List of avant-garde films of the 1980s

This is a list of avant-garde and experimental films released in the 1980s.

Title Director Cast Nation Notes
1980
Amy! Laura Mulvey, Peter Wollen United Kingdom
Duplicity III Stan Brakhage United States Part of Duplicity cycle
Germany, Pale Mother Helma Sanders-Brahms Eva Mattes, Ernst Jacobi, Elisabeth Stepanek West Germany
Lucifer Rising Kenneth Anger United States
Made Manifest Stan Brakhage United States
Other Stan Brakhage United States
Roman Numeral: IV Stan Brakhage United States Part of Roman Numeral Series (also called the "Romans")
Roman Numeral: V Stan Brakhage United States Part of Roman Numeral Series (also called the "Romans")
Roman Numeral: VI Stan Brakhage United States Part of Roman Numeral Series (also called the "Romans")
Roman Numeral: VII Stan Brakhage United States Part of Roman Numeral Series (also called the "Romans")
Salome Stan Brakhage United States
Sincerity V Stan Brakhage United States Part of Sincerity cycle
1981
Aftermath Stan Brakhage United States
Arabic Numeral Series 1 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 2 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 3 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 4 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 5 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 6 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 7 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 8 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 9 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 0 + 10 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 11 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 12 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 13 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
The Garden of Earthly Delights Stan Brakhage United States
Murder Psalm Stan Brakhage United States
No Mercy, No Future Helma Sanders-Brahms Elisabeth Stepanek, Jorge Reis, Curt Curtini West Germany
Nodes Stan Brakhage United States
Le Pont du Nord Jacques Rivette Bulle Ogier, Pascale Ogier, Pierre Clémenti France
Possession Andrzej Żuławski Isabelle Adjani, Sam Neill, Heinz Bennent France
West Germany
[1]
Roman Numeral: VIII Stan Brakhage United States Part of Roman Numeral Series (also called the "Romans")
Roman Numeral: IX Stan Brakhage United States Part of Roman Numeral Series (also called the "Romans")
RR Stan Brakhage United States
Stonebridge Park Patrick Keiller United Kingdom
T.G.: Psychic Rally in Heaven Derek Jarman United Kingdom Short
Tango Zbigniew Rybczyński Poland
Unconscious London Strata Stan Brakhage United States
1982
The Angel Patrick Bokanowski Maurice Baquet, Jean-Marie Bon, Martine Couture France [2]
Arabic Numeral Series 14 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 15 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 16 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 17 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 18 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 19 Stan Brakhage United States Part of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
The Atomic Café Jayne Loader, Kevin Rafferty United States
Baby Doll Tessa Hughes-Freeland United States
Chronopolis Piotr Kamler Poland
Dimension of Dialogue Jan Švankmajer Czechoslovakia
The Draughtsman's Contract Peter Greenaway United Kingdom
Hours for Jerome Nathaniel Dorsky United States
In Order to Pass Chris Kraus United States
Macbeth Béla Tarr György Cserhalmi, Erzsébet Kútvölgyi, Ferenc Bencze, Imre Csuja, János Derzsi, István Dégi, Attila Kaszás, Gyula Maár, Đoko Rosić, János Ács, Lajos Őze Hungary Drama[3]
Koyaanisqatsi Godfrey Reggio United States [4]
Liquid Sky Slava Tsukerman Anne Carlisle, Paula E. Sheppard, Susan Doukas United States Sci-Fi
Personal Cuts Sanja Iveković Yugoslavia
Pictures on Pink Paper Lis Rhodes United Kingdom
Shift Toshio Matsumoto Japan
Three Crowns of the Sailor Raúl Ruiz Jean-Bernard Guillard, Philippe Deplanche, Jean Badin France [5]
1983
La Belle captive Alain Robbe-Grillet Daniel Mesguich, Gabrielle Lazure, Cyrielle Claire France [6]
City of Lost Souls Rosa von Praunheim West Germany
Cosey Fanni Tutti Doobie Eylath Cosey Fanni Tutti United Kingdom
Diary David Perlov Israel TV series[7]
First Name: Carmen Jean-Luc Godard Maruschka Detmers, Jacques Bonnaffé, Myriem Roussel France
