Directed by D. A. Pennebaker • 1953 • United States
Shot in 1953, though not completed until 1957, DAYBREAK EXPRESS was the first film D. A. Pennebaker made, a mad rush of images of New York City captured from a train and edited to the rhythm of Duke Ellington’s song of the same name. A jazz aficionado, Pennebaker thought his career would continue along this path, making short films cut to songs.
Up Next in Shorts for Days: Cityscapes
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Sunday in Peking
Directed by Chris Marker • 1956 • France
A rare, tourist’s-eye glimpse into Maoist China, the first of Chris Marker’s inimitable travelogues is a colorful stroll through the city of Beijing set to the filmmaker’s personal reflections on its people, history, and culture.
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Surface Tension
Directed by Hollis Frampton • 1968 • United States
A film in three parts: a man talking while a telephone rings, a walking tour of New York, and a goldfish swimming.
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The Black Balloon
Directed by Josh Safdie and Benny Safdie • 2012 • United States
The black balloon, an alien in a crowded land, searches for some semblance of companionship after losing all of its friends.
