Ritual In Transfigured Time
''Ritual in Transfigured Time'' is a 1946 American experimental silent short film directed by Maya Deren. Like Deren's previous work, ''A Study in Choreography for Camera'' (1945), she explores the use of dance on film through the lens of commentary of societal norms, metamorphosis, and anthropomorphism. The film is notable for its disjointed storytelling and use of slow motion, freeze framing, and unique blend of stage dance and film. Deren became known for her affinity for dance in other subsequent films such as ''Meditation on Violence'', ''Ensemble for Somnambulists'', and '' Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti''. Elinor Cleghorn writes: "While she never undertook formal training, she identified as a dancer; but rather than pursuing a career as a performer she made her fascination with dance as cultural expression the focus of her progression as a writer and researcher." Plot Maya Deren's character sits in a room with string wrapped around her hands in a manner reminis ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Maya Deren
Maya Deren (born Eleonora Derenkowska, uk, Елеоно́ра Деренко́вська, links=no; Запись о рождении в метрической книге Киевского раввината за 1917 год // ЦГИАК Украины. Ф. 1164. Оп. 1. Д. 161 (517 — по старой нумерации). Л. 73об–74. ''(russian)'' – October 13, 1961) was a Ukrainian-born American [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Slow Motion
Slow motion (commonly abbreviated as slo-mo or slow-mo) is an effect in film-making whereby time appears to be slowed down. It was invented by the Austrian priest August Musger in the early 20th century. This can be accomplished through the use of high-speed cameras and then playing the footage produced by such cameras at a normal rate like 30 fps, or in post production through the use of software. Typically this style is achieved when each film frame is captured at a rate much faster than it will be played back. When replayed at normal speed, time appears to be moving more slowly. A term for creating slow motion film is overcranking which refers to hand cranking an early camera at a faster rate than normal (i.e. faster than 24 frames per second). Slow motion can also be achieved by playing normally recorded footage at a slower speed. This technique is more often applied to video subjected to instant replay than to film. A third technique uses computer software post-processin ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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1940s Avant-garde And Experimental Films
Year 194 ( CXCIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Septimius and Septimius (or, less frequently, year 947 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 194 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years. Events By place Roman Empire * Emperor Septimius Severus and Decimus Clodius Septimius Albinus Caesar become Roman Consuls. * Battle of Issus: Septimius Severus marches with his army (12 legions) to Cilicia, and defeats Pescennius Niger, Roman governor of Syria. Pescennius retreats to Antioch, and is executed by Severus' troops. * Septimius Severus besieges Byzantium (194–196); the city walls suffer extensive damage. Asia * Battle of Yan Province: Warlords Cao Cao and Lü Bu fight for control over Yan Province; the battle lasts for over 100 d ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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AllMovie
AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was founded by popular-culture archivist Michael Erlewine, who also founded AllMusic and AllGame. The AllMovie database was licensed to tens of thousands of distributors and retailers for point-of-sale systems, websites and kiosks. The AllMovie database is comprehensive, including basic product information, cast and production credits, plot synopsis, professional reviews, biographies, relational links and more. AllMovie data was accessed on the web at the AllMovie website. It was also available via the AMG LASSO media recognition service, which can automatically recognize DVDs. In late 2007, TiVo Corporation acquired AMG for a reported $72 million. The AMG consumer facing web properties AllMusic.com, AllMovie.com and AllGame.com were sold by Rovi in Augus ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Cat's Cradle
Cat's cradle is a game involving the creation of various string figures between the fingers, either individually or by passing a loop of string back and forth between two or more players. The true origin of the name is debated, though the first known reference is in ''The light of nature pursued'' by Abraham Tucker in 1768. The type of string, the specific figures, their order, and the names of the figures vary. Independent versions of this game have been found in indigenous cultures throughout the world, including in Africa, Eastern Asia, the Pacific Islands, Australia, the Americas, and the Arctic. Play The simplest version of the game involves a player using a long string loop to make a complex figure using their fingers and hands. Another version of the game consists of two or more players making a sequence of string figures, each altering the figure made by the previous player. The game begins with one player making the eponymous figure ''Cat's Cradle'' (above). ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Living Gods Of Haiti
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the most frequently used word in the English language; studies and analyses of texts have found it to account for seven percent of all printed English-language words. It is derived from gendered articles in Old English which combined in Middle English and now has a single form used with nouns of any gender. The word can be used with both singular and plural nouns, and with a noun that starts with any letter. This is different from many other languages, which have different forms of the definite article for different genders or numbers. Pronunciation In most dialects, "the" is pronounced as (with the voiced dental fricative followed by a schwa) when followed by a consonant sound, and as (homophone of the archaic pro ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ensemble For Somnambulists
