Walden (Diaries Notes and Sketches)

1

street & subway noise
DEDICATED TO LUMIERE
DIARIES NOTES AND SKETCHES
ALSO KNOWN AS WALDEN
Close up of the Author
IN NEW YORK WAS STILL WINTER
Central Park, scattered snow
BUT THE WIND WAS FULL OF SPRING
naked branches in wind
the Author playing accordion
Chopin
BARBARA'S FLOWER GARDEN
Barbara planting flower seeds on the window sill
street & subway noise
Film-Makers' Cinematheque, 4th St.

1 min.
SITNEY IS FINGERPRINTED BY THE POLICE,
AS DIRECTOR OF THE CINEMATHEQUE
Sitney, CU of his hand
I CUT MY HAIR, TO RAISE MONEY. HAVING
TEAS WITH RICH LADIES
the Author showing his haircut, turning around
daily expense notes
SUNDAY AT STONES
the Author eating; also, David & Barbara Stone

2 min.
I WALKED ACROSS THE PARK. THERE WAS
A FANTASTIC FEELING OF SPRING IN THE AIR.
apple blossoms
a group of boys, in sport shirts, jumping up and down,
in Central Park
TONY CONRAD AND BEVERLY GRANT
AT THEIR SECOND AVENUE HOME
we see Tony Conrad and Beverly Grant in the doorway
they look at the yard, at the trees

PHOTOGRAPH THE DUST FALLING ON THE CITY,
ON THE WINDOWS, ON THE BOOKS, EVERYWHERE
the Author, in bed, can't sleep, turns around
I THOUGHT OF HOME
Central Park lake

3 min.
WALDEN
Bibbe Hansen, in Central Park, with books in her arms
madrigalv she studies a tiny flower in her fingers
the ground, grass, Bibbe, clover blossom
a sunlit tree
street & subway noise
Bibbe runs across the road and sits on a bench
she watches a yogi type, standing on his head
THE GIRL WITH THE BICYCLE & BLUE SHIRT
the girl with the bike
the Author (shadow from a bridge in Central Park)

6 min.
a letter from Naomi
Diane, in Central Park, touching grass with her foot
MORBID DAYS OF NEW YORK & GLOOM
the Author, eating in dingy luncheonette,
dialogue about dreams
self-filmed (in the mirror wall)
Central Park
BURNED, HOT GRASS
WALDEN
Central Park, John Brockman with guitar

7 min.
street & subway noise
the girl in blue, in Central Park, in the grass
General Post Office
Barbara combs Alexandra by the window
David Brooks, John Palmer, Harry Smith
Stone's baby sitters having good time

8 min.
organ music
A WEDDING
wedding images; church lights; people outside
comes the bride (Pola)
wedding ceremonies (Adolfas) (Gantt)
IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH
Emshwiller; Frank Kuentstler; Leo Adams; the street
Algirdas Landsbergis and the Author, walking along the street

10 min.
Author sings and plays accordeon
THE WEDDING PARTY
the wedding party; Gretchen Weinberg; Barbara Rubin;
Stones
SITNEY CATCHES THE GARTER, WILL HAVE
TO MARRY NEXT
Sitney, the garter
Povilas Mekas (father)
Elzbieta Mekas (Mekiené) (mother)

12 min.
AL MOVES OUT
empty room, the bed, bedsheets in laundry bags
BREAKFAST IN MARSEILLE
the Author, between trains, eating breakfast; a cat joins in

13 min.
Ocean waves
CASSIS
Cassis from sunrise to sunset, the lighthouse
SITNEY DECIDES TO LEAVE NEW HAVEN,
GOES TO NEW YORK
Sitney in New haven, in front of his old house,
looking at the trees, at the street

16 min.
subway noise
FIRE ON 87TH STREET
fire images
BRAKHAGE CROSSES CENTRAL PARK
Brakhage, the park, the trees, grass
COMING HOME FROM ST. VINCENT COLLEGE
sunrise on way home; the smoke stacks of Newark

