Often called "the father of West Coast independent cinema," James Broughton (1913-1999) considered himself to be, first and foremost, a poet. Writing poems and making films were, for Broughton, simply two different ways of creating images with feeling. Broughton gained notoriety as a filmmaker after collaborating with Sidney Peterson on The Potted Psalm in 1946, and he went on to make many films throughout his remaining years. He is known for his lyrical, celebratory style of dealing with everyday life, the body, and sexuality, and for blending poetry with film. He published books on film, as well as books of poems, and taught at the San Francisco Art Institute.
James Broughton appeared on Screening Room in April, 1977. He screened and discussed the films Loony Tom: The Happy Lover, This Is It, Water Circle, Windowmobile and Testament.
Screening Room was a 1970s Boston television series that for almost ten years offered independent filmmakers a chance to show and discuss their work on a commercial (ABC-TV) affiliate station. The series was developed and hosted by filmmaker Robert Gardner (Dead Birds, Forest of Bliss), who was Chairman of the Department of Visual and Environmental Studies and Director of the Carpenter Center for Visual Arts at Harvard for many years.
This unique program dealt even-handedly with animation, documentary, and experimental film, welcoming such artists as Jan Lenica, John and Faith Hubley, Emile DeAntonio, Jean Rouch, Ricky Leacock, Jonas Mekas, Bruce Baillie, Yvonne Rainer and Michael Snow. Frequently, guests such as Octavio Paz, Stanley Cavell, and Rudolph Arnheim appeared as well.
Nearly 100 programs were produced during the years Screening Room was broadcast. Recently, The Museum of TV and Radio in New York City offered to copy the two-inch master tapes that had been given to the Film Study Center.