''Ensemble for Somnambulists'' is a 1951 American unfinished experimental silent short. It was written, produced, and directed by Maya Deren. The film was made while Deren was teaching a workshop at the Toronto Film Society. Along with Deren the film was produced by M. Armour and D. Burritt and had cinematography by Graeme Ferguson and Bruce Parsons. The film stars Frank Ionson, Brian Macdonald, Hannah Winner, Cynthia Barrett and Terry Chapman. The film was never completed and is officially unpublished, but it has been restored and occasionally screens along with Deren's other films. It is sort of a preliminary sketch for her next film ''The Very Eye of Night ''The Very Eye of Night'' is 1955 American experimental silent short film written and directed by Maya Deren, and her last completed film. Made in collaboration with Metropolitan Opera Ballet School, the film was shot in black-and-white in the 16 ...''. Cast * Cynthia Barrett as Female Dancer * Terry Chapman as Ensemble Da ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Meditation On Violence
''Meditation on Violence'' is a 1948 American 16 mm black and white experimental short film directed by Maya Deren. It explores in playing out the movements and performance of the Wu-tang ritual. It also obscures the distinction between violence and beauty. The film stars Chao-Li Chi and music by Teiji Ito. Cast * Chao-Li Chi Chao-Li Chi (; April 5, 1927 – October 16, 2010) was a Chinese-born American actor and dancer who worked extensively in American television, including his best known role as Chao-Li, the faithful majordomo and chauffeur of Jane Wyman's charac ... - Himself References External links * * * {{Authority control 1948 short films 1948 films Experimental film American silent short films Films directed by Maya Deren 1940s American films ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Freeze-frame Shot
In film and video, a freeze frame is when a single frame of content shows repeatedly on the screen—"freezing" the action. This can be done in the content itself, by printing (on film) or recording (on video) multiple copies of the same source frame. This produces a static shot that resembles a still photograph. ''Freeze frame'' is a term in live stage performance, for a technique in which actors freeze at a particular point to enhance a scene or show an important moment in production. Spoken word may enhance the effect, with a narrator or one or more characters telling their personal thoughts regarding the situation. Examples Film *The first known freeze frame was in director Alfred Hitchcock's 1928 film ''Champagne''. *An early use of the freeze frame in classic Hollywood cinema was Frank Capra's 1946 Christmas film ''It's A Wonderful Life'' where the first appearance of the adult George Bailey (played by James Stewart) on-screen is shown as a freeze frame. *A memorable fre ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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A Study In Choreography For Camera
''A Study in Choreography for Camera'' is a 1945 American experimental silent short film directed by Maya Deren. Shot in black-and-white, the film stars Talley Beatty. Cast * Talley Beatty Talley Beatty (22 December 1918 – 29 April 1995) was born in Cedar Grove, Louisiana, a section of Shreveport, but grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He is considered one of the greatest of African American choreographers, and also bears the titles danc ... References External links * * 1945 films 1945 short films American black-and-white films Films directed by Maya Deren {{short-silent-film-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rita Christiani
Rita Christiani (1917-2008) was a Trinidad-born American dancer who appeared in American films during the 1940s. Biography Christiani was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad on December 22, 1917. She danced and toured with the Katherine Dunham Company in the early 1940s. In the course of touring, Christiani met the independent avant-garde filmmaker, Maya Deren, and was given a role in Deren’s film '' Ritual in Transfigured Time'' (1946). Deren was the main character in the film and Christiani danced the role of Deren’s alter ego, their images interchanging in black and white counterpoint to the dancer Frank Westbrook. Anaïs Nin was also in the film. Footage of Christiani from this film was included in the documentary '' In the Mirror of Maya Deren'' (2002) by Martina Kudlacek. Christiani and Deren became close friends, sharing the bond of being uprooted from their native lands as children and coming to America. Her other film appearances include '' The Black Swan'' (194 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Short Film
A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits". In the United States, short films were generally termed short subjects from the 1920s into the 1970s when confined to two 35 mm reels or less, and featurettes for a film of three or four reels. "Short" was an abbreviation for either term. The increasingly rare industry term "short subject" carries more of an assumption that the film is shown as part of a presentation along with a feature film. Short films are often screened at local, national, or international film festivals and made by independent filmmakers with either a low budget or no budget at all. They are usually funded by film grants, nonprofit organizations, sponsor, or personal funds. Short films are generally used for industry experience and ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |