Phantasmaphile

The Secret of Kells

I saw the Academy-nominated animated film, The Secret of Kells, yesterday, and I can't resist adding my own praise to the already clamorous fray.  It's a Celtic tale about a young monk named Brendan who discovers that he has a gift for illuminating books - and later finds himself conscripted by an old sage to help finish the paintings for a treasured tome, The Book of Iona.  I won't give anything else away, because so much of the joy of this film is in its unfolding.  I will say that as a whole, it is a visual poem about creativity, belief, and self-actualization, and is a true hero's journey in the most Campbellian sense.  The plot and characters were delightful to be sure, but for me the real star of the show is the art direction.  In a world that's been dominated by the sleek, CG design of Pixar and the like, it's wonderful to see artfully stylized 2D characters and breath-taking, hand-painted backgrounds.  The entire film has an intoxicating, artisanal look to it, with loads of lines, doodles, and textures - quite fitting for a story about a young painter, and will be irresistible to art-lovers of any age.  The Secret of Kells is a must-see. 

House

I just saw one of the trippiest, most fun movies of all time: Obayashi's House.  It's a Japanese horror flick from 1977 with some of the nuttiest, kitschiest, and yet most delightfully inventive visuals I've seen.  It's hard to even describe what it's about, but it consists of a group of 7 teenagers who spend a summer evening at the country home of the spinster aunt of one of the girls.  And wouldn't you know it, bewitchings and troubling goings-on ensue (with the help of a mysterious cat named Blanche).

The story is beside the point.  This is the kind of film one could watch with the sound off, and still get immense pleasure from, thanks to the color-drenched sunsetty lighting, madcap moments, and hilariously imaginative design.  I don't want to say too much else, cause the joy of watching it is in its surprises.  But those in the NYC area can see it now on the big screen at the IFC Center.  Elsewhere, it shouldn't be too long before it's released on DVD by Criterion (later this year - so sayeth the internet rumor mill).

ROCATERRANIA Screening

I gushed about Renaldo Kuhler here before, so I am over the moon excited to announce that I got permission to screen a documentary about him at OBSERVATORY.  Full announcement:

ROCATERRANIA Film Screening

A Documentary about Outsider Artist Renaldo Kuhler

Date: Friday, February 19th
Time: 8pm
Admission:  $5

Rocaterrania is a feature length documentary exploring the secret world of scientific illustrator and visionary artist Renaldo Kuhler.  This screening is presented by Phantasmaphile.

In the last four decades, seventy-six-year-old Renaldo Kuhler has created hundreds of plates for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, illustrating diverse flora and fauna for obscure scientific journals and reference books. Before the making of this documentary, no one knew that Kuhler is also a prolific visionary artist - and the creator of an entire imaginary world called Rocaterrania.

Rocaterrania is a tiny nation of eastern European immigrants who purchased a tract of land along the Canadian border - just north of the Adirondack Mountains in New York - after growing restless with America’s notions of “democracy.”  Over the next six decades, Rocaterrania saw two revolutions and the rise and fall of a succession of czars, dictators, and presidents among a cast of characters vaguely resembling Russian historical figures. But, as the film reveals, each change in government reflects a deeper meaning for Renaldo, an outsider who struggled to escape an emotionally abusive family and searched for freedom within a real nation threatened by forces of conformity.

Rocaterrania unveils Kuhler’s astounding body of work to the world and reveals the powerful story of his life in the process.  Among other themes, the film is about the insidious nature of conformity, the courage to be one’s true self, and the redemptive power of artistic creation.  Featuring an eclectic original score by Merge Records recording artists Shark Quest.

Rocaterrania is directed by Brett Ingram and released by Bright Eye Pictures.

So mark your calendars, chickadees.  And see you at OBSERVATORY on the 19th.   

Saturday at OBSERVATORY: Screening of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers documentary

Phantasmaphile and OBSERVATORY proudly present a screening of the film, FOR THE NEXT 7 GENERATIONS, a documentary about a group of female shamans who call themselves the Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers.

Date:  Saturday, January 30th
Time: 8pm (film runs 84 minutes, and will be followed by Q&A with the director, Carole Hart)
Admission:  $5

50% of the proceeds for this screening will be donated to the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers

Synopsis:

In 2004, thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers from all four corners, moved by their concern for our planet, came together at a historic gathering, where they decided to form an alliance: The International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers. This is their story. Four years in-the-making and shot on location in the Amazon rainforest, the mountains of Mexico, North America, and at a private meeting with the Dalai Lama in India, For the Next 7 Generations follows what happens when these wise women unite. Facing a world in crisis, they share with us their visions of healing and a call for change now, before it’s too late. This film documents their unparalleled journey and timely perspectives on a timeless wisdom.

