An astonishing epic journey, both historical and theoretical, that takes us through the evolution of the most protean art form ever conceived by the human mind…Visionary Film must be counted among the great critical achievements in the history of cinema.-Gene Youngblood
In 1974, P. Adams Sitney published the now classic Visionary Film, the first history and analysis of American avant-garde film to attempt to identify trends within the field and to make connections to the other arts. Its lucid, detailed interpretations brought attention to an extraordinary range of artists working in the visionary tradition, and served to create a canon of avant-garde films that continues to shape our perception of this field. As the most comprehensive book on the subject, it was a magnet for criticism, in part for its emphasis on aesthetics over social context. Yet, twenty-five years and three editions later, Visionary Film remains the definitive account of the American avant-garde.
To mark the publication of the newly revised and updated edition, which restores a chapter on Gregory Markopoulos and features an additional chapter analyzing films from the end of the twentieth century, with particular attention to women filmmakers, we are presenting five programs of films examined in the book. We've organized our series to follow the chapters in the new edition so that, if you desire, you can read the relevant commentary before or after seeing the films. Sitney is “a holdover from a time when academics wanted and expected their writing to reach a popular audience” (Brian Frye, The Independent), and his work is accessible to filmgoers who have never seen an avant-garde film, while still of interest to devotees of the subject. We think you will find, as Afterimage did, “For those who have never been able to see the films discussed, Visionary Film creates a powerful motivation to do so.” This series provides a rare opportunity to see a number of the films in archival prints. See you on Tuesdays in January and February!
Notes by Kathy Geritz
P. Adams Sitney is Professor of Visual Art at Princeton University and author of, in addition to Visionary Film, Modernist Montage (1990) and Vital Crises in Italian Cinema (1995). An active figure in the avant-garde, he was editor of Film Culture Reader (1970), The Essential Cinema (1975), and The Avant-Garde Film (1978).
P. Adams Sitney's visit is supported by UC Berkeley's Film Studies program.
