Program Notes
Download program notes from our film screenings and events. These booklets provide information about the films and filmmakers, historical background, and usually a bibliography or recommended reading list. Many of these archival copies also include a color reproduction of the event’s poster art.
Booklets are listed in reverse chronological order (from newest to oldest). All are in PDF format.
- Ex-Hippies and Smartasses: Underground Comedy Shorts from the 1960s and ‘70s April 4, 2023 | Grand Illusion Cinema4 pages. Includes biographical information about the filmmakers.
- Jon Behrens Memorial Screening Produced by the Interbay Cinema Society
October 9, 2022 | Northwest Film Forum11 pages, illustrated. Filmmaker’s bio, films shown (with the filmmaker’s descriptions), filmography, lists of home video and music releases, and remembrances by collaborators, friends, and colleagues. - Spring 2021 AMIA Archival Screening Night Roadshow Edition November 18, 2021 | Grand Illusion Cinema8 pages. Details about each film shown, as well as original format and the originating archive.
- Talking Pictures: Origins of Sound Cinema 1913–1929 August 21, 2018 | Grand Illusion Cinema12 pages, illustrated. Production histories, technical information, and key credits for each film shown; filmmaker info; photographs of early equipment and systems; extensive bibliography; and annotated list of select home video recommendations.
- Film Dada: Cinema of the Bearded Heart (second version)
January 26, 2018 | Base: Experimental Arts + Space (Seattle)
January 27, 2018 | The Church House (Bellingham, WA)20 pages. Profiles of each film, extensive filmmakers’ quotes, production histories, and rare info about the original musical accompaniments. Also overviews of the Dada movement and its cinema, bios of the shows’ live accompanists, annotated bibliography, and lists of home video and audio recordings. - Hans Richter’s Dreams That Money Can Buy (1948) December 11, 2014 | Northwest Film Forum7 pages, plus poster art. Creator credits for each segment, exhibition history, lengthy production reminiscence by Hans Richter. Also lengthy quotes by Douglas Crockwell (maker of Glens Falls Sequence, also shown). Annotated bibliography, index of press coverage, and related home video releases.
- Silent Magic: Trick Films and Special Effects, 1895-1912 (expanded edition)
May 20, 2014 | Northwest Film Forum15 pages, plus poster art. Detailed profiles for each film shown, with production histories, filmmakers bios, and credits. Also introductory articles on trick films and fairy plays. Annotated bibliography, including home video releases. - Witchcraft Through the Ages (1922/1968) October 31, 2013 | Grand Illusion Cinema2 pages, plus poster art. Production history of the original 1922 film (including credits and premiere dates), background about Antony Balch and his 1968 revision, preservation history, short annotated bibliography. Also, info about the shorts included in the program.
- Silent Magic: Trick Films and Special Effects, 1895-1912 October 20, 2013 | Alamo Drafthouse Ritz (Austin, TX)10 pages. Detailed profiles for each film shown, with production histories, filmmakers bios, and credits. Annotated bibliography, including home video releases.
- First Stories: Early Film Narratives, 1901-1913 September 16, 2013 | Northwest Film Forum2 pages, plus poster art. Cast, crew, and premiere date info for each film shown. Annotated bibliography.
- Funny Business: Silent Comedies and Cartoons May 14, 2013 | Grand Illusion Cinema13 pages, illustrated, plus poster art. Detailed profiles of each film shown: release dates, cast and crew, capsule summaries, production histories, filmmaker bios, and annotated listings of related resources (books, articles, websites, home video). Also an annotated general bibliography.
- Pioneers of the Avant Garde January 24, 2013 | Grand Illusion Cinema2 pages, plus poster art. Capsule info about each film show and the music selected as accompaniment. Brief bibliography.
- Experimental Memoria III: Adolfas Mekas May 23, 2012 | Northwest Film Forum16 pages, illustrated, plus poster art. Extensive background about Hallelujah the Hills: cast and crew, key dates and awards, filmmaker’s quotes, and a critical essay. Filmmaker’s bio, interview excerpts, filmography, remembrances by friends and colleagues, annotated bibliographies for Mekas and the New American Cinema movement. Also, “The First Statement of the New American Cinema Group” (1962).
- Impaired: Movies Under the Influence, 1908-1978 April 27, 2012 | Grand Illusion Cinema10 pages, plus poster art. Detailed profiles of each film shown: capsule summaries, production histories, filmmaker bios, background on music used, cast and crew. Annotated bibliography and home video recommendations.
- Experimental Memoria II: Robert Breer April 18, 2012 | Northwest Film Forum15 pages, plus poster art. Profiles of each film shown: capsule summaries and credits; quotes from the filmmaker, reviews, catalogs, and program notes; awards won. Filmmaker bio, film preservation and distribution info, misc. quotes, and Breer’s “A Statement” (1959). Annotated bibliography, home video and streaming recommendations.
