About
Often called "the father of West Coast independent cinema," James Broughton (1913-1999) considered himself to be, first and foremost, a poet. Writing poems and making films were, for Broughton, simply two different ways of creating images with feeling. Broughton gained notoriety as a filmmaker after collaborating with Sidney Peterson on The Potted Psalm in 1946, and he went on to make many films throughout his remaining years. He is known for his lyrical, celebratory style of dealing with everyday life, the body, and sexuality, and for blending poetry with film. He published books on film, as well as books of poems, and taught at the San Francisco Art Institute.
James Broughton appeared on Screening Room in April, 1977. He screened and discussed the films Loony Tom: The Happy Lover, This Is It, Water Circle, Windowmobile and Testament.
Screening Room was a Boston television series that ran for almost ten years from 1972-1981. It offered independent filmmakers a chance to show and discuss their work on a commercial (ABC-TV) affiliate station. The series was developed and hosted by filmmaker Robert Gardner (Dead Birds, Forest of Bliss). Nearly 100 programs were produced during the years Screening Room was broadcast. Twenty seven episodes have been edited for release in 3 categories: Animation, Documentary, and Experimental Film.
Films in the Experimental series