Alexander Hammid, 1908-2004

August 8, 2004 6:00 PM

Filmmaker Alexander Hammid died earlier this week at the age of 96. By far one of the most prolific and eclectic underground filmmakers, his filmography included marital industrial films, home movies of his cats, and work as an editor on Gian Carlo Menotti's filmed opera The Medium. However, he is best known as the first husband of iconclastic director and actress Maya Deren.
posted by pxe2000 (3 comments total)

Thanks for the post. I'd never heard of Alexander Hammid, but have seen Maya Deren's "Divine Horsemen," an amazing and mesmerizing documentary on voodoo in Haiti.

I knew she was connected with Joseph Campbell, the mythologist who urged her to write her same-titled book on voodoo, but didn't know she had a husband who also had a fascinating life in the avant garde, and contributed greatly to some of her films. Good post.
posted by F4B2 at 10:48 PM on August 8, 2004

thanks for the post and links
(exactly what i needed right now in what i'm working on)
another one for the obitublogs
i wonder if there is a listing of the rash of notable deaths this year, esp. in the arts. every time i turn around--
and now it's not just the rick james of the world.
posted by ethylene at 11:51 AM on August 9, 2004

Like F4B2 I was aware of Maya Deren and her work but not of Hammid and his. Thanks for the post.
posted by arse_hat at 8:48 PM on August 9, 2004