A movie

Duration: 12

Year Published: 1958

Creator: [filmmaker,] Bruce Conner.

Format: 16mm

Color: B&W

Sound: sound

Credits: Conner, Bruce, 1933-2008.

Description: No date on film; date supplied from: Visionary film / P. Adams Sitney.; Running time: 11:33.; PFA 1612-01-8851. Restricted: For PFA exhibition only.; PFA 1606-01-9747. Restricted: For PFA exhibition only.; PFA 1606-01-4366. Restricted: For PFA exhibition only.; PFA 1604-01-1959. Restricted: For research use.; Pacific Film Archive collection; non-circulating. CBPF.; Sitney, P. Adams. Visionary film. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1979, p. 310-311; MacDonald, Scott. A critical cinema: interviews with independent filmmakers. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1988, p. 254; History of the American avant-garde cinema. New York: American Federation of Arts, 1976, p. 92-93; This film encapsulates dominant themes in the history of motion pictures: chase, motion, sex, violence, and disasters. It also links these themes to images of the elements air, water, and fire. Dramatic "movie" music plays throughout the film. The film begins with these titles: "Bruce Conner;" "A movie;" "Bruce Conner." Then academy leader begins its countdown. A brief image of a seated naked woman is cut in, then the title "The end." The academy leader begins its countdown again, interrupted by a scene from a western of covered wagons chased by Indians on horses. Other chase scenes are cut in quick succession: an elephant runs towards the camera; race cars dash around a track and crash; a car falls off a cliff. To close this segment, the title "The end" and "Movie" appear. After a brief cut of bare-breasted "native" women carrying tall platters of fruit on their heads passes, the film turns to images of motion, adventure and disaster. The scenes also depict "Man" trying to overcome nature's restrictions. A Zeppelin flies over a city, then acrobats are shown perched high above a city street. The title "A movie by Bruce Conner" interrupts these images of man trying to be airborne. The film then turns to images of water: men in a submarine look through a periscope, with the object of their gaze being a reclining woman dressed in underwear--the men then shoot a torpedo at her; a nuclear explosion at sea is shown; surfers in waves; small boats at sea; waterskiers. The theme of motion is continued by images of people on different-sized bicycles and motorcycles. A small plane crashes in water. Teddy Roosevelt speaks, and a bridge collapses. Violence is introduced after a brief moment of black. Then, we see a plane exploding in air, battle scenes of missiles and bombs dropped from planes, a volcano erupting, the Zeppelin in flames, and skydivers. A hot air balloon bursts in flames and falls to the ground. A single-span bridge lifts and falls as if a huge waveform, followed by the Zeppelin explosion run backwards. A ship sinks, we see an execution by firing squad, Mussolini hung upside down, and a nuclear explosion at sea. A dead elephant is followed by images of starving people in Africa, a beaver under water, and the burning Zeppelin finally falling to the ground. After this last cataclysm, the film returns to the theme of water but in a more peaceful mode, using the image of a beaver that can co-exist on land and water as a hopeful model to counteract humanity's destructive impulses. The music becomes calmer as a scuba diver explores a sunken ship, swimming into it. The last shot is from the point of view of being underwater, looking up to the ocean's surface with sun rays.; PFA 1612-01-8851. D0209; PFA 1606-01-9747. D0171; D0413; PFA 1606-01-4366. D0171; D0271; PFA 1612-01-8851. COPY-SPECIFC DESCRIPTION: 1 reel of 1 (415 ft.) (12 min.) : opt sd., b&w ; 16 mm. print. CONDITION NOTE: Last inspected: 2007/09/04; Excellent condition; no dirt; no splices; no scratches; all films hot spliced together with black slug between films CONDITION NOTE: Last checked: 2007/03/29 same; PFA 1606-01-9747. COPY-SPECIFC DESCRIPTION: 1 reel of 1 (415 ft.) (12 min.) : opt sd., b&w ; 16 mm. estar print.; PFA 1606-01-4366. CONDITION NOTE: Last inspected: 10 April 1993; Excellent condition; PFA 1604-01-1959. COPY-SPECIFC DESCRIPTION: 1 reel of 1 (415 ft.) (12 min.) : opt sd., b&w ; 16 mm. triacetate print. CONDITION NOTE: Last inspected: 10 April 1993; scratches; warped; Good condition: continuous heavy scratch at right of frame throughout print; warped as it comes off reel

Metadata Source:BERKELEY ART MUSEUM AND PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE