Phantom Museums: The Short Films of the Quay Brothers

Few filmmakers are capable of creating works as innovative, brave, provocative, and haunting as those produced by identical twin brothers Stephen and Timothy Quay. Working primarily in the medium of stop-motion animation, the Quay Brothers create immersive and singular worlds populated by puppets navigating realms removed from traditional expectations of narrative storytelling. These settings are often constructed with an aesthetic that evokes extremely surreal, dream-like feelings far removed from those fashioned within even the most popular works of animation or those seen in the broader spectrum of experimental or avant-garde filmmaking.Influenced by a wide-range of artists across multiple mediums—from the animation of Jan Svankmajer, to the music of Czeck composers (who also score much of their work), to traditional ballet, to the writings of Kafka and Bruno Schulz—the brothers filter these influences through the prism of their singular imagination to beautiful and astounding results. The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer and Street of Crocodiles serving as perhaps the best example of this marriage between like-minded thinkers and the Quays own distinctive creative output.Though Street of Crocodiles remains their most famous and perhaps best work, the disc also includes a treasure trove of lesser-known or hard to find pieces, particularly my own favorite: In Absentia. This twenty-minute-film depicts the crumbling psychology of a woman trapped in a mental institution writing letters to her husband. Though this is the surface level description of what is happening, the Quay’s depiction of this tragic psychological condition creates a deeply unsettling yet hypnotizing glimpse into the mindscape of this woman as has never been so uniquely produced on film. The Brothers incorporate innovative uses of light, animation, live-action, and sound to offer a harrowing impression into the mind of the mentally ill.The Stille Nacht collection—four short films of the brothers’ collaborations with companies, musicians, and bands—offer further demonstration in the Quay’s pushing their techniques to make memorable animation with what is given to them in the form of broadcast interstitials or music videos.The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer, This Unnameable Little Broom (or The Epic of Gilgamesh), and The Comb are three longer, similarly amazing pieces that demonstrate the Brothers’ incorporation of music and extraordinary animation techniques to create a nonverbal film experience that captivates the viewer into the drama through music and distinct visuals that calls to mind something closer to opera or ballet. Moreover, their most famous and ambitious piece—an adaptation of Bruno Schulz’s Street of Crocodiles—serves as the best representation of this aesthetic to stunning effect. The only real parallel that comes to mind in regards to this unique marriage of sound and visual to create a nonverbal narrative experience outside traditional narrative cinema can be found in what Kubrick achieved in his sci-fi masterpiece 2001.Nonetheless, The Brothers Quay occupy a singular space in the pantheon of animation and cinema that this DVD collection exhibits to very demonstrable results. These pieces are imbued with themes, ideas, and aesthetics that leave a haunting and unforgettable experience upon the viewer and often demand repeated viewings to fully embrace the spectacular array of visual design and profound thematic ideals at play. Between their recent retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art, New York and this DVD Collection, it would appear the Quay Brothers are finally garnering their much-deserved recognition as two of the most remarkable luminaries in the field of animation and filmmaking at large.Full list of those pieces included in the DVDThe Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer (1984)*This Unnameable Little Broom (Epic of Gilgamesh) (1985)*Street of Crocodiles (1986), plus original treatmentRehearsals for Extinct Anatomies (1987)*Stille Nacht I (Dramolet) (1988)The Comb (1990)Anamorphosis (1991)*Stille Nacht II (Are We Still Married?) (1992)*Stille Nacht III (Tales From Vienna Woods) (1993)Stille Nacht IV (Can’t Go Wrong Without You) (1994)*In Absentia (2000)The Phantom Museum (2003)Those with asterisks include an accompanying commentary by the Quay Brothers.http://nickyarborough.com/dvd-review-phantom-museums-the-short-films-of-the-quay-brothers/

The Quay brothers are a unique pair of artists for anyone interested in someplace far off the main road. The strange sets, invented musics, and visual effects all contribute to what seems a window into some other world. Like a dream, after a while their films usually make it's own sense within the experience. On the other hand Buddhists say that there is another world, and its this one.An experience not to be missed for the adventurous. Or you may hate it. In either case, an adventure.If you are unfamiliar with their works I highly would recommend checking online for what you can find first to see if this is your cup of tea.Worth checking out in any case.

