The Very Eye of Night is 1955 American experimental silent short film written and directed by Maya Deren, and her last completed film.[3][4] Made in collaboration with Metropolitan Opera Ballet School,[5] the film was shot in black-and-white in the 16 mm format,[6] and is projected as photographed in the negative.[7]

The Very Eye of Night
Stills from The Very Eye of Night
Directed byMaya Deren
Written byMaya Deren
Starring
  • Don Freisinger
  • Richard Sandifer
  • Patricia Ferrier
  • Bud Bready
  • Genaro Gomez
  • Barbara Levin
  • Richard Englund
  • Rosemary Williams
  • Phillip Salem
CinematographyMaya Deren
Edited byMaya Deren
Music byTeiji Ito[1][2]
Release dates
  • 1955 (1955) (Haiti)
  • 1959 (1959) (New York)
Running time
15 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent

The Very of Eye of Night premiered in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 1955.[4] It later screened in New York in 1959,[4] with an added musical score by Teiji Ito.[6]

Cast

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  • Don Freisinger as Gemini
  • Richard Sandifer as Gemini
  • Patricia Ferrier as Ariel
  • Bud Bready as Oberon
  • Genaro Gomez as Umbriel
  • Barbara Levin as Titania
  • Richard Englund as Uranus
  • Rosemary Williams as Urania
  • Phillip Salem as Noctambulo

Release

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The Very Eye of Night was made between 1952 and 1955 in collaboration with choreographer Antony Tudor. The film first premiered in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 1955.[4] It later screened in New York in 1959,[4] by which time music by Teiji Ito was added.[6]

In 1990, the film was released on DVD in the United States by Mystic Fire Video.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ Haslem, Wendy (12 December 2002). "Great Directors: Maya Deren". Senses of Cinema (23). Archived from the original on 6 October 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  2. ^ "Maya Deren The Very Eye of Night". film-makerscoop.com. The Film-Makers' Cooperative. Archived from the original on 14 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Maya Deren: seven films that guarantee her legend". bfi.org. BFI. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  4. ^ "In the Mirror of Maya Deren" (PDF). Zeitgeist Films. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 6, 2013. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  5. ^ a b c "The Very Eye of Night". cinematheque.qc.ca. Cinematheque. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  6. ^ "The Very Eye of Night". lightcone.org. Light Cone. Archived from the original on 18 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
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