Origins of Film by Razutis (6 film series). Poetic interpretation of ...
Popular movie trailers from 1984
These some of the most viewed trailers for movies released in 1984:
Biopic of Saturday Review editor and political journalist Norman Cousins who developed and promoted a self-made health therapy consisting of intake of large quantities of vitamin C and making oneself laugh as much as possible.
A cruel hitman nicknamed "Kamikaze" uses all kinds of methods to carry out his jobs. One day he will have to face an old enemy who has an old account pending with him.
Berlin in the early 1930s. Bello is an unemployed young man who loves the underage Frieda. In order to earn a living for both of them, Frieda goes on the streets.
Disciplined Italian composer Antonio Salieri becomes consumed by jealousy and resentment towards the hedonistic and remarkably talented young Salzburger composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
