Dreams That Money Can Buy

Synopsis

Painter, film theorist and film-maker Hans Richter, one of the most influential members of the cinematic avant-garde, assembled some of the century’s liveliest artists as co-creators for this film, intended to bring the work of the European avant-garde to a wider cinema audience. Its seven episodes are connected by the story of Joe, a young man down on his luck, who discovers he has the power to create dreams and sets up a business selling them to others. The ‘dreams’ are the creation of Max Ernst, Fernand Léger, Man Ray, Marcel Duchamp, Alexander Calder and Richter himself, and are by truns playful, hypnotic, satirical and naightmarish. Composers of the music for the sequences include John Cage, Edgar Varese, Darius Milhaud, Louis Applebaum and Paul Bowles.

The DVD includes an exclusive alternative soundtrack by London-based Baroque pop band The Real Tuesday Weld, featuring British singer-songwriter Stephen Coates, with narration by Brazilian chanteuse Cibelle and English alchemist David Piper. The band has previously performed this soundtrack live to accompany screenings of the film at the NFT in April 2005 and at Tate Modern in May 2006.

Series

History of the Avant-Garde, A: Series

Language

English

Country

United States

Medium

Video

Technical information

Colour / Sound

Year of production

1946

Availability

Sale (video - retail, Connoisseur); 2001 sale: £15.99 (inclusive)

Subjects

Art; Media studies

Keywords

Calder, Alexander; Duchamp, Marcel (1887-1868); Ernst, Max (1891-1976); experimental film & video; Léger, Fernand; Ray, Man; Richter, Hans (1888-1976)

Credits

Director

Hans Richter

Contributor

Alexander Calder; Darius Milhaud; Edgar Varese; Fernand Léger; John Cage; Man Ray; Marcel Duchamp; Max Ernst; Paul Bowles

Distribution Formats

Type

DVD

Format

Region 2 PAL

Price

£19.99

Availability

Sale

Duration/Size

80 minutes

Year

2006

Distributor

Name

BFI Film Bookings Unit

Email

bookings.films@bfi.org.uk

Web

http://www.bfi.org.uk/about-bfi/help-faq/film-bookings External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7957 8938 / 8935

Address

21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN

Name

BFI Video

Email

video.films@bfi.org.uk

Web

http://www.bfi.org.uk External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7957 8957

Fax

020 7957 8968

Address

21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN

 

Available from retail outlets