Dog Star Man (1964)

Synopsis: One of the key works of the American avant-garde of the 1960s, DOG STAR MAN is no less than an abstract vision of the creation of the universe, an epic work consisting of a prelude and four parts. Attempting to summarize DOG STAR MAN in a few words would simply undermine the aesthetic ventures of... One of the key works of the American avant-garde of the 1960s, DOG STAR MAN is no less than an abstract vision of the creation of the universe, an epic work consisting of a prelude and four parts. Attempting to summarize DOG STAR MAN in a few words would simply undermine the aesthetic ventures of the film. A woodsman (Brakhage himself?) and his dog slowly clamber up the Flat Iron Mountains. The plot is not always clear, but Brakhage's message is: Nature, light, mountain, and sun make up humanity's inner cosmos as much as they do the outer world. Perhaps most moving is the film's finale, in which Brakhage superimposes solar flares and chains of mountains over his wife as she gives birth to their child. Making brilliant use of superimpositions, painting on film, distorting lenses, and rhythmic montage, DOG STAR MAN is a compelling film and truly an eye-opening experience. [More]