Peter Hutton 1944—)

Filmography (partial)

New York Near Sleep for Saskia (1972), 10 minutes

Florence (1975), 8 minutes

New York Portrait, Part I (1976—77), 15 minutes

Boston Fire (1978), 7 minutes

New York Portrait, Part II (1979—80), 15 minutes

At Sea, in Berlin, Lenin Portrait (1981—83), 45 minutes

Budapest Portrait (1984—86), 35 minutes

Landscape, Part I (for Manon) (1986—87), 15 minutes

Landscape, Part II (In Titan’s Goblet) (1988), 10 minutes

New York Portrait, Part III (1990—91), 15 minutes

Lodz Symphony (1992—93), 20 minutes

Study of a River (1994—96), 60 minutes

Vienna (1996—97), 15 minutes (in progress)

Study of the North Sea (1997), 60 minutes (in progress)

Hutton on In Titan’s Goblet (1988), 10 minutes:

The title refers to a painting by Thomas Cole circa 1833, The Titan’s Goblet. I have long admired this work for its wonderfully surreal depiction of the American landscape. The painting reveals a gigantic goblet towering over a landscape of mountains and valleys. Inside the goblet is an ocean, complete with sailing ships ringed by Greek ruins.

My film depicts elements of the landscape of the Hudson River Valley where Cole lived and painted. The film opens with images of a burning landscape which is actually a landfill in Catskill, N.Y., where Cole had his studio. The fire was the result of two boys having accidentally ignited three million rubber tires. The film concludes with images of a rising moon surrounded by moving clouds. The quality of light in these images reminds me of the seascapes painted by Albert Pinkham Ryder. The American landscape has changed dramatically but remains a thing of great beauty and mystery for me.

–(PH)