Reading 1974: Portrait of a City

color, sound, 56 min
scans not available
Produced and directed by: Gary Adlestein, Costa Mantis, Jerry Orr. 30th Anniversary Edition. A documentary (in the city symphony tradition begun by experimentalists in the 1920's) that captures the ...
Rental format: DVD NTSC
Available for sale: DVD NTSC

About

Produced and directed by: Gary Adlestein, Costa Mantis, Jerry Orr. 30th Anniversary Edition. A documentary (in the city symphony tradition begun by experimentalists in the 1920's) that captures the essence of Reading, PA in 1974 at the height of the urban renewal era, when the centers of many mid-sized American cities were gutten and redesigned to make way for the "the future." The film captures its subject at exactly the point when what seemed unique and special about this rather old-fashioned, Pennsylvania Dutch, urban center was rapidly disappearing. This 16mm portrait - the first film to receive a production grant from the PA Council of the Arts - was shown at film venues (eg., MoMA's "What's Happening" series) and festivals throughout the country. As the years have passed, the makers of the documentary have observed it evolve into both a fascinating 1970's time capsule and a poignant cinematic elegy. (According to the 2010 Census Bureau data on cities with a population of more than 65,000, Reading had the "largest share of its residents living in poverty, barely edging out Flint, Mich." - New York Times 10/26/11). So exotic and oozing with character, I forgot I was looking at my own culture. Unforgettable and beautifully bizarre. (Mike Kuchar) Very impressive - one of the best of its kind that I've seen. - Bill Judson, Film Curator, Museum of Art, Carnegie Institute One of the most original and most interesting American independent feature-length films of 1975. - Film Comment, May/June 1976

Films

  • Other films by this artist in our catalogue

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    Reading 1974: 30th Anniversary Edition
    Documentary

    Reading 1974: 30th Anniversary Edition
    Gary Adlestein

    color, sound, 56 min
    Rental format: DVD NTSC
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    Cat's Eyes
    Experimental

    Cat's Eyes
    Gary Adlestein

    16mm, color and b/w, silent, 3.25 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Music
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    Kosher
    Experimental

    Kosher
    Gary Adlestein

    16mm, color, silent, 2.5 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Erotic
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    Italian Opticals & Italian Places
    Experimental

    Italian Opticals & Italian Places
    Gary Adlestein

    16mm, color, sound, 13.75 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Environment / Nature
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    Optical Lyrics

    Optical Lyrics
    Gary Adlestein

    16mm, color and b/w, silent, 24 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Philosophical
    • Psychology / Mental Health
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    St. Teresa
    Experimental

    St. Teresa
    Gary Adlestein

    16mm, color, sound, 5 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Arts / Artists
    • Biography / Autobiography
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    Room In His Heart

    Room In His Heart
    Gary Adlestein

    16mm, color, sound, 32.5 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Literarature / Theater
    • Philosophical
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    Kore/Kouros
    Experimental

    Kore/Kouros
    Gary Adlestein

    super-8, color, sound on separate reel(s), 11 min
    Rental format: super8
    • Arts / Artists
    • Body
    • Erotic
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    S-8 Diaries: 1987/89
    Experimental

    S-8 Diaries: 1987/89
    Gary Adlestein

    super-8, color, sound on separate reel(s), 11 min
    Rental format: super8
    • Environment / Nature
    • Personal / Diary / Journal
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    Candy
    Experimental

    Candy
    Gary Adlestein

    super-8, color, sound on separate reel(s), 11 min
    Rental format: super8
    • Arts / Artists
    • Biography / Autobiography
    • Literarature / Theater
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    Pink Venise I Like

    Pink Venise I Like
    Gary Adlestein

    super-8, color, sound, 11.5 min
    Rental format: super8
    • Environment / Nature
    • Personal / Diary / Journal
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    Forsythia
    Experimental

    Forsythia
    Gary Adlestein

    super-8, color, sound, 3 min
    Rental format: super8
    • Environment / Nature
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    Spring/Fall Cinesongs For Storm De Hirsch
    Experimental

    Spring/Fall Cinesongs For Storm De Hirsch
    Gary Adlestein

    super-8, color, sound, 11 min
    Rental format: super8
    • Environment / Nature
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    Cezannescapes 1 & 2
    Experimental

    Cezannescapes 1 & 2
    Gary Adlestein

    super-8, color, sound, 5.5 min
    Rental format: super8
    • Arts / Artists
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    Gaudi & Cezannescapes
    Experimental

    Gaudi & Cezannescapes
    Gary Adlestein

    color, sound, 12 min
    Rental formats: DVD NTSC, mini DV NTSC
    • Landscape / Architecture
    • Arts / Artists
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    Figures
    Experimental

    Figures
    Gary Adlestein

    video, color, sound, 20 min
    Rental format: VHS NTSC
    • Body
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    Domestic - Selected Films & Videos 1981-2001
    Experimental

    Domestic - Selected Films & Videos 1981-2001
    Gary Adlestein

    16mm, Super 8, color, sound
    Rental format: DVD NTSC
    • Philosophical
    • Landscape / Architecture
    • Music
    • Environment / Nature
    • Arts / Artists
    • Literarature / Theater
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    Italia - Selected Films & Videos 1980-2005
    Experimental

    Italia - Selected Films & Videos 1980-2005
    Gary Adlestein

    16mm, super8, mini DV, color, sound
    Rental format: DVD NTSC
    • Landscape / Architecture
    • Environment / Nature
    • Arts / Artists
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    Septuagenarian Collaborations

    Septuagenarian Collaborations
    Gary Adlestein

    color, sound, 48 min
    Rental format: DVD NTSC
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    1/20/17
    Documentary
    Experimental

    1/20/17
    Gary Adlestein

    digital, color, sound, 3 min
    Rental formats: Digital file, DVD NTSC
    • History
    • Political / Social Activism
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    DEAL!
    Experimental

    DEAL!
    Gary Adlestein

    color, sound, 4 min
    Rental formats: Digital file, DVD NTSC
    • Body
    • History
    • Political / Social Activism
    • Found Footage