An independent documentary about the unprecedented struggles of movie theaters and the film industry as a whole during the COVID-19 pandemic
Culled from over fifteen hours of footage by the American Genre Film Archive, this mixtape is the definitive presentation of public access TV’s most otherworldly show, The Stairway to Stardom.
Disjointed moments from the filmmakers’ daily lives during the past year. Captured on a 1985 VHS camcorder with color and luminosity distorted by its failing color Newvicon tube. Cut with distorted tape-recorded fragments of nostalgic broadcast television ephemera. Scored by whatever was handy— from an ambient electronic song with a surprising amount of pipe organ (Oneohtrix Point Never - Boring Angel) to midi versions of your favorite SNES soundtrack (Donkey Kong Country – Aquatic Ambience, Opening, and Treetop Rock) to a not-quite-right rendition of a song that will make you want to say “Oh, Angelo, that’s tearing my heart out!” (Xiu Xiu – Falling). A voyeuristic peak at home movies that exist somewhere between soon to be forgotten and forgotten long ago. The occasional dot matrix time stamps in the corner of the footage somehow make it harder to place in time.
Two generations dialogue through the images they filmed of their children, a reflection of the emotional bond that arises from their involvement with what was shot.
Doomed Nation Video 'zine hailed from Chicago, and showcased the artistic talents of Tom Denney. The interview segments are of SOURVEIN and a couple of live clips, music videos by Denney of BURIED AT SEA, MEATJACK, CROWBAR, CONVERGE, & CUMDUMPSTER.
A video magazine put out by the Come Organization label. Noise, smut, medical procedures and an unwholesome fascination with infamous murderers. SUTCLIFFE JUGEND interview and music PETER KURTEN preview WHITEHOUSE LP TRACKS 1 birthdeath experience side A PHILIP BEST talks to MARY DOWD WHITEHOUSE studio action 1 KINGS CROSS PROSTITUTION 1982
The video revolution of the 1970s offered unprecedented access to the moving image for artists and performers. This Is Not a Dream explores the legacies of this revolution and its continued impact on contemporary art and performance. Charting a path across four decades of avant-garde experiment and radical escapism, This Is Not a Dream traces the influences of Andy Warhol, John Waters and Jack Smith to the perverted frontiers of YouTube and Chatroulette, taking in subverted talk shows and soap operas, streetwalker fashions and glittery magic penises along the way.
Raudy's Story
A film exploring the life of “Weird Paul.” After 30 years, 2000 videos, 800 songs, & 42 albums, he’s still not giving up on his dream.
This lively documentary explores the rise and fall of physical media from the origin of film all the way through the video store era into digital media, focusing on B-movie and cult films. With icons like Joe Bob Briggs (MonsterVision), Lloyd Kaufman (Toxic Avenger), Greg Sestero (The Room), Debbie Rochon (Return to Nuke 'Em High), Deborah Reed (Troll 2), Mark Frazer (Samurai Cop), James Nguyen (Birdemic) and many others.
As the dissociated convenience of the Internet and globalized corporate culture continue to shut down brick-and-mortar video stores, what will happen to the longstanding, local hangouts with their rugged individuals known as clerks and the communities who love them? Videosyncracy follows three very different video rental stores as they negotiate their survival in three distinct Los Angeles neighborhoods: Old Bank DVD in the Downtown arts district, Vidiots in sunny seaside Santa Monica, and Eddie Brandt’s Saturday Matinee in bustling North Hollywood. Their stories chronicle not only the birth and twilight of a particular kind of corner store, but also decades of personal lives intertwined with those of their communities, the new challenges and facilities of a rapidly changing world, and an enduring love of the movies, a slice of Americana on the brink of disappearance yet defiant to the end.
Based on the popular phone service, "How To Make a Sandwich" is a short film directed by Drake Sanderson that depicts the rise of media star, Peter Willard, and his acclaimed sandwich-making skills. From breads to meats to condiments, follow Peter as he teaches you how to make the perfect sandwich!
Filmmakers and collectors lift the curtain on their manic media obsession that is not only a huge part of their lives, but the lifeblood of their existence!
A further endulgance into analog media
The extraordinary story of home video in Bulgaria. A lyrical first-person journey into the genuine love local video pirates had for cinema – and their hard-won path toward professional mastery. A chronicle of a wondrous adventure that begins on the small screen of an old television set and ultimately reaches the big screen of the modern cineplex.
Unleashed from the video vaults of the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #2: LATER IN L.A. is a brand new compilation of the most electrifying found footage mayhem that you’ll see this week. For our second tape, we’ve returned to the hallowed halls of “behind the scenes” horror for another hour-long joyride of F-U-N. Thank you for your incredible support during these difficult times. And remember: “Do what your spirit tells you.”
A young man is isolated in his room due to a Covid-19 exposure.
Three friends journey through several US states in order to legally purchase marijuana
After the release of his debut film, documentarian Richard Chase journeys down a rabbit hole to uncover the lost second episode of his initial film's subject: Wise Guys.
Amid technological transformations and the disappearance of video rental stores, Gilberto Petruche keeps Charada alive, the last rental shop in the outskirts of São Paulo. With more than 30 years of history, the place is a symbol of resistance and now also operates as a cultural center.