Experimental Films influence on modern day film
- Giovanni Peresson
- Oct 27, 2023
- 3 min read
By Giovanni Peresson 27/10/2023
Introduction:
Almost every form of moving images at one point or another was probably considered experimental film. Over the 100 odd years film has become a mainstream form of entertainment for the masses and with the increase in modern technology and screens being everywhere in our daily lives film has become more and more common. With this the technology and techniques used in filmmaking has evolved with it.
Through my research and viewing of both traditional mainstream film and experimental films both and from the past you can clearly see techniques from back then being introduced into the filmmakers rule book. I will be going over some of the techniques used and how they have influenced modern day cinema.
Experimental Film Pioneers:
Throughout history there have been countless filmmakers who have pioneered in experimental filmmaking such as Maya Deren, Alejandro Jodorowsky and Peter Foldés. All of them have been written down in the history books for each of their own reasons.
Jodorowsky in particular who was probably one of my favourite experimental filmmakers who made one film in career; The Holy Mountain where he uses surrealism and symbolism to construe a narrative unlike any other. His style of narrative was heavily influenced by the 70's psychedelic movement. Throughout his short but impactful filmmaking carear in creating experimetnal film he has created some new revoloutionary techniques which where adopted by some of modern cinemas greatest filmmakers.
Jodorowsky used non-linear narratives in The Holy Mountain and using a fragmented chronology in which he shows the viewers various scenes and elements of the story out of order and jumping back and forth through time from different perspectives and charachters. He assigns the viewer the task of constructing the narrative which from viewer to viewer could greatly vary and gives each person their own unique perspective which could have a very vast range of possibilities. This leads me to a great example of Jodorowsky's influence being Chirstopher Nolan's "Memento" in which he uses a similar non-linear narrative and a fragmentned chronology throughout giving the viewer their own freedom of expression to construct a narrative.
Andy Warhol who has created many experimental films himself on top of his well known and highly regarded artworks is a very important figure when talking about influence in modern day cinema and experimental film not necassaraly because of the direct impact of his films as regards of his techniques in production or even narrative for that matter. Rather I feel as though his main objective was to highlight every day objects and the audience themselves where the focus. What would be your reaction to a Warhol film? Would you sit in the cinema for 8 hours? It's questions like this I personally feel where his main objective.
Moving onto Maya Deren who is possibly one of the most influencial experimental filmmakers who challenged the norm and took a leap of faith into the unexplored. Deren became one of the most influencial female filmmakers inspiring others to follow her steps in inspiring women to pursue filmmaking.
Another are in which Deren innovated in cinema with her techniques aside is the idea of indipendant filmmaking. She was an advocate and funded her owm films setting an example for future filmmakers which in todays world indipentant filmmaking is how people get into the industry writting and shooting their own films.
Conclusion:
Cinema is something which evolves constantly throughout time and it will forever continue to evolve, exploring new formats, techniques and narratives. It is important to look at history of experimental film as it is essentially those films that have set the well rounded establisment of film in its current mature state. In the future there is alot more to expolore and it is up to experimental filmmakers to take up these challenges even if it leads to a film flop or a lack of support form large producers.
References:
The Holy Mountain, Jodorowsky A.(1973), Abkco Films
Memento Nolan C. (2000), Summit Entertainment
Nicholls B. 2001. Maya Deren and the American Avant-Garde University of California Press
This Blog has been written for educational purposes as part of CIN506 Experimental Film Week 4 Blog.
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