I Was Stalin's Bodyguard

THE FORMATIVE YEARS (II) presents more experimental films by acclaimed documentary filmmaker Heinz Emigholz, who went on to produce the unique series "Architecture as Autobiography" (Sullivan's Banks; Schindler's Houses). HOTEL and DEMON are two films that explore the nature of time in a beautiful, evocative style. In HOTEL, Emigholz disrupts the linear narrative via editing, and then reconnects the shots based on recognizable patterns. In doing so, he brings new meaning to the images. DEMON is an interpretation of poet Stephane Mallarme's "Le Demon de l'Analogie." HOTEL and DEMON reveal Emigholz's ties to legendary American avant-garde filmmakers Michael Snow and Ken Jacobs of the New American Cinema, who were major influences on his work. DVD includes a photo gallery from Emigholz's slide shows "Schuhstuck," "Tassenstuck," and "Wandsbek Gartenstadt" in addition to a lengthy interview with the filmmaker and Klaus Wyborny.