Thanks in part to Kino's Avant-Garde and Experimental Cinema of the 1920s and '30s I have been seeing some rather interesting films. Kino had released a similar collection on VHS several years back which contained several of the films here, however that collection was around two hours, and this one is over six.

Starting the set off are four films from Man Ray, the American born experimental filmmaker who made his mark in France as a leader in the Dada-ist movement. Le Reour a la Raison, Emak-Bakia, L'etoile de Mer, and Les Mysteres du Chateau du de are all featured here in chronological order. They certainly set the pace for the set with their dreamlike narratives, superimosed images, and conflicting editing patterns. Although the films range from 2-20 minutes they all are in a very similar stylistic trend, dealing with shapes, patterns, and juxtaposed images.

The first American film on the set is The Life and Death of 9413 A Hollywood Extra, from Slavko Vorkapich and Robert Florey. Florey had a rather long career in Hollywood in various tasks including a screenwriter on the original Franknestein. Here they assign actors and actresses with their own numbers, including the bright eyed optimistic but ultimately doomed title character. The film is remarkable for its use of sets, as the ascension to heaven is done with small mechanical devices ina distorted perspective. A rather clever and well made satire and a much more logical narrative than one would typically associate with an experimental film, just a very lively presentation.

As I watch more I'll try and comment on them here.