dog star man appreciation thread
 

I've watched this 30 times now and it never fails to blow me away. Any other fans?

If you watch the film at 1/4th speed (which would take you like 6 hours to watch it all... so obviously I haven't watched the whole film like that), you'll see images of cats.

I thought this thread would be about Meat Beat Manifesto.

it's not, but I'm sure Jack Dangers would approve.

Oh Man!

I have the Criterion Collection of Brakhage films, which includes Dog Star Man. I only ever saw this once so far, but not a day goes by when I don't think about it. It was so far ahead of its time.....so otherworldly, yet pure and simple at the same time.

Some of his late films make me want to puke, and I don't mean that I hate them. They are just disorienting if you have not accustomed yourself to this kind of thing. (And, who has? Hahaha....)

Get the Criterion. (Another Brakhage collection is on the way.)

Yeah, I have By Brakhage: Criterion Collection. It's amazing indeed.

word.

I just adore that first one - the 1954 teenage drunkex. It's fascinating. The sounds he employed in that one are unforgettable. I actually wish he did more "sound" but I understand why he didn't. Anyway, that first one shows me that we have always been the same. 1954, even pre Leave It To Beaver, etc etc etc....but in reality, it was exactly like today in so many ways, and Brakhage was one of the very few to show this.

My fav one though is that very shortest one. 10secs or something. I've had dreams about that one. It's like some guy is being held down by some strange force. All that colour and movement, and the agony that I see there.....maybe not what Stan intended, if he intended anything at all, but that's what I see. (Eye Myth.) Unforgettable. He just cannot break free and run, or fly away.....

Quite honestly, Dog Star Man might be my favourite film, period! I could never say enough about how much I love it. I watch it at least once a week, which is something I've never done with any other film. Invocation of My Demon Brother is the only other film that comes close for me.

Haha, okay, I only posted this 3 months ago somehow I forgot I posted it.

I... think... I need to stop doing so many drugs. Also, a double whammy since I always tell people to search for threads before starting new ones, though I guess I figured I'd be one of the only people to start a thread like this. And I did! Haha.

In all seriousness, the medication I'm on causes memory loss... and I've been forgetting a lot lately. Hmph.

I mean, I'm sitting here thinking about how many hours I've spent watching this guy's stuff and... I mean, all the images.. hm. It's hard to even talk about. It's just amazing. The idea of a guy painting or manipulating frames on a film is not too mindblowing, but the actual execution is just insane. 24 frames per second? (he often had his films shown at 18 frames per second, but bear with me here).. As complex as these frames are, to think that he probably spent many minutes (maybe an hour?) on a single frame (I realize that some frames are just random paint splotches and scratches, but a lot of them are truly complex too), multiple that by 24 or so, then consider most of his movies are a few minutes long. I'd really suggest watching his stuff at slower speeds, if you get a chance, to truly appreciate all the detail and artistry.

CRITERION COLLECTION VOLUME 2 coming out son.

it never fails to put me to sleep, but i agree the frames are gorgeous. it's just that... i snooze. i like plots, and characters and shit. i dig the abstract stuff but 10 minutes at a time. i have limits.

my favorite one (as skuj's) is DESISTFILM. i even pondered making an updated version at some point, with a group of friends. never happened-- you do it. have them drink cough syrup and make out in a trash-filled highway underpass.

i'm more of a concept kinda guy. you go & execute.

Brilliant film. <3

symbol man, you should write me a script.

OH FUCK, i just had an idea... everyone on sy gossip should come up with one vignette.. and I'll film every one and put them all together.

just redo desistfilm with your friends. this was a 50s thing. times have changed, teenage life hasn't much really. "we're bored-- let's get fucked up!"

it's there.

YES! Love Dog Star Man, one of my favorite movies. I prefer to watch it with some background music or sound whatever though, I think that makes it more enjoyable, even if that's not the way it's supposed to be watched. But who cares.

you know what? Me too. I've watched it silently many times, but -- and this is especially when I'm, uh, "chemically altered" -- I love to put on some dark, folky stuff, or some drone..

cat star woman

Dog Star Man is meant to be seen and not heard.
Hence, The Art of Vision.