18 min.
Author singing
BREAKFAST AT STONES
Jordan; David on phone; Alexandra, finger in mouth,
teeth are growing
the Author, at home, on 89th St., standing by the window, looking out

19 min.
subway noise
CARL TH.DREYER
a few central park images, then Carl Th. Dreyer, in
New York Hotel (Fifth Ave & 6SecondSt.), Sept.18, 1965
Chopin
WALDEN
CU of the Author
Central Park lake & Amy Taubin

20 min.
subway noise
WALDEN text
lake images; Author's shadow on the grass
A TRIP TO MILLBROOK
the Author, on the train
Author sigs and plays accordeon
TIM'S PLACE
Timothy Leary's place, just after the rain,
a glimpse of Tim in red shirt

21 min.
grass and the dog, as he runs through wet grass
Hm, it's nice, says dog
the dog in the wet grass field
the porch, close up of a boy, the road
Author's voice reading
the porch, the road, grass, trees
on the porch, Dr. Alpert walks back and forth
the dog in the fields, in far distance; the dog is inspecting
the fields after the rain
the dog on the porch, the girl with the cat;
dog tries to get the cat, as he should
a girl on the trampoline, jumping up and down
a monkey jumping around the porch; Miss Leary
the Author, jumping up and down, on the trampoline
Shep Sherbell, the girl in red dress, the mansion

24 min.
LAUKAS, A FIELD, AS WIDE AS CHILDHOOD
the girl, jumping up and down
a quiet field just before sunset
Shep, with the dog, on the porch
the bell on the porch, the field
Dr. Alpert, on the porch
the girl, jumping up and down
the evening, the porch, Dr. Alpert and the girl,
walking into the misty distance of evening
red evening skyline, from the roof, all quiet
a small animal in the dark branches of night
yellow flowers in the garden (the flower of St.Jean)
Dr. Metzner & wife
organ music
a little boy holding a puffy grass in front of lens

26 min.
Tim's studio, the monkey, books, painting
green, dark green grass, the ground
the pool, Shep
FLOWERS FOR MARIE MENKEN
flowers

27 min.
GREGORY MARKOPOULOS SHOOTS
BACKGROUNDS FOR GALAXIE
Gregory setting up the tripod, winding up the camera,
street noise
shooting
Lionel Rogosin and Louis Brigante on Bleecker Street
Mike Jacobson and Sitney, by the table

28 1/2 min.
END OF REEL ONE

2

Jim Kweskin's jug band
NOTES ON THE CIRCUS
MAY 16TH 1966; Sound; Colour; 12 mins. "Ringling Bros.; filmed in 1966, in three sessions (three ringed circus); colours, motions
and memories of a circus. Edited in camera (an exercise in instantaneous structuring).v Sound by Jim Kweski's jug band (can be watched also silently). Dedicated to Kenneth Anger
who provided the Ektachrome film stock, in one of my many dry periods." - J.M.

12 min.
Kreplach voices
KREEPING KREPLACHS MEET TO DISCUSS WORLD PROBLEMS
Kreeping Kreplachs - at the Village Gate - June 7,'66
Tuli Kupferberg, Ed Sanders, Al G. Aronowitz, Barbara
Rubin, Allen Ginsberg, Peter et Julius Orlovsky, Andy Warhol

14 min.
Ginsberg & Orlovsky sing
Storm De Hirsch, Gérard Malanga, Ronna, Walter Bowart, The Capitalist Press, etc.

