List of avant-garde films of the 1980s explained

This is a list of avant-garde and experimental films released in the 1980s.

Title Director Cast Nation Notes
1980
Amy!Laura Mulvey, Peter Wollen
Duplicity IIIStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Duplicity cycle
Germany, Pale MotherHelma Sanders-BrahmsEva Mattes, Ernst Jacobi, Elisabeth StepanekWest Germany
Lucifer RisingKenneth AngerUnited States
Made ManifestStan BrakhageUnited States
OtherStan BrakhageUnited States
Roman Numeral: IVStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Roman Numeral Series (also called the "Romans")
Roman Numeral: VStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Roman Numeral Series (also called the "Romans")
Roman Numeral: VIStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Roman Numeral Series (also called the "Romans")
Roman Numeral: VIIStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Roman Numeral Series (also called the "Romans")
SalomeStan BrakhageUnited States
Sincerity VStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Sincerity cycle
1981
AftermathStan BrakhageUnited States
Arabic Numeral Series 1Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 2Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 3Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 4Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 5Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 6Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 7Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 8Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 9Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 0 + 10Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 11Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 12Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 13Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
The Garden of Earthly DelightsStan BrakhageUnited States
Murder PsalmStan BrakhageUnited States
No Mercy, No FutureHelma Sanders-BrahmsElisabeth Stepanek, Jorge Reis, Curt CurtiniWest Germany
NodesStan BrakhageUnited States
Le Pont du NordJacques RivetteBulle Ogier, Pascale Ogier, Pierre ClémentiFrance
PossessionAndrzej ŻuławskiIsabelle Adjani, Sam Neill, Heinz BennentFrance
West Germany
[1]
Roman Numeral: VIIIStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Roman Numeral Series (also called the "Romans")
Roman Numeral: IXStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Roman Numeral Series (also called the "Romans")
RRStan BrakhageUnited States
Stonebridge ParkPatrick KeillerUnited Kingdom
T.G.: Psychic Rally in HeavenDerek JarmanUnited KingdomShort
TangoZbigniew RybczyńskiPoland
Unconscious London StrataStan BrakhageUnited States
1982
The AngelPatrick BokanowskiMaurice Baquet, Jean-Marie Bon, Martine CoutureFrance[2]
Arabic Numeral Series 14Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 15Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 16Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 17Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 18Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
Arabic Numeral Series 19Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of Arabic Numeral Series (also called the "Arabics")
The Atomic CaféJayne Loader, Kevin RaffertyUnited States
Baby DollTessa Hughes-FreelandUnited States
ChronopolisPiotr KamlerPoland
Dimension of DialogueJan ŠvankmajerCzechoslovakia
The Draughtsman's ContractPeter GreenawayUnited Kingdom
Hours for JeromeNathaniel DorskyUnited States
In Order to PassChris KrausUnited States
MacbethBéla TarrGyörgy Cserhalmi, Erzsébet Kútvölgyi, Ferenc Bencze, Imre Csuja, János Derzsi, István Dégi, Attila Kaszás, Gyula Maár, Đoko Rosić, János Ács, Lajos ŐzeHungaryDrama[3]
KoyaanisqatsiGodfrey ReggioUnited States[4]
Liquid SkySlava TsukermanAnne Carlisle, Paula E. Sheppard, Susan DoukasUnited StatesSci-Fi
Personal CutsSanja IvekovićYugoslavia
Pictures on Pink PaperLis RhodesUnited Kingdom
ShiftToshio MatsumotoJapan
Three Crowns of the SailorRaúl RuizJean-Bernard Guillard, Philippe Deplanche, Jean BadinFrance[5]
1983
La Belle captiveAlain Robbe-GrilletDaniel Mesguich, Gabrielle Lazure, Cyrielle ClaireFrance[6]
City of Lost SoulsRosa von PraunheimWest Germany
Cosey Fanni TuttiDoobie EylathCosey Fanni TuttiUnited Kingdom
DiaryDavid PerlovIsraelTV series
Jean-Luc GodardMaruschka Detmers, Jacques Bonnaffé, Myriem RousselFrance
Switzerland
[7]
Freeze FramePeter TscherkasskyAustria
Hell Spit FlexionStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of The Dante Quartet
MessagesGuy SherwiinUnited Kingdom
No EndSanja Iveković, Dalibor MartinisYugoslavia
NorwoodPatrick KeillerUnited Kingdom
PneumaNathaniel DorskyUnited States
Sans soleilChris MarkerFlorence DelayFrance
Sweet BunchNikos NikolaidisDespina Tomazani, Dora Maskalvanou, Takis MoschosGreece
SyntagmaValie ExportIrmilin HofferAustria
VideodromeDavid CronenbergJames Woods, Debbie HarryUSA
1984
Blue MondayThe Duvet BrothersUnited Kingdom
The Cabinet of Jan ŠvankmajerStephen Quay, Timothy QuayUnited Kingdom[8]
Egyptian SeriesStan BrakhageUnited States
The Future of EmilyHelma Sanders-BrahmsBrigitte Fossey, Camille Raymond, Hermann TreuschWest Germany
The Green Witch and Merry DianaGrayson PerryUnited Kingdom
Ian Breakwell's Continuous DiaryIan BreakwellUnited KingdomTV series
KlassenverhältnisseStraub-HuilletChristian Heinisch, Mario Adorf, Nazzareno BianconiWest Germany
France
Drama
Shut the Fuck UpGeneral IdeaCanada
Tortured Dust Part IStan BrakhageUnited States
Tortured Dust Part IIStan BrakhageUnited States
Tortured Dust Part IIIStan BrakhageUnited States
Tortured Dust Part IVStan BrakhageUnited States
1985
2084Chris MarkerFrance
The Angelic ConversationDerek JarmanJudi Dench, Paul Reynolds, Philip WilliamsonUnited Kingdom
The Epic of GilgameshStephen Quay, Timothy QuayUnited Kingdom
Les Favoris de la LuneOtar IosselianiPascal Aubier, Alix de Montaigu, Gaspard FloriFrance
Italy
[9]
Hail MaryJean-Luc GodardFrance
United Kingdom
Switzerland
[10]
JaneStan BrakhageUnited States
The Monument of Sacrifice and OrgyAna Nuša Dragan, Srečo DraganYugoslavia
The Practice of LoveValie ExportAdelheid Arndt, Hagnot Elischka, Rüdiger VoglerAustria
The Right Side of My BrainRichard Kern, Lydia LunchUnited States
Super-8 Girl GamesUrsula Pürrer, Hans A. ScheirlAustria
Where Evil DwellsTommy Turner, David WojnarowiczUnited States
A Zed & Two NoughtsPeter GreenawayAndréa Ferréol, Brian Deacon, Eric DeaconNetherlands
United Kingdom
[11]
1986
The AerodyneStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of the "Caswallon Trilogy"
CaravaggioDerek JarmanSean Bean, Tilda Swinton, Nigel TerryUnited Kingdom
ConfessionStan BrakhageUnited States
Dance Shadows by Danielle HelanderStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of the "Caswallon Trilogy"
The EndPatrick KeillerUnited Kingdom
The Family AlbumAlan BerlinerUnited States
FingeredRichard Kern, Lydia LunchUnited States
FireloopStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of the "Caswallon Trilogy"
Foolproof IllusionChris KrausUnited States
Handsworth SongsBlack Audio Film CollectiveUnited Kingdom
KelimbaPeter TscherkasskyAustria
The LoomStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of the "Caswallon Trilogy"
Mommy, Mommy, Where's My Brain?Jon MoritsuguUnited States
Nidhiyude KathaVijayakrishnanIndia[12]
Night MusicStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of the "Three Handed-Painted Films"
Street of CrocodilesStephen Quay, Timothy QuayUnited Kingdom[13]
Thames FilmWilliam RabanJohn HurtUnited Kingdom
Toutes les femmes est Jeanne d'ArcSuzanne LemaîtreFrance
1987
17 Reasons WhyNathaniel DorskyUnited States
AlayaNathaniel DorskyUnited States
All Our Secrets are Contained in an ImageBreda Beban, Hrvoje HorvatićYugoslavia
The Black TowerJohn SmithUnited Kingdom
Cruel Illness of MenIgor AleinikovSoviet Union
The Cure for InsomniaJohn Henry Timmis IVUnited States
The Dante QuartetStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of The Dante Quartet
The DeadmanPeggy Ahwesh, Keith SanbornUnited States
DreamDmitrii FrolovSoviet Union
Faustfilm: An Opera: Part IStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of the Faustfilm Project
From the Archives of Modern ArtEleanor AntinUnited States
How to Shoot a CrimeChris Kraus, Sylvère LotringerUnited States
KindgeringStan BrakhageUnited States
The Last of EnglandDerek JarmanTilda Swinton, Spencer Leigh, Spring (Mark Adley)United Kingdom[14]
Loud Visual NoisesStan BrakhageUnited States
Morning PatrolNikos NikolaidisMichele Valley, Takis Spiridakis, Liana HatziGreece
The Revolutionary SketchGleb Aleinikov, Igor AleinikovSoviet Union
TraktoraGleb Aleinikov, Igor AleinikovSoviet Union
1988
AliceJan ŠvankmajerKristina KohoutovaSwitzerland
Czechoslovakia
[15]
Degrees of BlindnessCerith Wyn EvansUnited Kingdom
Faust 3: Candida AlbacoreStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of the Faustfilm Project
Faust's Other: An IdyllStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of the Faustfilm Project
I... DreamingStan BrakhageUnited States
The Limits of VisionClio BarnardUnited Kingdom
Marilyn's WindowStan BrakhageUnited States
MatinsStan BrakhageUnited States
Measures of DistanceMona HatounUnited Kingdom
PowaqqatsiGodfrey ReggioUnited States[16]
Rage NetStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of the Three Hand-Painted Films
Virile GamesJan ŠvankmajerCzechoslovakia
1989
Babylon Series #1Stan BrakhageUnited States
BegottenE. Elias MerhigeBrian Salzberg, Donna Dempsey, Stephen Charles BarryUnited StatesExperimental horror