Switzerland
[8]
Freeze Frame Peter Tscherkassky Austria
Hell Spit Flexion Stan Brakhage United States Part of The Dante Quartet
Messages Guy Sherwiin United Kingdom
No End Sanja Iveković, Dalibor Martinis Yugoslavia
Norwood Patrick Keiller United Kingdom
Pneuma Nathaniel Dorsky United States
Sans soleil Chris Marker Florence Delay France
Sweet Bunch Nikos Nikolaidis Despina Tomazani, Dora Maskalvanou, Takis Moschos Greece
Syntagma Valie Export Irmilin Hoffer Austria
Videodrome David Cronenberg James Woods, Debbie Harry USA
1984
Blue Monday The Duvet Brothers United Kingdom
The Cabinet of Jan Švankmajer Stephen Quay, Timothy Quay United Kingdom [9]
Egyptian Series Stan Brakhage United States
The Future of Emily Helma Sanders-Brahms Brigitte Fossey, Camille Raymond, Hermann Treusch West Germany
The Green Witch and Merry Diana Grayson Perry United Kingdom
Ian Breakwell's Continuous Diary Ian Breakwell United Kingdom TV series
Klassenverhältnisse Straub-Huillet Christian Heinisch, Mario Adorf, Nazzareno Bianconi West Germany
France
Drama
Shut the Fuck Up General Idea Canada
Tortured Dust Part I Stan Brakhage United States
Tortured Dust Part II Stan Brakhage United States
Tortured Dust Part III Stan Brakhage United States
Tortured Dust Part IV Stan Brakhage United States
1985
2084 Chris Marker France
The Angelic Conversation Derek Jarman Judi Dench, Paul Reynolds, Philip Williamson United Kingdom
The Epic of Gilgamesh Stephen Quay, Timothy Quay United Kingdom
Les Favoris de la Lune Otar Iosseliani Pascal Aubier, Alix de Montaigu, Gaspard Flori France
Italy
[10]
Hail Mary Jean-Luc Godard Myriem Roussel, Thierry Rode, Philippe Lacoste France
United Kingdom
Switzerland
[11]
Jane Stan Brakhage United States
The Monument of Sacrifice and Orgy Ana Nuša Dragan, Srečo Dragan Yugoslavia
The Practice of Love Valie Export Adelheid Arndt, Hagnot Elischka, Rüdiger Vogler Austria
The Right Side of My Brain Richard Kern, Lydia Lunch United States
Super-8 Girl Games Ursula Pürrer, Hans A. Scheirl Austria
Where Evil Dwells Tommy Turner, David Wojnarowicz United States
A Zed & Two Noughts Peter Greenaway Andréa Ferréol, Brian Deacon, Eric Deacon Netherlands
United Kingdom
[12]
1986
The Aerodyne Stan Brakhage United States Part of the "Caswallon Trilogy"
Caravaggio Derek Jarman Sean Bean, Tilda Swinton, Nigel Terry United Kingdom
Confession Stan Brakhage United States
Dance Shadows by Danielle Helander Stan Brakhage United States Part of the "Caswallon Trilogy"
The End Patrick Keiller United Kingdom
The Family Album Alan Berliner United States
Fingered Richard Kern, Lydia Lunch United States
Fireloop Stan Brakhage United States Part of the "Caswallon Trilogy"
Foolproof Illusion Chris Kraus United States
Handsworth Songs Black Audio Film Collective United Kingdom
Kelimba Peter Tscherkassky Austria
The Loom Stan Brakhage United States Part of the "Caswallon Trilogy"
Mommy, Mommy, Where's My Brain? Jon Moritsugu United States
Nidhiyude Katha Vijayakrishnan India [13]
Night Music Stan Brakhage United States Part of the "Three Handed-Painted Films"
Street of Crocodiles Stephen Quay, Timothy Quay United Kingdom [14]
Thames Film William Raban John Hurt United Kingdom
Toutes les femmes est Jeanne d'Arc Suzanne Lemaître France
1987
17 Reasons Why Nathaniel Dorsky United States
Alaya Nathaniel Dorsky United States
All Our Secrets are Contained in an Image Breda Beban, Hrvoje Horvatić Yugoslavia
The Black Tower John Smith United Kingdom
Cruel Illness of Men Igor Aleinikov Soviet Union
The Cure for Insomnia John Henry Timmis IV United States
The Dante Quartet Stan Brakhage United States Part of The Dante Quartet
The Deadman Peggy Ahwesh, Keith Sanborn United States
Dream Dmitrii Frolov Soviet Union
Faustfilm: An Opera: Part I Stan Brakhage United States Part of the Faustfilm Project
From the Archives of Modern Art Eleanor Antin United States
How to Shoot a Crime Chris Kraus, Sylvère Lotringer United States
Kindgering Stan Brakhage United States
The Last of England Derek Jarman Tilda Swinton, Spencer Leigh, Spring (Mark Adley) United Kingdom [15]
Loud Visual Noises Stan Brakhage United States
Morning Patrol Nikos Nikolaidis Michele Valley, Takis Spiridakis, Liana Hatzi Greece
The Revolutionary Sketch Gleb Aleinikov, Igor Aleinikov Soviet Union
Traktora Gleb Aleinikov, Igor Aleinikov Soviet Union