16 min.
SEPTEMBER
Hare Krishna group singing and dancing in Thompkins Park

17 min.
Hare Krishna
a crowd of people, singing and dancing, as they walk uptown (Nov.6,1966) singing Hare Krishna all the way; Philip Corner beating the gong, Marty Greenbaum playing harmonica; Barbara dancing as they move along the street, uptown

19 min.
subway noise
AUTUMN CAME WITH WIND AND COLD
trees, leaves, N.Y. skyline
autumn park, children playing with leaves
two girls in red dresses, Central Park
children, loads of leaves
STREET WORKS
street workers digging on Fifth Avenue
JEROME, TRYING TO PEEK INTO LARRY RIVERS' SHOW
Jerome Hill, peeking thru the window into the Jewish Museum
Walden text, from the book

20 min.
Chopin
Stones, crossing the park, looking at autumn trees & wind
ALEXANDRA AND JORDAN
Alexandra, sitting on the window sill, laughing at Jordan on the floor
subway noise
the cat in window, washing face

21 min.
SITNEY'S WEDDING
Wedding (just before the wedding) party --
Barbara Rubin, Brakhage, Kelman, the Author,
Sitney (Dec. 19, 1965)
Chopin
a glimpse of Julie and Sitney, leaving the church NEW YEAR'S EVENING IN TIMES SQUARE
Times Square images, at night, lights

22 min.
subway noise
Sitney blows a trumpet, Julie joins in
on subway
BARBET SCHROEDER
Barbet Schroeder having breakfast at Stones

23 min.
Jordan; Alexandra, all dressed up, ready to go out;
Jordan playing with his foot
Walden text from the book
New York skyline, looking from Central Park, evening
GOOFING ON 4SecondSTREET
camera clicks
4SecondStreet, at Grant's -- Kelman, Bob Cowan, Jerry Hiler, John Cavenaugh, Nick Dorsky, Gretchen Weinberg, eating frankfurters, goofing
subway noise
COAL DELIVERER
a black coalworker unloading a coal truck, 41st Street

25 min.
AN UPTOWN PARTY
Gerard Malanga dancing, Jack Smith & Mario Montez
Velvet Underground (rearranged)
on the floor, Nico, Eddie Sedgwick, etc,
at Steve Shore's place

26 min.
VELVET UNDERGROUND'S FIRST APPEARANCE
psychiatrists' convention; Andy Warhol; Velvet Underground plays, Gerard & Eddie dance

27 min.
ALEXANDRA AND JORDAN
Jordan on the floor; Alexandra pressing a doll to her breast; Barbara by the window; David, Chaplin's poster
West River Drive
WALDEN
people skating in Central Park, the pond

28 min.
END OF REEL TWO

3

Velvet Underground (rearranged)
DEEP OF WINTER
fire lights, the cat washing face, the mime
THE SWEET, MAD NAOMI, OUT OF BELLEVUE,
VISITS KEN AND FLO
Naomi in a cold winter street
Ferry Street
Ken Jacobs throws a flag out the window, Naomi rolls in snow & flag
Ken, by the window, showing us the city; he is pointing at Brooklyn Bridge, no doubt
FLO WAS SICK AND IN BED, AND WAS LOOKING AT THE WINDOW, KEN'S NECKTIE, AND HER FRIEND CAT
the window, the necktie, the cat

2 min.
more guests arrive; shots down, from the window, snow by the table, eating, Naomi, and friends
Naomi and Ken in the street, dancing in snow
WALKING NAOMI BACK TO BELLEVUE,
ON MY WAY TO THE TEK, IN SNOWSTORM
snowstorm, Times Square
A FLASHBACK: SEVEN YEARS AGO
text on Becks
Judith Malina with friends, in Times Square, standing VIGIL, snowing, cold
Velvet Underground (rearranged)
WINTER SCENE
children by the river, with sleigh; city streets in snow

5 min.
WINTER SCENE
street workers, in cold and snow; flowers in window;
Central Park

6 min.
Walden text, from the book
Central Park, a squirrel, and a bird
Tek's secretary, lights
MAILING FILM CULTURE
mailing Film Culture; winter streets
AMY STOPS FOR COFFEE

7 min.
Amy in the street; Amy in a drugstore, having coffee
frankfurter man; a black man with his horse; the hoof
STREET WORKS
street workers in yellow raincoats, in snow, keeping fires burning in barrels
PEACE MARCH AT NIGHT