- Experimental Memoria I: George Kuchar March 20, 2012 | Northwest Film Forum14 pages, illustrated, plus poster art. Detailed profiles of the films shown, The Devil’s Cleavage (1973) and Hold Me While I’m Naked (1966). George’s life and work as told in his own words through several articles, book excerpts, interview excerpts and quips, including “George Kuchar’s Parting Message to the People of the Future.” Honors and film preservation status. List of selected writings and comic books by Kuchar, annotated bibliography, home video and documentary recommendations.
- First Light: The Birth of Cinema, 1894–1901 November 16, 2011 | Northwest Film Forum11 pages, illustrated, plus poster art. Profiles of each film and anthology shown, including original catalog descriptions (when available), key personnel, precise production dates and locations (when known), historical background. Annotated bibliography and home video recommendations.
- D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance (1916) October 25, 2011 | Northwest Film Forum8 pages, illustrated, plus poster art. Front cover is a reproduction of the original 1916 souvenir program. Detailed history of the film’s origin, production, public reception, and alternate edits. Cast and crew, production and premiere dates. Annotated bibliography.
- Visions: Animation and Abstraction. Experimental Masterpieces, 1908–1994 August 10, 2011| Northwest Film Forum24 pages, illustrated, plus poster art. Detailed profiles for each film shown: stills, filmmaker statements and interview excerpts, critics’ reviews and essays, artist bios, annotated lists of related resources (books, articles, home video, websites).
- Funny Stuff: Silent Comedies and Cartoons July 16, 2011 | Grand Illusion Cinema10 pages, illustrated, plus poster art. Profiles of each film shown, with capsule summaries, production histories, filmmaker bios, critical praise, and production credits. Annotated bibliography and home video recommendations.
- The Heart of Life: Robert Enrico’s trilogy of Ambrose Bierce Films May 8, 2011 | Grand Illusion Cinema2 pages, plus poster art. Cast, crew, and production credits; awards won; alternate versions.
- Michael Snow’s Wavelength (1967) February 9, 2011 | Northwest Film Forum7 pages, plus poster art. Filmmaker’s statements, credits, awards won, critics’ quotes. A lengthy 1967 interview with Snow about Wavelength, by Jonas Mekas and P. Adams Sitney. 1993 interview excerpt discussing Breakfast (Table-Top Dolly). Biography, partial filmmography, select bibliography.
- Breakaway: Films by Bruce Conner 1958–2006 November 11, 2010 | Northwest Film Forum12 pages, illustrated, plus poster art. Profiles of each film shown: capsule descriptions; quotes and discussion drawn from interviews and writing by the filmmaker, collaborators, historians, and critics; credits and first screening dates. Filmmaker biography, select quotes from interviews. Bibliography and catalog of home video releases (all tragically out of print).
- First Words: The Birth of Sound Cinema, 1895–1929 September 23, 2010 | Northwest Film Forum10 pages, illustrated, plus poster art. Brief descriptions of each film, sound process used, production credits. Extensive annotated bibliography and home video recommendations.
- Stan Brakhage’s Dog Star Man (1961–1964) August 4, 2010 | Northwest Film Forum10 pages, illustrated, plus poster art. Annotations for each section of the film, by Brakhage and P. Adams Sitney. Writings about the film from the MOMA Circulating Film Catalog and by Marilyn Brakhage. “Stan Brakhage on Dog Star Man,” condensed from interviews with the filmmaker. Excerpts from an interview with Brakhage by Pauline Kael. Filmmaker’s biography. Also, profile of the short Legendary Epics Yarns and Fables. Part 2: Stan Brakhage (also shown) and filmmaker Stephen Gebhardt. Bibliography of books and writings by and about Stan Brakhage.
- Sixties Synaesthetics April 14, 2010 | Northwest Film Forum
Part of the series Visual Music, Sensory Cinema 1920s–1970s9 pages, plus poster art. Profiles of each film shown, with filmmakers’ statements, excerpts from articles and books, bios and background, and production credits. - Focal Points: Documentary Shorts from 1969 October 14, 2009 | Northwest Film Forum7 pages, plus poster art. Descriptions and profiles of each film, with artist statements, excerpts from catalog and writings, bios, historical background, and awards won.
- Heavy Visuals ‘69: Electronic Cinema and Experimental Film September 23, 2009 | Northwest Film Forum7 pages, plus poster art. Profiles of each film and its maker, drawing from interview quotes, article and book excerpts, catalog information, and original research. Production credits and home video sources (if any) are given. Includes a bibliography.
- Georges Melies: Impossible Voyager May 15, 2008 | Northwest Film Forum15 pages, illustrated. Plot summaries for each film (some quoted from the original Star Films catalogs), plus original notes about their production history and background. An article detailing the tumultuous history of the near-total loss, re-discovery, and preservation of Melies’ films. Capsule bios of the musicians whose music was used for the program. Stills from each film, plus behind-the-scenes photos of production and facilities at Melies’ studio. Annotated bibliography and list of related films and home video.
- Search and Rescue: Sound Found March 4, 2008 | Northwest Film Forum2 pages, illustrated. Film credits, reproductions of original promotional art.