Grandmother’s Mission Statement:

“We, the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers, represent a global alliance of prayer, education and healing for our Mother Earth, all her inhabitants, all the children, and for the next seven generations to come. We are deeply concerned with the unprecedented destruction of our Mother Earth and the destruction of indigenous ways of life. We believe the teachings of our ancestors will light the way through an uncertain future. We look to further our vision through the realization of projects that protect our diverse cultures: lands, medicines, language and ceremonial ways of prayer and through projects that educate and nurture our children.”

***Q&A with Producer/Director Carole Hart will follow the screening

This film is being shown in conjunction with the art exhibition, VISION QUEST, up at OBSERVATORY from January 16th-February 21st.

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DIRECTIONS TO OBSERVATORY: ***PLEASE USE NEVINS ST./PROTEUS GOWANUS ENTRANCE***
Observatory is located at 543 Union Street at Nevins St., in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn. The entrance is currently through Proteus Gowanus gallery, in the alley off Nevins St (see below for full details).

R or M train to Union Street in Brooklyn:

Walk two long blocks on Union (towards the Gowanus Canal) to Nevins Street. 543 Union Street is the large red brick building on right. Go right on Nevins and left down alley through large black gates. Proteus Gowanus is the second door on the left.

F or G train to Carroll Street:

Walk one block to Union. Turn right, walk two long blocks on Union towards the Gowanus Canal, cross the bridge, take left on Nevins, go down the alley to Proteus Gowanus, the second door on the left.

For more information, see observatoryroom.org

SPELL short film from Lula + Topshop

Watching this short film called "Spell" from the folks at Lula Magazine and Topshop feels as if someone emptied out the contents of my head and put in on screen.  It's chock full of gauzy mystic images and lovely ladies in floral crowns and fluttering dresses.  Kind of like a mix of Valerie and Her Week of Wonders and Picnic at Hanging Rock.  Totally sublime.  It was directed by the dream duo Maximilla Lukacs and Sarah Sophie Flicker (aka The Belles of the Black Diamond Field), features all sorts of incredible muses like Melissa Auf der Maur, and beauteous music by sonic mages such as Glasser.  I'm swooning so hard I'm turning inside out.

The Color of Pomegranates

I just watched one of the most visually stunning films I have ever seen.  The Color of Pomegranates by Sergei Parajanov depicts the life of Armenian poet Sayat Nova, but it is a far cry from a biopic.  Rather, it is a series of rather surreal images and moments, strung together to tell his life's story.  In fact, there is very little dialog at all.  We are instead left with a loose yet potent sense of this man's journey.  A woman pulls a piece of red lace over her eyes.  A boy appears on a roof filled with dozens of open, fluttering books.  A man is surrounded by a herd of ivory-colored sheep.  Music, snippets of poetry, and of course an endless stream of these magically and meticulously constructed short scenes are woven together to form a true cinematic tapestry.  In fact, I would argue that the "story" and the main character are almost besides the point.  You don't watch a film like this for story.  You watch it to become immersed in a slow, delicious swirl of sensory wonders.  Call it fever dream, call it lantern show, call it what you will.  I call it heavenly.

Fantastic Planet

I just watched Fantastic Planet for the first time last night, and my mind is officially blown.  For those who haven't seen it, it's a stunning full-length animated sci-fi story about a race of quasi-fascist giant blue creatures and the tiny "human" beings - called Oms - they keep as pets.  Eventually the Oms rebel, and an inevitable war ensues.  But really, the plot is beside the point.  The real magic here is the artwork and design that's gone into each and every moment of this film.

Now it must be said that while I like some sci-fi, as you know my own tastes skew a bit more fantastical, and yet this film is one of the most visually surprising I've seen, with all sorts of marvelous images and strange ideas.  And the animation itself beyond impressive, with full shadow rendering and cross-hatching and gradient colors (unlike the smooth color blocks used in most cartoons).  The filmmaker Rene Laloux stated in an interview (also featured on the DVD) that there will probably never be a film made like this again, as it was so expensive to spend so much time on each cell the way they did.  But their efforts were, to my mind, so incredibly worth it, as they created a masterpiece of texture and imagination that is unlike pretty much any other film, animated or otherwise, that's out there.  Truly amazing.