ClowneryDmitrii FrolovDmitri Shibanov, Dmitri Frolov, Natalya Sourkova, Alexey Zaharov, Viktoriya Zlotnikova, Mark Nahamkin, Yevgeniy Suhonenkov, Alexey Frolov, Alexandr Kostin, Yakov Shmayev, Vyacheslav GridinSoviet Union
The CloudsPatrick KeillerUnited Kingdom
Ecce HomoJerry TartagliaUnited States
Faust 4Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of the Faustfilm Project
Looking for LangstonIsaac JulienUnited Kingdom
MarquisHenri XhonneuxFrancois Marthouret, Valerie Kling, Michel RobinBelgium
France
[17]
Santa SangreAlejandro JodorowskyAxel Jodorowsky, Blanca Guerra, Sabrina DennisonItaly
Mexico
[18]
Tabula RasaPeter TscherkasskyAustria
Shinya TsukamotoTomoroh Taguchi, Kei Fujiwara, Shinya TsukamotoJapan[19]
Visions in Meditation #1Stan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of the Visions in Meditation Cycle
Visions in Meditation #2: Mesa VerdeStan BrakhageUnited StatesPart of the Visions in Meditation Cycle
The WindowJulius ZizSoviet Union

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Possession. German, Yuri. June 30, 2011. Allrovi. https://web.archive.org/web/20110616221409/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/possession-v38826. June 16, 2011. dead.
  2. Web site: The Angel. Allmovie. All Media Guide. 16 August 2015.
  3. Web site: Macbeth (1982). AllMovie. 6 January 2017.
  4. Web site: Koyaanisqatsi. LeVasseur, Andrea. June 30, 2011. Allrovi. https://web.archive.org/web/20111012204559/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/koyaanisqatsi-v27685. October 12, 2011. dead.
  5. Web site: Les Trois Couronnes du Matelot. Blaise, Judd. June 30, 2011. Allrovi. https://web.archive.org/web/20110616221335/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/les-trois-couronnes-du-matelot-v113507. June 16, 2011. dead.
  6. Web site: La Belle captive. Voorhees, John. July 6, 2011. Allrovi. https://web.archive.org/web/20111014223349/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/la-belle-captive-v84609. October 14, 2011. dead.
  7. Web site: First Name: Carmen. Schwartz, Louis. July 6, 2011. Allrovi. https://web.archive.org/web/20110601073940/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/first-name-carmen-v17499. June 1, 2011. dead.
  8. Web site: The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer. LeVasseur, Andrea. July 6, 2011. Allrovi. https://archive.today/20120723111450/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/the-cabinet-of-jan-svankmajer-v202071. July 23, 2012. dead.
  9. Web site: Les Favoris de la Lune. Erickson, Hal. June 30, 2011. Allrovi. https://web.archive.org/web/20110616215144/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/les-favoris-de-la-lune-v118379. June 16, 2011. dead.
  10. Web site: Hail Mary. Schwartz, Louis. July 5, 2011. Allrovi. https://web.archive.org/web/20110601071714/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/hail-mary-v21269. June 1, 2011. dead.
  11. Web site: A Zed & Two Noughts. Voorhees, John. June 30, 2011. Allrovi. https://web.archive.org/web/20110616214930/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/a-zed--two-noughts-v56129. June 16, 2011. dead.
  12. Book: Nidhiyude Katha. William Verrone. January 19, 2013. Allrovi. 8 November 2011. McFarland . 9780786488810.
  13. Web site: Street of Crocodiles. Cooper, Tracie. July 6, 2011. Allrovi. https://archive.today/20130116135525/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/street-of-crocodiles-v202031. January 16, 2013. dead.
  14. Web site: The Last of England. Erickson, Hal. July 6, 2011. Allrovi. https://archive.today/20120719063753/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/the-last-of-england-v28414. July 19, 2012. dead.
  15. Web site: Alice. Tobey, Matthew. June 30, 2011. Allrovi. https://web.archive.org/web/20110524115253/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/alice-v141470. May 24, 2011. dead.
  16. Web site: Powaqqatsi. Erickson, Hal. July 6, 2011. Allrovi. https://web.archive.org/web/20120112090024/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/powaqqatsi-v38878. January 12, 2012. dead.
  17. Web site: Marquis. Brennan, Sandra. July 6, 2011. Allrovi. https://web.archive.org/web/20111113133805/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/marquis-v31539. November 13, 2011. dead.
  18. Web site: Santa Sangre. Voorhees, John. June 30, 2011. Allrovi. https://web.archive.org/web/20111004123326/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/santa-sangre-v42848. October 4, 2011. dead.
  19. Web site: Tetsuo: The Iron Man. Blaise, Judd. July 5, 2011. Allrovi. https://web.archive.org/web/20110613062039/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/tetsuo-the-iron-man-v49187. June 13, 2011. dead.