Ich bin im Tod erblüht

February 3, 2008 3:18 PM

What happens in the shadow, in the grey regions, also interests us – all that is elusive and fugitive, all that can be said in those beautiful half tones, or in whispers, in deep shade.

Here are some short films by Stephen and Timothy, the Brothers Quay.

The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer, 1984.
Street of Crocodiles (and part 2), 1986.
Dramolet (Stille Nacht 1), 1988.
Rehearsals for Extinct Anatomies, 1988.
De Artificiali Perspectiva, or Anamorphosis, 1991.
Stille Nacht II: Are We Still Married?, a 1991 music video for His Name Is Alive.
Stille Nacht III: Tales From Vienna Woods, 1992.
Stille Nacht IV: Can't Go Wrong Without You, 1993. Another His Name Is Alive collaboration.

Helpful explications for the films can be found here.

posted by Iridic (13 comments total)

I've always loved the His Name Is Alive collaborations. Uber-creepy.
posted by Bookhouse at 3:27 PM on February 3

Wow, thanks! I was just poking around for Bros. Quay videos yesterday and didn't turn up any of these.
posted by moonmilk at 3:30 PM on February 3

Man, if someone could dig up a hi-res video of Michael Penn's Long Way Down, I would be eternally grateful.
posted by billysumday at 4:13 PM on February 3

They do indeed love their deep shade. Thanks for the post.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:40 PM on February 3

They were part of a panel discussion (about themselves) here about a year ago. I was really impressed with how down to earth and self-deprecating they were. Two really interesting guys.

Could this be what "Tales from Vienna Woods" is about?
posted by deafmute at 4:57 PM on February 3

Thanks for posting these, even though I already have all these on the old Kino DVD. Anyone pick up the new 2-DVD set? Work trading up to?
posted by jtron at 5:29 PM on February 3

Blatantly ripped off (to rather great effect) by Fred Stuhr and Adam Jones, in all those Tool videos.
posted by Sys Rq at 5:30 PM on February 3

Worth. Worth trading up to.
posted by jtron at 5:30 PM on February 3

Jtron --

I have the new set, but I don't have the Kino one to compare it to. There's actually more Quay on the discs than I can handle, so if you're a big fan, trade up.
posted by Bookhouse at 6:39 PM on February 3

I didn't even see this FPP when I was referencing Svankmajer in another FPP's thread. Weird. Thanks for this post.
posted by not_on_display at 7:48 PM on February 3

(I'll try to ignore the increasingly annoying Wikipedia link.)

The Brothers Quay; Franz Kafka; Max Ernst; Luis Bunuel.

These people (along with Monk, Trane, and Sun Ra) made the bloodily depressing Twentieth Century worth living through.

We could all add a few dozen other artists. But don't get me started.

Revolution now.
posted by kozad at 9:30 PM on February 3

OMG OMG OMG! I just noticed that In Absentia is on that 2 disc set!

If you EVER get a chance to see this Stockhausen/Brothers Quay collaboration in a theater (especially one with good sound), do not pass it up. Of all the 20-minute periods of your life, it's destined to be one of the most harrowing, beautiful, and transcendent.
posted by treepour at 7:26 PM on February 4

Thank you so much for these links! The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer was one of my favorite films in high school, and I haven't seen it in years.
posted by OverlappingElvis at 7:33 AM on February 6