8 min.
Marchers, on 4SecondStreet, at night

9 min.
POLICE VIOLENCE ERUPTS IN TIMES SQUARE,
MARCHERS JAILED
violent commotion, police, marchers dragged, lights

10 min.
subway noise
BLACK POWER
demolition workers, blacks, tearing down a building on 88th Street
WHAT LESLIE SAW THRU THE COOP WINDOW
city streets
Walden text, from the book
Alexandra in the window, playing with the shade
CHINESE NEW YEAR
Fire crackers exploding in the streets; in a restaurant
(Kelman, Hiler, Dorsky, Cavenaugh)

12 min.
voices at the Coop
COOP DIRECTORS MEET
the Coop; Christopher Rice (age six months); Amy Rice, the Author, Ken Jacobs, David Brooks, Gregory Markopoulos, Storm De Hirsch

13 min.
song from radio
WEINBERGS IN WIND AND SLUSH
Weinbergs, H.G. & Gretchen, in a windy slush street,
Broadway & 86th Street
SPARROWS FOR FLO WHO IS STILL SICK
sparrows in cold branches
WINTER SCENE
children with sleigh, by the Hudson
wet city streets, lights, at night
daytime snow scenes, in the park; window cleaner on Columbus Ave;
demolition workers

15 min.
Cocteau's voice
DREAMS OF JEAN COCTEAU
snow fight in Central Park
the lovers, the poet; snow fight continues
IN CENTRAL PARK
Sitney, in the Park, looking at trees; tracks in snow of some animal; Author's shadow
subway noise, birds & skating rink music
LATE WINTER SLUSH
wet snow streets
Tina & Hannelore, on their way to Olmsted

18 min.
OLMSTED HIKE
groups of people moving across the cold woods towards Olmsted (Lindsay, Hoving, Javits)

19 min.
windy hilltop
people moving across the woods, blown by wind
at Holmsted, end station, coffee, warming up,
bee hive, Tina & Hannelore, a brief glimpse of the Author, CU

22 min.
END OF REEL THREE

4

subway noise
ON THIRD AVENUE
the Author, by his working table, drinking coffee;
Barbara editing
the Author, reading a book, in bed

1 min.
Barbara & Ronna, shooting, under a Christmas tree
organ music
Ronna and friends singing Christmas songs
driving thru the snowing street, from the car
CHRISTMAS EVE
Alexandra under a Christmas tree, opening gifts,

3 min.
blowing soap bubbles
OPENING CHRISTMAS GIFTS
Al & Pola & Mother, opening Christmas packages

4 min.
train music
A VISIT TO BRAKHAGES
on way to Colorado, from the train
on way to Colorado; Author, in a mirror

6 min.
voices of Brakhages;
Author plays accordion
ONE DAY LIKE ANY OTHER
at Brakhages; children in snow; Stan in front of his house

7 min.
PONIES
children & ponies

8 min.
ROSCOE
Roscoe, the donkey
STAN GOES TO TOWN

9 min.
Boulanger
Stan driving to town;
STAN LISTENS TO LILI BOULANGER

10 min.
the dog; Stan on bed, listening to music, looking out into the woods;
Jane goes to Post Office

11 min.
IN THE WOODS
the Author and Jane, in the woods; the Author running around, jumping, like crazy; the dog

12 min.
voices of Brakhages;
Author plays accordion
NEOWYN AND CRYSTAL RETURN FROM SCHOOL
Neowyn and Crystal, returning from school
DOG STEALS BIRD'S FOOD, RUNS AWAY, AS WE
SHOUT THRU THE WINDOW,
SHAME ON YOU, SHAME ON YOU!
dog steals bird's food, runs away; children watch thru the window
ON THE MELTING PORCH
Stan watching the melting mountains; full view of the house
JANE CLEANS THE ROOF
Jane on the roof
SUDDENLY IT LOOKED LIKE SPRING
melting porch, Stan, children, animals, the sun
JANE & JONAS DECIDE TO RIDE THE DONKEY
Jane and the Author riding the donkey, which isn't that easy to do; children film the event
STAN & THE CHILDREN
Stan on the porch, children, with 8mm cameras

