Eyewash

Faster than a speeding bullet, the inspired animations of artist Robert Breer exist in a category all their own. Simultaneously playful and formal, autobiographical and abstract, Breer’s films fly off the screen; moving images indeed. His radical approach, dazzling imagery, and all-around ingenuity shine brighter than ever in Anthology Film Archives’ brand-new 35mm blow-ups of twelve of his classic short films. You may have seen Breer’s films before, but you’ve never experienced them with this much clarity or detail. These prints are proof positive that Breer is one of the true masters of experimental cinema.

Recreation (1956, 1.5 mins). A Man and His Dog Out for Air (1957, 2 mins). Jamestown Balloos (1957, 6 mins, Silent, B&W/Color). Eyewash (1959, 3 mins, Silent). Eyewash (Alternative Version) (1959, 3 mins, Silent). Blazes (1961, 3 mins). Fistfight (1964, 10 mins). 66 (1966, 5.5 mins). 69 (1969, 4.5 mins). 70 (1970, 5 mins, Silent). 77 (1977, 6.5 mins). Fuji (1974, 9 mins). Swiss Army Knife with Rats and Pigeons (1981, 6.5 mins). Bang! (1986, 10 mins).

—Andrew Lampert, Program Curator

• (Total running time: 75.5 mins, Color unless otherwise indicated, 16mm transferred to 35mm, From Anthology Film Archives. The films in this program were preserved by Anthology with the generous support of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.)