My Dinner with Andre

One of my favorite films, My Dinner with Andre, just got rereleased on DVD by the ever-supreme Criterion.  For those who haven't seen it, virtually the entire film is one very long scene, that takes place in a restaurant.  It is one entire, rambling, anecdotally packed conversation between two reuniting theatre friends, Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory (both playing themselves), who have very different attitudes about art and life.  Andre is the quintessential seeker, looking for new and mystical ways to transform his consciousness and access a higher level of living and creating.  Wally is the pragmatist - a "grounded" New Yorker just trying to live his life and make ends meet while attempting to succeed at acting and playwriting.  Though the plot is simple (or rather, almost nonexistent), their conversation is fascinating to witness: touching, hilarious, inspiring, and very human.  This is storytelling and philosophy at its finest, and I'm thrilled it is now preserved for posterity in this handsome 2-disc edition.

Kenneth Anger moment

Avant-occult filmmaker Kenneth Anger is having a Moment (and a long overdue one at that):

-  The Gossip's latest video for their song "Heavy Cross" is a mash-up of Anger's films.

-  NYC contemporary art museum, P.S.1, finally is exhibiting their Kenneth Anger retrospective, which is up until September 14th.

-  The Occulture Festival is taking place in London on May 23rd, and will be featuring tons of speakers, events, and film screenings, including some of Anger's work.  Wishwishwish I could go!  (And thanks for the tip, Joanna!)

Celebration's "Evergreen" Video

I love Celebration's video for their single "Evergreen" so much it's difficult to articulate.  It's as if they opened up my own brain, mined it for images, and made a short film out of it.  A chanteuse in white participates in a magical tea ceremony, and crystals sprout from the earth.  I mean, what could be better than that?!  Be sure to pick up a copy of Celebration's mesmerizing neo-mystical album, Modern Tribe.  It is beyond the Beyond.

Via

"Epilepsy is Dancing"

Antony and the Johnsons have a shimmering new album out called The Crying Light, which I highly recommend.  I also can't get enough of the video for the first single of the album, "Epilepsy is Dancing."  With art direction by painters Tino Rodriguez and Virgo Paradiso, the video is a saucy, sparkling stew of colorful costumes and fanciful beings.  Not to be missed.

Haxan

Speaking of witches, I finally got around to watching Haxan (Witchcraft Through the Ages).  This is one of the campiest, oddest films ever made - a sort of quasi-documentary about witchcraft and hysteria, complete with reenactments.  This Criterion DVD has two versions.  The first is the original Swedish silent film, made in 1922.  The second (and my favorite) is a slight revamp done in 1967, that uses the same visuals with less coloration, a psychedelic jazz soundtrack, and none other than William Burroughs doing overdubbed narration.  Yes, it's every bit as trippy and amusing and delicious as it sounds.  Highly recommended for occult fans and film buffs alike. 

The Mindscape of Alan Moore DVD

As you probably know by now, Alan Moore is one of my living heroes.  The genius/magus responsible for such masterpieces as Promethea, Watchmen , and V for Vendetta can now wax lyrical for you right in your living room via the very fine double disc DVD entitled The Mindscape of Alan Moore - finally available in the US.  In it, Moore discusses his views on creativity, culture, and magic, and is, like the best tricksters, a human divining rod for mystic truths and ballbusting, alternately.  The second disc includes interviews with collaborators and cohorts of Moore's including artistic luminary Melinda Gebbie (one of my favorite interviews of all time, I wish I could make everyone on earth watch it) and Dave Gibbons.  As an added bonus the spectacular DVD designwork is all done by the brilliant John Coulthart, and is a perfect envelope for the cranial carnival contained therein. 

Miracula in Motion

Still from Vox Humana

I've encountered quite a few phantasmaphilic films of late which I feel compelled to share:

Vox Humana is a short film put out by fashion house Rodarte, and it is one of the most sumptuous, magical things I have ever seen.  It stars Jenny Lewis, was directed by Griffin, and has a cameo by one of my favorite avant-occult filmmakers, Kenneth Anger.  Someday one of my music videos will feel like this, you can mark my words.

The Holy Mountain is a film from 1973 by the mystical and beautifully bizarre Alejandro Jodorowsky.  It is an absurdist, opulent tale about a thief who becomes initiated by an alchemist into a secret society.  His path to enlightenment is surreal and strange and cram-packed with arcane symbols and social satire.  Unsurprisingly, it has become an automatic favorite of mine.

