Structural Film/Flickers/Fluxus
Tony Conrad’s The Flicker (1966)
According to P. Adams Sitney, structural films contained four main characteristics which were never seen all together in a single film. In his first film, The Flicker, Conrad focuses his construction of the film around a flickering technique which could be seen in almost every structuralist film in the 60s. However, unlike Stan Brakhage, Conrad does it in the most simplest way. He only uses two kinds of frames (one black and one white), organizing them in abstract ways and creating a hypnotic experience. This experience becomes very personal, since we all have a different connection with the psychological conditions of the flicker. We all consume the experience in a different way even though it is usually shown to a group of people. However, one thing we can all relate to is that hypnotizing experience. Similar to narrative films, we are transported from reality, for the entire time we sit through the film, and are situated within the world/“happening” created by the filmmaker. However, ultimately, Conrad entrenches us within this unique experience in order to see the different emotional reactions the viewers have as a result of the flickering. Thus justifying the experimental aspect of structural films.
Michael Snow’s Wavelength (1967/2003)
In 2003, Michael Snow released an alternate version of his popular film, Wavelength, in which he dramatically shortened the film to about a quarter of its original length. The original film was very influential because of the way Snow formulated the structure of the film. Everything else in the film was secondary besides the actual shape of the film. He combines aspects of documentary filmmaking, as seen when he introduces us to some people moving furniture into a loft, with that of a classic film-noir murder scene. Not to mention the infusion of various experimental techniques such as the long take/zoom, color filters, and a very slow paced edit. However, in the alternate version of the film, Snow plays around more with the structure in terms of time. He looks deeper into the nature of reality by superimposing the close ups, seen later in the original, on top off the long opening wide shot of the loft. As a result, we are immediately pushed aside as it becomes harder to situate ourselves in the visuals. It’s almost impossible to tell that the superimposed close up of the wall and the photograph of the waves are actually a part of the overall loft. Along with the use of color, these superimpositions cause us to question our place in the universe when succumbing to the filmic experience. This completely goes against what Conrad does in The Flicker, and what he did in the original version of the film.
Hollis Frampton’s Maxwell’s Demon (1968)
As mentioned before, one major aspect to structural films is the simplified nature of the art. Out of all the films seen in this genre of the avant-garde, this was definitely the most effortless film. Frampton merely takes some found footage of ocean waves and some awkward exercise video, adds color blocks/filters, and edits them in a rhythmic pattern where we see one exercise clip then the color/tinted waves, then another exercise clip, and so on. However, just because the form is simple doesn’t make the concept easy to follow. It took me a little while to try and understand the reasoning behind the compilation of these images. But, after a little research, you can see how the film and the title directly relate to a thermodynamic theory developed by James Clerk Maxwell. Though, this was the major concept behind its form, I think Frampton was also trying to idealize the simplified nature of structural films by rarefying motion, sound, and color to their most basic states.
Paul Sharits’ Tails (1976)
One of the major aspects to Sharits’ structural/flicker films is his experimentation with the perception of time and motion. In one of his later films, Sharits does this through a constant change in frame rates. Similar to Frampton’s Maxwell’s Demon, Sharits uses found footage to construct his film. However the footage has no recognizable images on them because they encompass the tail end of old film strips (thus the title of the film). Therefore, through a mixture of light flares and changing frame rates, Sharits is able to create a unique flicker motion in which motion and time are examined. By slowing things down and then speeding them up again, Sharits shows us how at times our perception of time changes seamlessly throughout are lives. If he where to take out the sprocket holes from the edges of the frame, I think he could’ve captured this idea a lot stronger. But, in the end, Sharits, in a very unique/experimental way shows us how our perception of time and motion can change in a flash.
Paul Sharits’ Word Movie (1966)
In an earlier film of his, Sharits does something a little different with the flicker technique. Instead of focusing his full attention on examining time and motion, he uses flicker, in a combination with words, to take a critical look at language. Essentially, through the fast paced editing of probably thousands of words, Sharits is challenging the power of language. He creates a very interesting look through the “word” flicker, entrenching his viewers into the experience of trying to unravel what the film is saying. In the meantime, Sharits has a soundtrack playing in the background which switches back and forth between a male and female speaker reciting some sort of scientific and artistic text. This aspect of the film is kind of similar to the way the Fluxus artists would combine various art mediums within the structure of the film. However, we almost forget that the sound is even there. Because of the flicker aspect of the film, viewers our focused on the words rather than the language spoken. Thus, showing the limitations that language has in everyday life.
George Maciunas’ Artype (1966)
As the founder of the Fluxus group, centered in New York City, Maciunas became a prominent man in the art world of the 60s/70s. One of the main attributes to these artists’ works was the combination and playful subversion of previous artistic traditions. In Artype, you can clearly see this as the film progresses. He seamlessly combines a use of dots and lines used in architecture with some synthetic sounds which resemble the massive computer generators arising during this time. However, the most flashy part of the film, is when he combines these two aspects to create a climactic ending similar to that of narrative films/fictional literature. Though, through all this mashing of new and old mediums, Maciunas is able to do it with a very simple form resembling that of the cameraless, animated shorts of Len Lye. He sticks with black and white, switching between them as the background, and uses a switch in frame rate to add tension as we approach the climactic ending. This is what ties these artist to the structural filmmakers discussed above.
George Brecht’s Entrance to Exit (1965)
You know what, I need to take something back. This film was definitely the most simple film in this group of films. For about six minutes, all we see for the majority of the time is a white frame slowly fading into a black frame; starting with the word “entrance” and ending with “exit”. Apparently, this film was an adaptation of a performance Brecht did in New York, but it’s hard to see the relation. This is where the real artwork comes in. Instead of putting an emphasis on the image, Brecht focuses his attention to the sound. As the frame fades from white to black, the pitch of the sound alters as well. In essence, Brecht’s goal is to express a meaning of maximum wealth with the minimum use of image. As a result, it’s hard to grasp what Brecht is actually saying.
