Since 1977, Isao Yamada, director of instant Spectacle classic I’VE HEARD THE AMMONITE MURMUR, has produced over a hundred experimental short film-poetries in a collection he calls Yamavicascope. These films emphasize the “non-digital optical sensation” produced by the 8mm (and occasionally 16mm) film with which they are shot and hand-edited by Yamada. This emphasis on materiality is seen throughout his artistic output, which includes paintings, manga, graphic design, and a calligraphic font known as “Yamada-moji,” which he uses for the titles and type in his films.
This March, Spectacle is honored to present a two-night Yamavicascope retrospective. These four programs, titled by Yamada himself, invite a career-spanning glimpse into the director’s “private films.”
Special thanks to Eiichi Aso, Yamavica Film, and YHI.
PROGRAM 1: NOSTALGIA, SADNESS, AND THE SEA
FRIDAY, MARCH 14 – 7:30 PM
Yamada was 21 years old when he joined the Tenjo Sajiki theater troupe, one of the most provocative forces in the emerging avant-garde angura scene, co-founded and led by Shuji Terayama. Yamada credits his relationship with Terayama and working on the art direction of his features as his awakening to film. Following this, Yamada co-founded the Gingagahou-sha Film Club in Sapporo with manga artist Yumekichi Minatotani. The works in this program make up some of Yamada’s earliest forays into film and introduce his first major collaborator in Minatotani.
AN INCIDENT OF NIGHT
(スバルの夜)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 1977
Japan, 25 min
Yamada’s directorial debut and the first film released by the Gingagahou-sha Film Club.
NIGHT OF THE MILKY WAY RAILROAD
(銀河鉄道の夜)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 1982
Japan, 45 min
THE FAN OF SPIRAL SHELL
(巻貝の扇)
Dirs. Isao Yamada, Yumekichi Minatoya, 1983
Japan, 12 min
Yamada’s first film shot on 16mm.
SAD GADOLF
(悲しいガドルフ)
Dirs. Isao Yamada, Yumekichi Minatoya, 1984
Japan, 20 min
Total running time: 102 min
PROGRAM 2: WAYS OF REMEMBERING YOUR DREAMS
FRIDAY, MARCH 14 – 10:00 PM
This program features two more of Yamada’s collaborators: Hiroko Ishimaru (who stars in I’VE HEARD THE AMMONITE MURMUR) and Mizuho Kudo.
CRYSTAL
(水晶)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 1988
Japan, 12 min
THE CROWN OF DREAMS
(夢を冠に)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 1990
Japan, 16 min
THE DESCENDENT OF ANDROGYNOUS
(アンドロギュヌスの裔)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 1995
Japan, 25 min
FRAGMENTATION OF NIGHT
(夜のフラグメント)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 1996
Japan, 12 min
SWAMP
(沼)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 1999
Japan, 12 min
A STAR AND A PROPELLER
(星とプロペラ)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 2000
Japan, 13 min
Total running time: 90 min
PROGRAM 3: MARIONETTE FANTASIES
SATURDAY, MARCH 15 – 5:00 PM
フィルムの死が先か、「私」の死が先か、という状況にある。 (The situation is whether the death of 8mm film comes first, or the death of ’I’ comes first.) – Yamada (2017)
GIRL ORPHEE
(少女オルフェ)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 2001
Japan, 20 min
WINTER FLOWER
(逢魔ヶ時)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 2003
Japan, 15 min
FEEL
(そして彼女の手は優しく触れる)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 2004
Japan, 15 min
CHRYSANTHEMUM INSPIRATION
(Chrysanthemum綺想)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 2005
Japan, 20 min
WINTER HAS A DREAM
(白昼夢)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 2008
Japan, 20 min
Total running time: 90 min
PROGRAM 4: LIFE FLASHING BEFORE ONE’S EYES, AND FABLES
SATURDAY, MARCH 15 – 7:30 PM
DESPAIR ARABESQUE
(絶望アラベスク)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 2011
Japan, 34 min
REFLECTION
(Kioku)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 2014
Japan, 23 min
An official selection of the 61st International Short Film Festival Oberhausen.
APPARITION’S MOMENT
(幻視の一瞬)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 2017
Japan, 3 min
THE NIGHT OF COPERNICUS
(コペルニクスの夜)
Dir. Isao Yamada, 2020-21
Japan, 28 min
Total running time: 88 min