Dog Star Man(1961-64)
During the fifties and sixties, there was the rise of the American avant-garde film. Some of the director focus to the exploring film techniques and the the possibility of presentation. Some of the director try to break the social and sexual taboos. Some of the director undertake the poetic tradition of experimental film an Stan Brakhage was the one of the filmmaker in this direction.
Stan Brakhage, was a non-narrative filmmaker. In 20th-century experimental film, he is reputed to be one of the most important figures. Dog Star Man(1961-64) is masterpiece of Stan Brakhage. In the film, there was expressing the state of the human being after leaving the society and civilization.
Dog Star Man(1961-64) is divided into five parts.
1.Prelude is the dream of the day and night. The excerpt is created by light, patterns, images superimposed, rapid cutting, the exploration,etc. After those effect, the image of the earth, woods, a part of body appear. The images were presenting the movement of time.
2. Part 1 of the film is about climbing snow-capped mountains. He was using an ax to climb and he was companioned with a dog. Images rush past – water, trees, and surfaces too close up to distinguish.
3.Part 2 of the film is about the birth. The man and the dog struggled on a mountain side. The image of the baby was appeared. The images of struggling climber, baby, blurred film stock, large snow flakes, and what may be microscopic details of matter are superimposed on each other, one dominating the frame briefly to be replaced by another.
4.Part 3 of the film is daydreaming about sex.
The image of the sexual intimacy were appeared. a man and a woman’s nude, patches of skin, wisps of hair, glimpses of a face and genitalia and strips of celluloid with lines and squiggles scratched on them, These three kinds of images race past, superimposed on each other sometimes.
5.Part 4 of the film is the composite crash.
A man is supine on a mountain side. Images rush past of nature and a stained glass saint. An infant is born. We see a lactating nipple. Images include a mountain peak, farm buildings, a tree stump, a fire, a crawling baby, and the sun. The man falls and rolls. Then, later, he swings his ax.
Erasing the narrative, using the non-rational image symbol to present the film. The whole film is presented non-verbally. The different image effect with color mix with the black and white real scene shooting had brought out the strong emotion. In prelude, the shaking of the light, pattern, exploration build up the illusive effect. With the real image of the earth, wood, the image effect show the deceptive dream. With the color of the image effect, the emotion of the zeal with the confuse had been presented out.
And the climbing scene present the real scene. The mixing of the real scene, the illusive image effect and the shaking effect just like present the mind and the soul.
Not using the direct method to bring out the idea or the direct method cannot present the the virtual message well, Imagery provided a space to the reader/ audience to feel and imagine the message. Color enhance and concrete the emotion and people can be easily to communicate with the experimental film.
