All Films

Strange Residues

1981 • 13 min • Australia

Dreams. What are they? Is it possible they can be used by strange beings from another planet to manipulate man? This man is dreaming. Could it be that at this very moment his dreams are being structured by a beam from outer space?

John Diamond

1981 • 52 min

William Jones runs away from home, haunted by the memory of his father. To lay this ghost, he must search the back streets of London for a man called Diamond.

Our Boys

1981 • 42 min • Ireland

Mixing classroom dramatization with documentary material, interviews with former students who recall barbaric punishments in the name of learning, and a 1932 newsreel of a triumphant Catholic congress in Dublin, this piece poses a challenging and controversial exploration of the Christian Brothers' education system in the 50s.

Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan: The Movie

1981 • 30 min • Japan

A Sun Vulcan movie was released on July 18, 1981 at the Toei Manga Festival. It takes place some time after episode 23. In it Black Magma decides to separate Hiba from his teammates while plotting to blow up Tokyo with hidden bombs.

Doraemon: What am I for Momotaro

1981 • 46 min • Japan

A short movie of Doraemon was released on August 1, 1981 in Japan. It is a retelling of the famous Japanese fable Momotaro.

Waiting Room

1981 • 16 min • United Kingdom

A woman is menaced by a masked killer while waiting for a train at a railway station.

Violet

1981 • 31 min

Badly scarred in a childhood accident, Violet boards a bus in North Carolina on a pilgrimage to Oklahoma to visit a TV preacher, the one that heals. On the bus, she meets two soldiers on their way to Fort Smith. The film won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film in 1982.

Spøkelsesbussen

1981 • 44 min • Norway

Pakistani Ali Reza is found dead under a bridge, with a stab wound in the back. He was last observed boarding a bus the night before.

Clown White

1981 • 51 min • Canada

The story of a rebellious deaf child who goes on a class outing to the city, where he runs away.

The Wave

1981 • 44 min • United States of America

A teacher conducts an experiment in an American high school where students learn how easy it is to be seduced by the same social forces which led to the horrors of Nazi Germany.

The Amusement Park

1981 • 7 min • France, United States of America

Using pixillation, or the art of animating inanimate objects, the rides and carnival atmosphere of an amusement park are displayed at a dizzying fast pace; Images are accompanied by a tense modern jazz score.

Brooklyn Bridge

1981 • 58 min • United States of America

Today it's a symbol of strength and vitality. 135 years ago, it was a source of controversy. This documentary examines the great problems and ingenious solutions that marked the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. From conception to construction, it traces the bridge's transformation from a spectacular feat of heroic engineering to an honored symbol in American culture.

DAICON III Opening Animation

1981 • 5 min • Japan

A girl is visited by two men from a space ship. They give her water she needs for her daicon (radish). On her journey to deliver the water, she crosses paths with iconic characters from comic books, live-action films, literature and animation.

Rubberface

1981 • 55 min • Canada

A teen-age girl conceals her insecurity behind a barrage of jokes — until she meets an aspiring comedian who asks for her help with his new act. Janet is an over-weight girl who has a knack for making the other children in school laugh... by making fun of her own weight. In seeing the other kids' reactions, she feels that she might have what it takes to be a comedian. She visits the local comedy club where she finds Tony Moroni who is a struggling comedian whose jokes are less than funny. Together Tony helps Janet find self-esteem and Janet helps Tony with his material.

Kamen Rider Super-1: The Movie

1981 • 46 min • Japan

The Dogma Kingdom attacks the Matagi (mountain tribe) village of Yamabiko to steal the sacred Flying Dragon Fortress and wreak havoc all over Japan. Six children from the fallen village take refuge in a nearby town, keeping their identities as Matagi citizens a secret. Kamen Rider Super-1 must protect these children from the Dogma Kingdom, as they hold the secret to the Flying Dragon Fortress' weakness.

Dr. Slump and Arale-chan: Hello! Wonder Island

1981 • 25 min • Japan

Professor Senbei finds a videotape of his deceased father providing instructions on how to create a love potion. The main ingredient is a tear of the evil Gyaasuka Daimao who lives at the Wonder Island. To retrieve it, Senbei takes Arale and Gatchan on a wacky adventure.

Greetings from Washington, D.C.

1981 • 28 min • United States of America

A short documentary about the First National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, which took place on Sunday, October 14th 1979.

Look Out for Trouble

1980 • 1 min

An animated UK public information film which explains what to do if you see somebody in trouble on a visit to coastal areas.

Free, White and 21

1980 • 12 min

In Pindell’s poignant work, Free, White and 21 (1980) the artist uses performance and caricature to narrate her personal experiences of racism. The film alternates between Pindell recounting her stories and a caricature of a young white woman who rebukes Pindell for her ungrateful and paranoid statements. In criticizing the expectations and stereotypes imposed on a female, black artist, Pindell’s work can also been seen as a contribution to a feminist debate. Though Pindell’s body of work mostly consists of painting that explores texture, colour and structures, this video work stands out as being a seminal work in her career. Free, White and 21 can be found in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Big Wrench

1980 • 15 min • United States of America

In this narrative performance for video, Burden tells the story of his relationship with a truck named "Big Job." To relate his autobiographical monologue, he sits deadpan before the camera with moving images of the truck behind him. Writes Burden, "During a six-month period, while the artist wrestles with the problem of owning an antique 16,000 lb. freight-truck, Big Job becomes a metaphor for personal insanity. I talk about the 'curse of Big Job,' my foiled plans to transform the truck into a rolling communications command post or a traveling museum, and my difficulty in getting rid of the rig. A true story."

I Cat

1980 • 9 min

Short film by Jayne Parker.

Millbrook

1980 • 9 min

short film by Gordon Ball about an LSD experience

The News

1980 • 12 min

Directed by Ian Breakwell.

Without Love There Is No Death

1980 • 5 min • Germany

1980 German Super 8 short work.