1988
Alice Jan Švankmajer Kristina Kohoutova Switzerland
Czechoslovakia
[16]
Degrees of Blindness Cerith Wyn Evans United Kingdom
Faust 3: Candida Albacore Stan Brakhage United States Part of the Faustfilm Project
Faust's Other: An Idyll Stan Brakhage United States Part of the Faustfilm Project
I... Dreaming Stan Brakhage United States
The Limits of Vision Clio Barnard United Kingdom
Marilyn's Window Stan Brakhage United States
Matins Stan Brakhage United States
Measures of Distance Mona Hatoun United Kingdom
Powaqqatsi Godfrey Reggio United States [17]
Rage Net Stan Brakhage United States Part of the Three Hand-Painted Films
Virile Games Jan Švankmajer Czechoslovakia
1989
Babylon Series #1 Stan Brakhage United States
Begotten E. Elias Merhige Brian Salzberg, Donna Dempsey, Stephen Charles Barry United States Experimental horror
Clownery Dmitrii Frolov Dmitri Shibanov, Dmitri Frolov, Natalya Sourkova, Alexey Zaharov, Viktoriya Zlotnikova, Mark Nahamkin, Yevgeniy Suhonenkov, Alexey Frolov, Alexandr Kostin, Yakov Shmayev, Vyacheslav Gridin Soviet Union
The Clouds Patrick Keiller United Kingdom
Ecce Homo Jerry Tartaglia United States
Faust 4 Stan Brakhage United States Part of the Faustfilm Project
Looking for Langston Isaac Julien United Kingdom
Marquis Henri Xhonneux Francois Marthouret, Valerie Kling, Michel Robin Belgium
France
[18]
Santa Sangre Alejandro Jodorowsky Axel Jodorowsky, Blanca Guerra, Sabrina Dennison Italy
Mexico
[19]
Tabula Rasa Peter Tscherkassky Austria
Tetsuo: The Iron Man Shinya Tsukamoto Tomoroh Taguchi, Kei Fujiwara, Shinya Tsukamoto Japan [20]
Visions in Meditation #1 Stan Brakhage United States Part of the Visions in Meditation Cycle
Visions in Meditation #2: Mesa Verde Stan Brakhage United States Part of the Visions in Meditation Cycle
The Window Julius Ziz Soviet Union

Notes

edit
  1. ^ German, Yuri. "Possession". Allrovi. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  2. ^ "The Angel". Allmovie. All Media Guide. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  3. ^ "Macbeth (1982)". AllMovie. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  4. ^ LeVasseur, Andrea. "Koyaanisqatsi". Allrovi. Archived from the original on October 12, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  5. ^ Blaise, Judd. "Les Trois Couronnes du Matelot". Allrovi. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  6. ^ Voorhees, John. "La Belle captive". Allrovi. Archived from the original on October 14, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  7. ^ Diary (1983), retrieved 2017-08-18
  8. ^ Schwartz, Louis. "First Name: Carmen". Allrovi. Archived from the original on June 1, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  9. ^ LeVasseur, Andrea. "The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer". Allrovi. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  10. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Les Favoris de la Lune". Allrovi. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  11. ^ Schwartz, Louis. "Hail Mary". Allrovi. Archived from the original on June 1, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  12. ^ Voorhees, John. "A Zed & Two Noughts". Allrovi. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  13. ^ William Verrone (8 November 2011). Nidhiyude Katha. McFarland. ISBN 9780786488810. Retrieved January 19, 2013. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  14. ^ Cooper, Tracie. "Street of Crocodiles". Allrovi. Archived from the original on January 16, 2013. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  15. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Last of England". Allrovi. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  16. ^ Tobey, Matthew. "Alice". Allrovi. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  17. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Powaqqatsi". Allrovi. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  18. ^ Brennan, Sandra. "Marquis". Allrovi. Archived from the original on November 13, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  19. ^ Voorhees, John. "Santa Sangre". Allrovi. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  20. ^ Blaise, Judd. "Tetsuo: The Iron Man". Allrovi. Archived from the original on June 13, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.