New 2009 soundtrack - Harry Smith - Film #10: Mirror Animations (1957)

Harry Smith is best known for compiling the *Anthology of American Folk Music*, the highly influential 1952 collection that had a significant hand in the blues and folk revival of the '50s and '60s. What isn't as widely known is that Smith—also a painter, linguist, and anthropologist—created a significant body of experimental films: kinetic, vibrant, sometimes abstract work that earned him a spot in the history of American avant-garde cinema. His 1957 animated collage *Film #10: Mirror Animations* was included in his short film anthology *Early Abstractions*, which was selected in 2006 by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry. While originally silent, Smith later used music by the Fugs (who were Smith's friends) and the Beatles as the collection's soundtrack; its video release in 1987 synced music from Teiji Ito (husband of another experimental filmmaker, Maya Deren), and more recent scores have been created by pianist/composer Philip Glass and the band Sonic Youth. Smith himself described *Film #10* as An exposition of Buddhism and the Kaballa in the form of a collage. The final scene shows Agaric mushrooms growing on the moon while the Hero and Heroine row by on a cerebrum.

This soundtrack for *Film #10: Mirror Animations* was created in July 2009 by the Shaking Ray Levis and Love, Execution Style. It was improvised and recorded in real-time, as the musicians viewed the film.

http://www.myspace.com/theshakingraylevis
http://www.myspace.com/loveexecutionstyle

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• harry
• smith
• shaking
• ray
• levis
• love
• execution
• style
• chattanooga
• experimental
• film

[whocares1694]

A close friend of my mother and a very nice guy!

[solanaceaesolarium]

i love this. the soundtrack, the film#10...altogther, it's brilliant!

[kennethburnap]

kk's at the pawn shop again and loving it!

[iamkillick]

Yeahs!

[JESSICALEE1221]

Absolutely wonderful.

[ThexReluctantxRebel]

Simply astounding. 5 stars.