The End (1953 film)
| The End | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Christopher Maclaine |
| Narrated by | Christopher Maclaine |
| Cinematography | Jordan Belson |
| Distributed by | Kinesis |
Release date |
|
Running time | 35 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The End is a 1953 American short film directed by Christopher Maclaine. It tells the stories of six people on the last day of their lives. It premiered at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art as part of Frank Stauffacher's Art in Cinema series. Though the film met audience disapproval at its premiere, it was praised by critics as a "masterpiece" and "a great work of art".
Plot
The film is divided into six sections, each telling the story of a different character. After being shunned by his friends, Walter runs through the city until a man arbitrarily decides to shoot him. Charles, having just killed his landlady and her 7-year-old daughter, wanders through the city before arriving at the Golden Gate Bridge, where he jumps to his death. John, a comedian, performs a funny routine about killing himself before going home and committing suicide.
The beautiful young poet Paul goes to a leper colony to find a lover and see if he can still be loved after contracting
Production
Frank Stauffacher helped secure funding for The End, much of which came from Bob Greensfelder of the Kinesis Film Society. Jordan Belson (who later became known for his own meditative works like 1961's Allures) served as the film's cameraman, shooting on inexpensive Kodachrome stock. The collaboration between him and Maclaine was marked by frequent conflict. Belson was upset that Maclaine would show up intoxicated in the middle of the night to give photographic directions for their shoots.[1][2] Much of the film was improvised, including Maclaine's narration.[3]
Release
The End premiered on October 23, 1953, at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, as part of Stauffacher's Art in Cinema series. Audience members booed the film, shouting over it and throwing their chairs.[4] The film was distributed by Kinesis. When the company closed in 1957, Maclaine's work did not find a new distributor until 1962, when Stan Brakhage and Willard Morrison of the Audio Film Center brought it back into circulation.[2]
The End is part of Anthology Film Archives' Essential Cinema Repertory collection.[5] A transfer was made from Anthology's preservation negative print for the film's DVD release as part of Treasures IV: American Avant-Garde Film, 1947–1986.[6][7]
Reception and legacy
Critic
Brakhage, who attended the film's premiere, said that "in addition to being a great work of art…it is one of the most prophetic of our time."[11] He cited it as an influence on his 1954 film Desistfilm.[12]
Notes
- ^ Andersch and Wilkins 2010, pp. 55–58.
- ^ JSTOR 1211975.
- ^ Andersch and Wilkins 2010, p. 62.
- ^ Andersch and Wilkins 2010, p. 56.
- ^ "Essential Cinema". Anthology Film Archives. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ S2CID 194073675.
- ^ Henderson, B (March 3, 2009). "Treasures IV: American Avant-Garde Film (1947–1986)," Slant Magazine
- ^ Sitney 1974, p. 344.
- ^ Camper, Fred (June 3, 1999). "Mad Genius". Chicago Reader. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ Lim, Dennis (March 1, 2009). "Unearthing more movie 'Treasures'". Los Angeles Times. p. E10. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ Brakhage 1989, p. 117.
- ^ Andersch and Wilkins 2010, p. 58.
References
- ISBN 978-0-914232-99-5.
- Andersch, Brecht; Wilkins, Timoleon (2010). "Christopher Maclaine and the San Francisco Film Scene in the 1950s". In Anker, Steve; Geritz, Kathy; Seid, Steve (eds.). Radical Light: Alternative Film and Video in the San Francisco Bay Area, 1945–2000. ISBN 978-0-520-24911-0.
- ISBN 978-0-19-501761-8.
External links
- The End at IMDb
- In Search of Christopher Maclaine at SFMOMA
