Cinema 16
Encyclopedia
Cinema 16 was a New York city
based film society
founded by Amos Vogel
. From 1947 until 1963, he and his wife Marcia ran the most successful and influential membership film society in North American history, at its height boasting 7000 members.
Vogel was inspired by Maya Deren
's independent exhibitions. Deren exhibited and presented lectures on her films across the United States, Cuba and Canada. In 1946, she booked the Provincetown Playhouse in Greenwich Village
for a public exhibition. Deren titled the exhibition: Three Abandoned Films – a showing of Meshes of the Afternoon
, At Land
, and A Study in Choreography for the Camera. Deren took the word 'abandoned' to refer to Guillaume Apollinaire
's observation that a work of art is never completed, just abandoned. Whilst the title was ironic, the exhibition was successful.
The fare shown at Cinema 16 consisted mostly of the experimental film
that began flourishing after World War II
, as well as nonfiction films (not only documentaries, but educational films). In that, it differed even from the narrative-oriented art cinemas that appeared in the postwar years. Cinema 16 closed in 1963, after 17 years in operation, run by Amos Vogel and his wife Marcia.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
based film society
Film society
A film society is a membership club where people can watch screenings of films which would otherwise not be shown in mainstream cinemas. In Spain they are known as "Cineclubs," and in Germany they are known as "Filmclubs"....
founded by Amos Vogel
Amos Vogel
Amos Vogel was one of the most influential cineasts in New York. He is best known for his bestselling book Film as a Subversive Art and as the founder of the New York City avantgarde ciné-club Cinema 16 , where he was the first programmer to present films by Roman Polanski, John Cassavetes,...
. From 1947 until 1963, he and his wife Marcia ran the most successful and influential membership film society in North American history, at its height boasting 7000 members.
Vogel was inspired by Maya Deren
Maya Deren
Maya Deren , born Eleanora Derenkowsky, was an American avant-garde filmmaker and film theorist of the 1940s and 1950s...
's independent exhibitions. Deren exhibited and presented lectures on her films across the United States, Cuba and Canada. In 1946, she booked the Provincetown Playhouse in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
for a public exhibition. Deren titled the exhibition: Three Abandoned Films – a showing of Meshes of the Afternoon
Meshes of the Afternoon
Meshes of the Afternoon is a short experimental film directed by wife and husband team, Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid. The film's narrative is circular, and repeats a number of psychologically symbolic images, including a flower on a long driveway, a key falling, a door unlocked, a knife in a...
, At Land
At Land
At Land is a 15-minute silent experimental film written, directed by, and starring Maya Deren. It has a dream-like narrative in which a woman, played by Deren, is washed up on a beach and goes on a strange journey encountering other people and other versions of herself...
, and A Study in Choreography for the Camera. Deren took the word 'abandoned' to refer to Guillaume Apollinaire
Guillaume Apollinaire
Wilhelm Albert Włodzimierz Apolinary Kostrowicki, known as Guillaume Apollinaire was a French poet, playwright, short story writer, novelist, and art critic born in Italy to a Polish mother....
's observation that a work of art is never completed, just abandoned. Whilst the title was ironic, the exhibition was successful.
The fare shown at Cinema 16 consisted mostly of the experimental film
Experimental film
Experimental film or experimental cinema is a type of cinema. Experimental film is an artistic practice relieving both of visual arts and cinema. Its origins can be found in European avant-garde movements of the twenties. Experimental cinema has built its history through the texts of theoreticians...
that began flourishing after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, as well as nonfiction films (not only documentaries, but educational films). In that, it differed even from the narrative-oriented art cinemas that appeared in the postwar years. Cinema 16 closed in 1963, after 17 years in operation, run by Amos Vogel and his wife Marcia.
Literature
- MacDonald, Scott. Cinema 16: Documents Toward a History of the Film Society. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2003 ISBN 1-56639-924-6