David Brooks

Directing

David Brooks

An influential figure within the NYC experimental film community of the mid-1960s, David Brooks died tragically young leaving behind only a handful of works. David Brooks died in an automobile accident in 1969 at the age of 24 with only six completed works to his credit.

Acting credits

Behind the camera

Nightspring Daystar poster
6.0

The film springs from the night through the dawn to the daystar, following the adventures of the mind on the way.

Nightspring Daystar

1964

Eel Creek poster
5.0

“Fishing/boys and father/pure/simple/straight forward” – Carolyn Brooks

Eel Creek

1968

Carolyn and Me: Part One poster
6.0

David and Carolyn Brooks with friends. At Martha's Vineyard, on NYC bus, shooting at the beach, etc. "Was going to tape Carolyn and my first conversation in about 5 months of no contact. Show true love (whatever that is). Couldn't do it. Chickened out. Didn't want to get something between us. (Carolyn, what's come between us?). Film sequence, love: single frame printing, break colors into basic three (in the order of red, green, blue) and A/B roll to create 'well-known symetry' and to lighten frame (AB brightens, bi-pack darkens) / Binarius is the devil / ah, love / one flesh / let no man put asunder." - David Brooks

Carolyn and Me: Part One

1969

Carolyn and Me: Part Two poster
6.0

David and Carolyn Brooks and friends. Walking in woods, at picnic, in VW bus, etc. "Was going to tape Carolyn and my first conversation in about 5 months of no contact. Show true love (whatever that is). Couldn't do it. Chickened out. Didn't want to get something between us. (Carolyn, what's come between us?). Film sequence, love: single frame printing, break colors into basic three (in the order of red, green, blue) and A/B roll to create 'well-known symetry' and to lighten frame (AB brightens, bi-pack darkens) / Binarius is the devil / ah, love / one flesh / let no man put asunder." - David Brooks

Carolyn and Me: Part Two

1969

No artwork available
NR

"Brooks edited this footage but never printed it in his lifetime. While we cannot know for sure the true origins of, or intentions for, this material, it is a stunning document of the legendary jazz musician." - Anthology Film Archives

Roland Kirk

1964

Carolyn and Me: Part Three poster
7.0

David and Carolyn Brooks and friends. At Tibetan seminar, prison, Chandler Moore's house, etc. "Was going to tape Carolyn and my first conversation in about 5 months of no contact. Show true love (whatever that is). Couldn't do it. Chickened out. Didn't want to get something between us. (Carolyn, what's come between us?). Film sequence, love: single frame printing, break colors into basic three (in the order of red, green, blue) and A/B roll to create 'well-known symetry' and to lighten frame (AB brightens, bi-pack darkens) / Binarius is the devil / ah, love / one flesh / let no man put asunder." - David Brooks

Carolyn and Me: Part Three

1969

Jerry poster
4.0

David Brooks’s black & white portrait of fabled underground filmmaker and collagist Jerry Jofen.

Jerry

1963

Carolyn and Me poster
8.7

David and Carolyn Brooks and friends. At Martha’s Vineyard, on NYC bus, shooting at the beach, etc (Part One). Walking in woods, at picnic, in VW bus, etc (Part Two). At Tibetan seminar, prison, Chandler Moore’s house, etc (Part Three). “Was going to tape Carolyn and my first conversation in about 5 months of no contact. Show true love (whatever that is). Couldn’t do it. Chickened out. Didn’t want to get something between us. (Carolyn, what’s come between us?). Film sequence, love: single frame printing, break colors into basic three (in the order of red, green, blue) and A/B roll to create ‘well-known symetry’ and to lighten frame (AB brightens, bi-pack darkens) / Binarius is the devil / ah, love / one flesh / let no man put asunder.” - David Brooks

Carolyn and Me

1969

No artwork available
NR

Reels from 1966 - 1969 compiled from loose footage and fragments shortly after Brooks's death by Jonas Mekas and Carolyn Brooks.

Late Fragments

1969

Winter '64-'66 poster
7.0

Locales: Nantucket, Kazakhstan, Grant’s Nepal, Colorado, Mt. Kearsange, Iowa, 7th Street. Door golden night room trees fire drip rain blue horse river snow birds green mountain forest dark room mist car trees window ducks are flying. Overtones: Raga Palas Kafi, Grant’s, Slug’s, Bo Diddley, Jimmy Reed, Raga Rageshri, the wind, Chuck Berry, Marvin Gaye, the Beatles, Piatniksky Chorus.

Winter '64-'66

1967

No artwork available
NR

Reels from 1963 - 1966 compiled from loose footage and fragments shortly after Brooks's death by Jonas Mekas and Carolyn Brooks.

Early Fragments

1966

The Wind Is Driving Him Toward the Open Sea poster
7.0

A non-narrative patchwork of images, light, music, conversation, news headlines, the passing of generations, and, ultimately, a journey from New York City to Martha's Vineyard in an attempt to discover a man named Chandler Moore.

The Wind Is Driving Him Toward the Open Sea

1968

Letter to D.H. in Paris poster
5.0

Stoned people, music, movement, fields.

Letter to D.H. in Paris

1967