Ornette: Made in America

Shirley Clarke's frenetic documentary about multi-talented musician Ornette Coleman.

Brussels Loops

A collection of twenty short films, averaging 2-3 minutes, by various filmmakers depicting American life, intended to be shown in a continuous loop at the American Pavilion of the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. Some releases of the film include ten extra minutes of rough cuts.

Dance in the Sun

Choreographer Daniel Nagrin performs in a studio and in the sun.

Skyscraper

Nominated for an Academy Award, this live-action short film playfully chronicles the construction of the Tishman Building at 666 Fifth Avenue in New York City.

Robert Frost: A Lover's Quarrel with the World

The acclaimed poet is examined in this film completed just prior to his death at age 88, with his speaking engagements at Amherst and Sarah Lawrence Colleges intercut with studies of his work, as well as with scenes of his life in rural Vermont and personal reminiscences about his career. He is also seen receiving an award from President Kennedy and touring an aircraft carrier. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in partnership with UCLA Film & Television Archive in 2006.

Four Journeys Into Mystic Time: One Two Three

An abstract work featuring three dancers, the performers interact with large screens as well as each other. Included in Shirley Clarke’s Four Journeys Into Mystic Time, costuming and color play an integral role in this piece.

Bridges-Go-Round 1

New York City's various bridges transform into an urban jungle (jazz version) or an alien landscape (electro-acoustic version).

In Paris Parks

This short film displays the dynamic movement of people as they enter and exit parks in Paris.

Tongues

A performance piece written by Sam Shepard, enacted by Joseph Chaikin and directed by Shirley Clarke, a dying man reflects on his life while delivering his own last rites.

Savage/Love

A prelude to Tongues (1982) which languishes over love and its effect on people.

Bullfight

Anna Sokolow’s choreographed reinterpretation of a bullfight. Sokolow plays the matador, an audience member, and the doomed animal.

Four Journeys Into Mystic Time: Trans

Part of the larger filmic Four Journeys Into Mystic Time, in this work director Shirley Clarke makes use of a dancer’s body not only as the primary performer, but also as a canvas on which to paint projected images. Further enhanced by editing and effective use of shadows, the film is a transformative experience.

Decroux Film

In 1953, Shirley Clarke went to make a film about French mime Ettiene Decroux. The legend goes that he had left town and instead, she created In Paris Parks. Not known, is that in 1955, Clarke tried a second time to make a film about Decroux. This is the unfinished workprint.

Home Movies #20: Dance Tests

Home Movies #20: Dance Tests dates from 1953 and shows Shirley Clarke working on her film technique before she shot her first "official" film later that year--'Dance in the Sun' starring the dancer Daniel Nagrin.