The Rock and Roll Picture Show

Since the release of Kenneth Anger's Scorpio Rising in 1963, rock music has been an important influence on many of the key avant- garde filmmakers of our age.

By marrying preexisting songs with radical experiments in imagery or narrative without subordinating the importance of either element, these artists of the moving image were able to travel far beyond traditional notions of the promotional music video. Tonight's program includes images by Anger, Thom Andersen, Lewis Klahr, and Warren Sonbert, as well as music by Elvis Presley, Lightning Bolt, Led Zeppelin, Pumice, The Shirelles, Rhys Chatham, and others. (app. 90 mins., 35mm, 16mm, video)

Keep reading for the full program, listed in alphabetical order. The screening may also contain an unannounced surprise or two. --- ------- [aka Short Line, Long Line]
(Thom Andersen and Malcolm Brodwick, 1966-67)
11 mins., 16mm A documentary about rock'n'roll. Making, buying, selling. Radio, jukebox, scoptione, pinball, poolhall. Canned Heat, City Lights, Seeds of Time, LA Tymes. Llyn Foulkes, Charlie Watts, Chris & Craig, Duke of Earl. Seeburg, Wurlitzer. Standing, walking, jumping, singing, dancing, gesturing, surfing. LAPD, LA Country Sheriffs Dept., The Trip, The Lynch Bldg.. Top's, Pandora's Box, Maverick's Flat, someone's backyard. California Music Co. Riot in cell block number nine, riot on sunset strip. Hot rod, coin slot, go cart, bomp club. Hound Dog Man, King Creole. Kim Watson, The Rainbows, The Shangri-Las, The Supremes, Earl-Jean. Stupid Girl, 19th nervous breakdown. Bill Haley and the Comets: you can get no further back than that. Wolfman Jack, Ernie Bushmiller, Jimmy Reed, Ray Charles, The Who, The Coasters. Great balls of fire. Standing at the crossroads of love. Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, John Cale, Screamin Jay Hawkins, Howlin Wolf, James Brown -The King. You cant catch me. Frankie Avalon, The Beatles, The Yardbirds. Wax reclamation, an early clue to the new direction. Mick Jagger/Earth Angel. Black and White Trypps Number Three
(Ben Russell, 2007) 12 mins., 35mm Music by Lightning Bolt and Joseph Grimm. Friendly Witness
(Warren Sonbert, 1989) 22 mins., 16mm Music includes Del Shannon, The Shirelles, The Marvellettes, and Gluck. Scorpio Rising
(Kenneth Anger, 1963) 30 mins. Music includes Ricky Nelson, The Angels, Bobby Vinton, Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, and Martha Reeves & the Vandellas. The Stairway at St. Paul�s
(Jeroen Offerman, 2003) 8 mins., miniDV Music by Led Zeppelin. Tulipa
(Karo Goldt, 2008) 3 mins., beta SP Music by Pumice. Two Hours to Zero
(Lewis Klahr, 2004) 9 mins., 16mm Music by Rhys Chatham.