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 return