Chinese Series

USA 2003, 35mm, b&w, silent, 2:20 min

realized by:

Stan Brakhage

keywords:

abstract
scratch (emulsion), handmade film

notes:

Also credited as color.

available copies:

Light Cone:

16mm

available for rent

London Filmmakers Coop:

available for rent

LUX:

16mm

available for rent

The Film-Makers' Cooperative:

16mm

available for rent

Canyon Cinema Inc.:

available for rent

35mm & 16mm.

synopsis: The Film-Makers' Cooperative On-Line Catalog 2004

On the negative, it seemed to have the essence of Chinese characters -- "strokes" and blocks, etc. In motion, it seems almost like running though a humid bamboo forest (not that I've personally had much experience) - green and yellow stalks create these glowing shadows as they cut across the sunlight...symbols magically transformed to landscape through light and motion.

synopsis: Canyon Cinema online catalog 2005

"This film was made on 35mm whereby Stan scratched off the emulsion of the film using his fingernail. The original was stepped printed by Mary Beth Reed. This film is available is both 16mm and 35mm and is in black and white."-Dominic Angerame

Scratching on spit-softened emulsion with bare fingernails," Stan completed this work -- all that he could manage of his long dreamed-of "Chinese Series" -- in his bed, a couple of months before his death. Printed by Courtney Hoskins, who has written that: "On the negative, it seemed to have the essence of Chinese characters -- "strokes" and blocks, etc. In motion, it seems almost like running through a humid bamboo forest . . . green and yellow stalks create these glowing shadows as they cut across the sunlight.

synopsis: Light Cone 2003

Stan Brakhage est décédé des suite d’un cancer le 8 mars 2003, à Victoria en Colombie Britannique au Canada. Chinese Series est son film postume qu’il était en train d’achever lorsque la maladie l’emporta. Il s’agit d’amorce 35mm noire qu’il scrachtait avec ses ongles.

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