16 min.
JANE
Jane with the horse
NEOWYN: I'M NOT AFRAID, I'M NOT AFRAID
Neowyn on the donkey (or pony ?), very very proud & daring

17 min.
EVENING
evening shots at Brakhages, table
THE BREAKFAST
morning at Brakhages, huge amounts of pancakes consumed,
children around the table, or helping at the sink

18 min.
Boulanger
A VISIT TO THE BEAVERLAND
Jane and the Author wade thru the snow & woods;
stumps of trees, cut down by beavers
AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO GET DOWN A
TREE CUT DOWN BY BEAVERS BUT STUCK IN THE WOODS
the Author, trying to get the tree, with little success

19 min.
I FIND RABBIT SHIT!
shots of rabbit shit in snow
NEXT MORNING
last shots at Brakhages; on way to Denver; sunset shots
from train
Author's voice
AT TABOR FARM LITHUANIANS DANCED TILL SUNRISE
dancing; dawning sky
at Monroe, the girl with flowers, at the railroad station

21 min.
a Lithuanian folk song
GULF COAST UNDERGROUND IN SPRING FEVER
Austin film-makers, shooting in the park, fooling around

22 min.
subway noise
sunrise on way back to New York
New Jersey skyline, smoke stacks, chimneys

23 1/2 min.
END OF REEL FOUR

5

RICHARD & AMY WATCH SPRING COME
TO THE HUDSON
apple trees in blossom, Central Park
Amy and Richard by the Hudson
the Author, his shadow
Chopin
Amy & the kids of Amsterdam Avenue

1 min.
subway noise
ONE DAY IN NEWPORT...
Author, in a boat
POLA & MOTHER IN THE COUNTRY
Chopin
Pola & mother gathering blooming branches, walking down the road, Leo's house

2 min.
Richter's voice, etc.
A VISIT TO HANS RICHTER
Hans Richter's place; the meal; Al & Pola walk into the distance; the road; water lillies; Hans' working room; Author's feet;
Author shoots the fly; Standish Lawder with his Arri; the bug; Hans' studio; Hans leaves his room;

5 min.
the Author, changing tape on Nagra;
the pond, the road, the bucolic scenes...
with everybody standing, gazing very romantically...
Herman G. Weinberg, standing alone by himself, gazing into distance, thinking about Renoir;

6 min.
Pola & Al walk down the road; Hans, pruning the dead branches, everybody joins in; Hans resting in his studio room; 8x8 tree.

7 min.
author's voice
IN CENTRAL PARK
Tina on stilts. Hannelore's stilt party.
Ray Johnson, Paul Krasner, the park

9 min.
Viennese Music
PETER'S WEDDING
Newport, Peter, Minnie, Cushings
arial shots of Newport & Cushing's place
in the church
Wedding feast, in the tent
departure of Peter & Minnie by helicopter
at the neighbor's house, next morning

22 min.
leaves in wind
SOON AFTER THAT CAME AUTUMN
leaves, autumn trees & park at the University of Delaware, branches in wind, University grounds, wind

23 min.
Chopin
a brook in autumn woods
MEL'S CHILDREN
children on a swing board, Roxbury
JOEY
Joey and children in the autumn street, playing with tires, leaves all around; Mel looks from behind the window; Jessie picks roses

25 min.
Author's voice
A TRIP TO NEW JERSEY
Willard Van Dyke, Adolfas, Gideon Bachmann, Hella
Hammid go to New Jersey hunting

26 min.
Al makes friends with the dog;
at the cafeteria; Al is having a conference outside, with Willard; more coffee
driving again; stopping at the hunting grounds; the hunter in red jacket; Al in a tree; Al directs a film

29 min.
(HTH) for Gideon's TV crew; Al cleaning his shoes, fooling around in a dug-out; the German crew moves in...

