A friend of mine rented a video for me, and thought that it reminded me of her and that it might appeal to me. She thought this because the cover looked "scary and Russian". It was a Brothers Quay compilation!
The Brothers Quay are two identical twins, Stephen and Timothy, and were born in Pennsylvania, but live in London to be able to make their films that otherwise might not be made in the u.s. After all, who in the conservative us would allow such different films to be made? They found more opportunities for freedom and probably ispiration in London. They found inspiration in Jan Svankmajer, a Czeckloslovakian, and even made a film as a tribute to him (The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer) and also from writer Kafka. The Brothers had gone to art school but hadnt explored animation until they were 32 years old.
The Brothers have a few sets and puppets are on permanent exhibition at The Museum of the Moving Image in London.
I'm in the process of creating RealMedia files myself, and as I do I'll have them up on my site. I have not found sound and/or video clips anywhere on the internet. You will need a RealMedia Player, which you can get at real.com or ultraplayer.com. They are both free downloads.
They have thus far completed the following films:
NOCTURNA ARTIFICIALIA (21 mins) (1979)
PUNCH & JUDY (Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy) (52 mins) (1980)
EIN BRUDERMORD (6 mins) (1981)
THE ETERNAL DAY OF MICHEL DE GHELDERODE (30 mins) (1981)
IGOR - CHEZ PLEYEL - THE PARIS YEARS (25 mins) (1982)
LEOS JANACEK: INTIMATE EXCURSIONS (25 mins) (1983)
THE CABINET OF JAN SVANKMAJER (14 mins) (1984)
- - Ending (93 KB) (35 seconds)
THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH (A.K.A. THIS UNNAMEABLE LITTLE BROOM) (11 mins) (1985)
THE STREET OF CROCODILES (20 mins) (1986)
- - Music Clip (228 KB) (1 minute 23 seconds)
REHEARSALS FOR EXTINCT ANATOMIES (14 mins) (1987)
DRAMOLET (STILLE NACHT I) (1 min) (1988)
EX-VOTO / THE POND (1 min) (1989)
THE COMB (FROM THE MUSEUMS OF SLEEP) (18 mins) (1990)
DE ARTIFICIALI PERSPECTIVA or ANAMORPHOSIS (13 mins) (1990)
THE CALLIGRAPHER Parts I, II, III (1 min) (1991)
ARE WE STILL MARRIED? (STILLE NACHT II) (3 mins) (1991)
LONG WAY DOWN (LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRUG IN) (3 mins) (1992)
TALES FROM THE VIENNA WOODS (STILLE NACHT III) (3 mins) (1992)
CAN'T GO WRONG WITHOUT YOU (STILLE NACHT IV) (3 mins) (1993)
INSTITUTE BENJAMENTA (A.K.A. This Dream People Call Human Life) (105 mins) (1994)
DUET -Variations on the Convalescence of "A" (18 mins) (1999)
IN ABSENTIA (20 mins) (2000)
The Sandman (2000)
Duet (2000)
The Phantom Museum: Random Forays Into the Vaults of Sir Henry Wellcome's Medical Collection (2003)
The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes (2006)
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass (TBA)
Institute Benjamenta was the first film that they made live-action, and have directed promotional videos for His Name is Alive, Michael Penn, 16 Horsepower, and Peter Gabriel by adding to the "Sledgehammer" video as well as commercials for MTV. (see Dramolet)
It's been quite difficult getting information on the Brothers as they much like being secretive, and have taken just about all information from their web site down.
thanks to Zeitgeist Film
Also to Official Brothers Quay Page
Brothers Quay Interview!
Ideas on Rehearsals For Extinct Anatomies
Jan Svankmeyer Official Page
Digitale Quay
Brothers Quay at Wikipedia
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