Critics hailed previous editions of Visionary Film as the most complete work written on the exciting, often puzzling, and always controversial genre of American avant-garde film. This book has remained the standard text on American avant-garde film since the publication of its first edition in 1974. Now P. Adams Sitney has once again revised and updated this classic work, restoring a chapter on the films of Gregory J. Markopoulos and bringing his discussion of the principal genres and major filmmakers up to the year 2000.
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Praise for previous editions of Visionary Film: "Without question it is the first such book on the avant-garde film--the first one that probes this field in such depth, with such perspective and vision, with such insight and intelligence."--Jonas Mekas, The Village Voice
"Extremely informative and dense with associations that give it an importance and interest beyond the immediate subject matter."--Vincent Canby, The New York Times
"It is an event of no small importance that a work has now appeared on personal film that ranks as a first-rate work of critical analysis, bearing comparison with the best criticism in more traditional media. This book signals a coming of age for the literature of personal film.... For those who have never been able to see the films discussed, Visionary Film creates a powerful motivation to do so."--Afterimage
About the Author
P. Adams Sitney is Professor of Visual Art at Princeton University.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential reading for those interested in avant-garde/experimental film,
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This review is from: Visionary Film: The American Avant-Garde, 1943-2000 (Paperback)
Quite simply, anyone interested in the history of avant-garde film and its major filmmakers needs to pick "Visionary Film" up. It's one of the first, and still one of the finest, major texts to be published on the subject. Sitney has dedicated the majority of his life to the study of American avant-garde filmmaking, and it shows; he brings to his work both a breadth of knowledge and a depth of insight that are pretty much unparalleled.
It's quite a dense text, and some of the films discussed in the book can be very difficult to see, due to any number of distribution issues and the fact that many of the filmmakers discussed here have only exhibited their works on film. Still, you shouldn't let either of these things dissuade you from reading it; it's incredibly rewarding regardless. One Note: The subtitle to the third edition here is somewhat misleading, since the book, originally published in 1974 (with a 2nd Ed. in 1979), focuses primarily on filmmakers and films from the early 1940s to the late 1970s. The final chapter of the third edition essentially acts as a brief summation of trends in the avant-garde from the end of the 1970s up to the end of the 20th century. It's certainly informative, but cursory compared to the rest of the book. Those disappointed by this, or anyone looking for a more detailed study of major avant-garde filmmakers and works during this time period should also take a look at Sitney's latest book, "Eyes Upside Down," which I am currently working my way through; so far, it too is exceptional.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Visionary Film,
This review is from: Visionary Film: The American Avant-Garde, 1943-2000 (Paperback)
book is great... if your at all interested in alternative cinema, i highly suggest that you check this out. it boils down some very pretentious and overbearing works so they are at the least understandable.
2 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Visionary Film,
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This review is from: Visionary Film: The American Avant-Garde, 1943-2000 (Paperback)
Proffesor Stiney has a unique vision and perception of experimental film. This text has some interesting ideas and good points but I believe somewhat limited in scope. I would recomend this text as a good primer for many interested in avante garde and experimental film and video.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
THE COLLABORATION OF Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid shortly after their marriage in 1942 recalls in its broad outline and its aspiration the earlier collaboration of Salvador Dali and Luis Bunuel on Un Chien Andalou (1928). Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
mythopoeic film, trance film, structural cinema, participatory film, graphic cinema, structural film, lyrical film, transfigured time, literal flatness, artistic incarnation, absolute film, flower thief, fourth reel, collage film, lead shoes, illusory depth, avantgarde film, flaming creatures, loop printing, film diary, film proceeds, film spectator, optical printer, whole film, anamorphic lens Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Maya Deren, Dog Star Man, New York, Stan Brakhage, Kenneth Anger, San Francisco, Harry Smith, Scorpio Rising, The Potted Psalm, Jack Smith, Jonas Mekas, The Illiac Passion, Film Culture, Gregory Markopoulos, Ken Jacobs, Blonde Cobra, Michael Snow, Mother's Day, Star Spangled, Larry Jordan, Sidney Peterson, Institutional Quality, Psalm Branch, James Broughton, Peter Kubelka New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
THE COLLABORATION OF Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid shortly after their marriage in 1942 recalls in its broad outline and its aspiration the earlier collaboration of Salvador Dali and Luis Bunuel on Un Chien Andalou (1928). Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
mythopoeic film, trance film, structural cinema, participatory film, graphic cinema, structural film, lyrical film, transfigured time, literal flatness, artistic incarnation, absolute film, flower thief, fourth reel, collage film, lead shoes, illusory depth, avantgarde film, flaming creatures, loop printing, film diary, film proceeds, film spectator, optical printer, whole film, anamorphic lens Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Maya Deren, Dog Star Man, New York, Stan Brakhage, Kenneth Anger, San Francisco, Harry Smith, Scorpio Rising, The Potted Psalm, Jack Smith, Jonas Mekas, The Illiac Passion, Film Culture, Gregory Markopoulos, Ken Jacobs, Blonde Cobra, Michael Snow, Mother's Day, Star Spangled, Larry Jordan, Sidney Peterson, Institutional Quality, Psalm Branch, James Broughton, Peter Kubelka New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 67
books:
See all 67 books this book cites
- Metaphors on Vision by Stan Brakhage on 11 pages
- Solos;Dog Star by Janeen Brian on page 80, page 297, and page 326
- Andy Warhol by John Coplans on page 225, page 326, and page 425
- Avant-Garde Film: Motion Studies (Cambridge Film Classics) by Scott MacDonald in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- A Critical Cinema: Interviews with Independent Filmmakers by Scott MacDonald in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
See all 67 books this book cites
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