The 2000 version of the BQC was good for what it was but this version takes it up a notch,especially with the extras and new film/s(?).As far as content,you can expect abstract stop-motion animation of the highest caliber;some films may not be easily decipherable on the first few viewings but part of the fun of these films is the repeat viewing value!fans of surrealism,animation,david lynch's animation,tim burton's animation,or even older surrealism like jean cocteau,luis bunel,or maya deren:check this out because it's totally engulfing and brings you within a world that is very interesting!it's the real deal.

This is a beautifully packaged 2-disc dvd set that contains all of the Quays' short film work from 1984-2003. The films are of course stunning and I absolutely loved the Quays' own commentary on Gilgamesh, Crocodiles, Stille Nacht I-III, & In Absentia.I recommend the Phantom Museums to anyone who is interested in the Quay Brothers and may just be starting to delve and rummage within their realm of dreams, realities, nightmares, and fantasies. People who already love the Quays truly cherish this veritable compendium of shorts from the masters of animation & visual artistry.

I have often wondered what the films of the Brothers Quay mean. Or more precisely, if they have any meaning at all. Thanks to the excellent extras included with this DVD set I am finally starting to get an inkling. However, the main attraction of this set are the films themselves, which are presented in beautiful, pristine condition. I have viewed these films on an earlier DVD collection, but the quality of "Phantom Museums" blows it away! "Phantom Museums" actually includes a couple films I have not seen before! A must for fans!

2 dvd set of video you can find most of on u-toob, but good resolution and easy.Hi-rez is really great, as well as freeze frame to look closely at the intense level of detail on the models.I would buy a Blu-Ray HD version (4K?) if available!

I first saw the street of crocodiles in '95. I know that makes me late in seeing it and old, but it moved me. I have watched it over and over, ever since. This collection is wonderful in quality and representation of the Quay's work

In short, their short films are amazing. I am going to have to save up in my piggy bank to purchase their feature length films. Very sophisticated and thought provoking material that will be overlooked by the masses as is usually the case in the "entertainment" business.Love & LightJ bird

Following the exhibition in the Museum Of Modern Art in New York recently I was re-inspired by their work. I was familiar with the Piano Tuner of Earthquakes and the Institute Benjamenta, but until my visit to the gallery was not acquainted with their short films.The Quay brothers hail from Philadelphia, but much of the work on these discs emanate from work completed in their London Studio. Their obsession with detail and minutiae is part of the hook which draws the viewer in. The viewer is no longer the fisher but the fish in the surreal nightmares which unfold on the screen.The Quay Brothers might be unfamiliar, but perhaps their commercial work is not . An example of this is their pop video for Peter Gabriel ‘Sledge Hammer’ (not on this DVD). In the world of pop videos and tv advertisements they are very influential and have spawned many imitators and others who have stolen their ideas wholesale. Some of you might be familiar with Fred Stuhr’s video for Tool’s video of their song ‘Sober’.By using broken dolls, dust and dirt, rusting screws, machines exposing fleshy insides- using stop-start animation techniques; places the observer in an uncomfortable but compelled position.Not all their films are on these discs however and are ones commissioned by Channel 4 tv in the UKAnd include the marvellously dark and incomprehensible Street of Crocodiles when a voyeur unleashes a scenario within a encaged world, with little light and controlled by wires. The story is about curiosity, decay and detritus within which some life lurks within every shadow. But enough of my construct of what it might be about. I urge you to watch the film yourself.

If you are a fan of the Quay Brothers then this is it. Very well done restorations which enhance the brilliance of the original. The films included are all the major works assembled chronologically. Worth every penny, even though we no longer have pennies.

good

このＤＶＤを視聴するに当たって最大の難関は、リージョンコードをクリア出来るかどうかです。リージョンコードさえ解決出来れば、迷わず『買い』です。値段も東北新社の国内版の半分以下ですし、日本語の解説書や字幕は必要ないという方にオススメです。

二枚組みです。一枚目は作品のみ、二枚目はインタビューなどが入っています。まず、再生できる機器が限られます。うちの場合はパソコンでリージョンの設定を変えて見る以外は再生不可能でした。作品は誰かの見た悪夢の断片という感じ。チェコアニメ・・・特にシュヴァンクマイエルをよく見ている方だと「間の撮り方」に不満が出てくるのではないかと思います。非常に退屈な作品もあります。「シュヴァンクマイエルの部屋」は見ていて唯一解りやすかったです。全体的に独特な雰囲気、暗いトーンで、多分見る側を真っ二つに分けるDVDかと・・・。