In anticipation of making our own films in class next week, view the following well-known early experimental films and respond to the questions below. Remember, we discussed the Dada artists last week when talking about your Cubist Collages - they were interested in absurdity and chance as a response to the first World War:

Questions to answer in your sketchbooks:

1. In Man Ray's "Le Retour A La Raison (Return to Reason)" how does the idea of reason or order apply to the chaos you see and hear in the film?

2. How does Man Ray use repetition and pattern in the film?

3. In Leger's "Ballet Mecanique" what kinds of compositions do you see repeated? 

4. How does the title "The Mechanical Ballet" relate to the images and music?

DADA:

Man Ray Le Retour a la Raison 1920s





Ballet Mecanique, Fernand Leger, 1924




Other DADA films:

Duchamp, 1926
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFr4w-yZLyY&feature=PlayList&p=6A87B9ABEBE91B37&playnext_from=PL&index=12

Hans Richter, 1927
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhv2KpQGMqY&feature=PlayList&p=D9EB7D269F2DE413&playnext_from=PL&index=8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjM9SHZHdb8&feature=PlayList&p=D9EB7D269F2DE413&playnext_from=PL&index=9



EARLY COMPUTERS:

Synchronomy  Norman McLaren (1914 - 1987), 1971
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jqz_tx1-xd4&feature=PlayList&p=D9EB7D269F2DE413&playnext_from=PL&index=4

Larry Cuba, 1985 (also did graphics for Star Wars)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH0MXZ-T4Js&feature=PlayList&p=D9EB7D269F2DE413&playnext_from=PL&index=0


FLUXUS:
Nam June Paik (1962-4)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z1sOsIrshU&feature=PlayList&p=D9EB7D269F2DE413&playnext_from=PL&index=6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SE06lHXsBo&feature=PlayList&p=D9EB7D269F2DE413&playnext_from=PL&index=5


OTHER:

Sesame Street
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzF4FJIpxJg&feature=PlayList&p=D9EB7D269F2DE413&playnext_from=PL&index=11

Philip Glass
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch-R1aIM-C0&feature=PlayList&p=D9EB7D269F2DE413&playnext_from=PL&index=10


Len Lye, born Leonard Charles Huia Lye (5 July 1901, Christchurch, New
Zealand - 15 May 1980, Warwick, New York), was a New Zealand-born
artist known primarily for his experimental films and kinetic
sculpture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgBKj2RfXN4&feature=PlayList&p=D9EB7D269F2DE413&playnext_from=PL&index=2