The Films of James Broughton

Underground filmmaker James Broughton never achieved the fame and notoriety enjoyed by his avant-garde peers such as Kenneth Anger, Stan Brakhage, or Maya Deren, but this three-disc collection should help rectify that oversight. Seventeen short films made between 1948 and 1988 are included here, tracing Broughton's maturity as both an artist and a person. His earliest works, “Mother's Day” (1948), “Loony Tom” (1951), and “The Pleasure Garden” (1953), were warped comedies that predated the camp sensibility of directors such as John Waters (albeit without the cheerful vulgarity). Broughton stopped making films from 1953-1968, but his return to the medium saw his work taking on a more abstract and distinctly sexual character. “The Bed” (1968), with its nude saxophone player serenading a mix of cavorting couples, places straight and gay duos on an unapologetically equal footing, while “Song of the Godbody” (1977) and “Devotions” (1983) celebrate the human body with a frankness that borders on the voyeuristic. While his films were well made (despite obvious limitations in production values), Broughton's work often veers wildly into pretentious and fey territory, confusing the artistic with the artsy and placing a bit too much attention on pretty boys in various states of undress. However, his films are generally lyrical and imaginative, and those with a taste for vintage experimental cinema are sure to enjoy this collection, which also features a booklet of Broughton's poetry, philosophy, and film synopses. Recommended. (P. Hall)