30 min.
Chopin
Hella, Willard; the autumn ground

30 1/2 min.
END OF REEL FIVE

6

Group Image, rearranged
WENDY'S WEDDING
Wendy's wedding images, by the church
wedding party, 80 Wooster Street
AND MUSIC PLAYED AND PLAYED
wedding party cont.

7 min.
Author's voice & camera clicks
COMING BACK TO NEW YORK FROM BUFFALO
sunrise over Manhattan, over Harlem

8 min.
Shirley Clarke, Jud Yalkut, Gideon, on 12th Street,
Sunday breakfast
Shirley eating bagels

9 min.
fooling around in Central Park skating rink

12 min.
shots from Chelsea Hotel; the window; the street newspaper man on 23rd St. & 7th Avenue corner

13 min.
subway noise
WINTER SCENE
New York streets in winter
Walden text, from the book
winter streets in heavy snow

14 min.
Louis and Shirley in a downtown street
Amy, putting make-up
Walden text, from the book
at the Coop, Ernie Gehr
Sitneys, in the street

15 min.
MARIE MENKEN & SISTER
Marie Menken, sunset, from Brooklyn Heights
DEEP OF WINTER
winter streets

16 min.
SNOW FIGHT ON BLEECKER STREET
boys fighting, throwing snow at the Author
THE VILLAGE VOICE
Voice offices; Fancher; Stoller

17 min.
Author on Becks
A FLASHBACK: SEVEN YEARS AGO
Becks & friends, at UN, picketing in snow and cold, heavy with rucksacks and things
Walden text, from the book
subway noise
windy streets, people hurrying, with their coats flying

18 min.
SUNDAY MORNING
SNOWSTORM ON EIGHTH AVENUE
a heavy snow falling on Eighth Avenue

19 min.
MARTHA WHOM I HADN'T SEEN FOR SOME TIME
Buxtehude
Martha Menujin; the Author, rolling in the street & snow, with camera running
NEXT DAY
Central Park scenes, after the storm

21 min.
subway noise
WOOSTER STREET
Wooster Street, workers keeping fires
ANTHOLOGY CINEMA MEETS
Kubelka, Brakhage, Kelman, Broughton, Sitney, Stones,
on Broadway, uptown

22 min.
A GIRL WAITING FOR SPRING, AT RUTGERS
Walden text, from the book
a few shots in Central Park; Michael Snow, Richard Foreman, Joyce Weiland
ONE SPRING DAY IN CENTRAL PARK...
Richard on Wooster Street;
...IN THE VERY HEART OF SOHO...
a poor cat with rat's tail joins him

23 min.
students at Marlboro College
Author's voice
Howard Schulman (Rasputin) on 8th Street
sunset
scenes at Cranbrook Academy; strawberries
"Give Peace a Chance"
clouds

25 min.
TO YOKO & JOHN, WITH LOVE
clouds
SING TOGETHER
John and Yoko, bed-in in Montreal
(also: Tim Leary, Al Capp, Nat Hentoff)

29 min.
sunrise
subway noise
Eighth Avenue, from a bus

30 min.
BLAKE SITNEY IS BORN
Blake Sitney in a crib; New Yorker Theater seen across the street, Andalusian Dog is playing Sitney with Melville (dog) in Central Park
JULIE WITH BLAKE

31 min.
the Author in bed, reading
I THOUGHT OF HOME
a hand holding a clover blossom; gypsy poster
Walden text, from the book
red flowers; the girl in red sweater

32 min.
SEPTEMBER
the girl in red, cont. Central Park. She looks at the tree,
the leaves are getting brown already
Chopin
she caresses the grass, with her foot;
camera runs thru the grass
Walden text, from the book

33 min.
subway noise
the girl in red, cont. Now she sits down, and looks at the park, lights a cigarette
she smiles, sort of; in her fingers she has a tiny flower, or just a stem of grass, she studies it
WALDEN

34 min.
END OF FIRST DRAFT OF THE DIARIES


Walden

© 1996-2011
Serge Mironneau