Lastly, I read that the MoMA will soon be hosting a large-scale installation by the hyperimaginative video artist, Pipilotti Rist.  Her piece, "Pour Your Body Out" is said to "playfully and provocatively merge fantasy and reality," and will be on view from November 19th through February 2nd.

Hellboy II

I realize at this moment in time, most people are preoccupied with the cinematic behemoth that is The Dark Knight.  And rightly so, as it is an astoundingly great film.  But please do yourself a favor, and make sure you don't miss the visual masterpiece that is Hellboy II: The Golden Army.  Made by Guillermo del Toro (the genius behind Pan's Labyrinth), this movie is an utterly gorgeous, thoroughly enjoyable unlikely hero story, chock full of some of the most imaginative, fantastical creatures and environments I have ever seen on screen.  You don't have to have seen the first Hellboy to understand what's going on (though that's a pretty good film in itself), and you will be treated to an exciting and at times quite funny ocular feast.  Go now.

Picnic at Hanging Rock

I just watched Picnic at Hanging Rock, and found it to be completely captivating.  The premise is simple enough:  A group of Victorian boarding school girls go on a class trip to visit the strange Hanging Rock land form, and 3 of them (plus one of their teachers) mysteriously vanish.  That is pretty much the plot in its entirety, yet the mood and texture of the film just cling to the psyche.  I don't know if it's the quasi-supernatural vibe, the breathtaking costumes, the solarized hazy light, or the underlying cautionary moral about sexual repression that made the biggest impression on me.  But, like Valerie and Her Week of Wonders, this is a film that is opiate in its energy yet still packs a powerful emotional punch.

Alice Remixed

Georges Méliès

I just watched Méliès the Magician, a collection of 15 short films by cinematic wunderkind, Georges Méliès.  Whimsical and brilliantly inventive, his films were light years ahead of their time in terms of special effects and optical tricks.  Disembodied heads float, drawings come to life, devils, aliens, and goddesses shimmer in black and white.  It is astounding what he was able to accomplish on a limited budget at the turn of the century.  His most famous film is "Voyage dans la Lune," which was the basis for the miraculous Smashing Pumpkins video, "Tonight, Tonight."  Compare and contrast:

Run Wrake

Run Wrake  still from "Rabbit"

Most of you have probably already encountered Run Wrake's wondrous animated short film, Rabbit, during your interweb wanderings.  (If not, you must watch it immediately.)  Glory be, he just released another short called The Control Master which he crafted for Veer using their catalog of retro illustrations - be sure to have a look.  It is a bizarre banquet of visual mayhem from a true creative phenom.

(Thanks, Joe!)

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

The very dear Craig Conley introduced me recently to the spectacular 1970s Czech film by Jaromil Jires, called Valerie and Her Week of Wonders.  It is a bizarre coming-of-age reverie, consisting of a young girl who lives with her mysterious grandmother, lusty old vampires, magical earrings, burgeoning sexuality, ripe romance, hundreds of dripping candles, lacey dresses, oppressive religious figures, sick chickens, sun-dappled fields, dusty piles of books, and the list goes on.  The actual plot is tricky to suss out as the story follows its own surreal dream logic, but it's the sumptuous art direction and hazy mood that makes the film so special.  You can watch the film in pieces on YouTube, or you can try and be lucky enough to catch a showing of the Valerie Project, a touring version wherein live musicians play an alternative soundtrack against the rolling footage.

History of Women in Art

OK, so this is awesome:

Via

Billy Collins animated poetry

Some of Billy Collins' poems have been animated, resulting in small marvels of linguistics and line.

Via

Oh, Japan!

Japan, how do you consistently produce such amazing looking films?!  I love you, that's all there is to it.

I'm seeing The Taste of Tea this weekend:

And Paprika comes out in May:

Swoooooooon!

(Paprika tip-off via)

Trailer Park Unicorn

This site has a collection of exceptionally good title sequences.  I love the sequence for Trailer Park Unicorn.  The whole film sounds incredible, but I can't seem to find much information about it.

Via

Le Vampire de Tokyo

Do yourself a favor and watch this awesome flash animation:  Le Vampire de Tokyo.  It was created by Stephane, and it is based on the work of the outrageous Japanese pulp-surrealist, Suehiro Maruo.  Bravo!