10 Bizarre Experimental Films You Won't Believe Actually Exist

By Audrey Fox /

4. Dog Star Man

Dog Star Man is another experimental film by Stan Brakhage, the creator of Mothlight, which appeared on this list earlier. But while Mothlight was a brief exercise in artistic innovation, Dog Star Man smacks heavily of excess. The film is comprised of a Prelude and four parts, which add up to about 78 minutes of screen time. And during that time, nothing of narrative significance happens. Dog Star Man could be compared to lying down on the grass and looking up at the clouds, and using your imagination to turn the clouds into dinosaurs and castles and your Great Aunt Millie. It's nearly impossible to describe this film to someone who hasn't seen it, because it seemingly defies explanation. It shies away from conventional cinematic techniques like narrative structure, and the onus is on the viewer to find any meaning or artistic merit within. Not exactly our favorite way to spend an hour and a half, but there are some first year film students out there who have lots of very deep thoughts about Dog Star Man's significance to film at large.