Robert Nelson
Biography: Born in 1930 to a family of Swedish immigrants, Robert Nelson studied painting until changing his focus to concentrate on filmmaking in the early 1960s. Strong influences included the Bay Area bohemian Beat scene and the improvisatory theatre of the San Francisco Mime Troupe, with which he would ultimately collaborate on several films. His marriage to experimental filmmaker Gunvor Nelson also helped jumpstart his early filmmaking impulse and instigated many films.
Place of Birth: Not available
Birthday: March 01, 1930
Deathday: January 09, 2012
Popularity:
Known For
Five Artists: BillBobBillBillBob
1971-11-11
Five Artists: BillBobBillBillBob
Overview: A feature-length documentary directed by Dorothy Wiley and Gunvor Nelson about five working San Francisco artists: William T. Wiley, Robert Hudson, William Allan, William Geis and Robert Nelson-- A profile of five friends and their creative processes.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1971-11-11
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Travelogue: Portraits – Images from a journey
1969-01-01
Travelogue: Portraits – Images from a journey
Overview: A black-and-white travel journal, in which the themes of memories and their relationship to the past suddenly catch up and rush away from us. The film is based on a series of portraits of American artists, all of whom belong to a young and politicized generation, presented in static tableaus from their studios, films and home environments.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1969-01-01
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Picasso
1973-04-08
Picasso
Overview: “When Picasso died I wanted to make the first post-mortem documentary, as I knew would happen anyway, and cheaply. The film took four hours to finish from camera to print and cost a little under $5." Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2008.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1973-04-08
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The Off-Handed Jape... & How to Pull It Off
1967-01-01
The Off-Handed Jape... & How to Pull It Off
Overview: The Off-Handed Jape is an afternoon’s lark made by Nelson and his artist friend William Wiley. The two men perform whimsical actions and poses for the camera, then recontextualize this imagery by improvising their own commentary on the action at a later time. —Andy Ditzler. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2002.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1967-01-01
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Riverbody
1970-03-11
Riverbody
Overview: A continuous dissolve of 87 male and female nudes. "The film's fascination lies with the suspense of that magic moment, halfway between two persons, when the dissolve technique produces composite figures, oftentimes hermaphroditic, that inspires awe for the mystery of the human form." - B. Ruby Rich, Chicago Art Institute
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1970-03-11
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Deep Westurn
1974-06-05
Deep Westurn
Overview: A ‘film wake’. Though celebratory in mood, it has a mournful subtext… death and dying. We dedicated it to Dr. Sam West, departed friend and patron of the arts, trusting that his ghost would approve our hi-jinx and seeming irreverence. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2002.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1974-06-05
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