Breakaway

Breakaway (1967)

Breakaway plays out like a visual symphony. A prototype for the best (but still, lesser) contemporary formalist music videos, like Peter Care’s “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?” and “Drive” (both for REM), Conner’s movie is an experiment in the visual language of film. But no matter how powerful a formal analysis of his filmmaking process may be in suggesting how Conner’s rhythms affect us, there is much in Breakaway – in Basilotta’s brash and unbridled self-assertiveness, in Conner’s feverish camera style, and even in the uncomplicated honesty of Cobb’s catchy lyrics and tune – that defies verbalisation… and must simply be loved! -- Senses of Cinema

Date of release
1967-02-03
TMDB
6.5 / 10 (17)
Runtime
6m
Genres
Music
Director
Bruce Conner

Casting

Interesting facts

Breakaway is a 1966 American short film by Bruce Conner. It shows Toni Basil dancing to her song "Breakaway". The film has a palindromic structure in which the second half of the film reverses the image and sound of the first half. Breakaway is often cited as a precursor to the development of the music video.

Production

Conner and Basil met through a group of mutual friends including Conner's roommate Dean Stockwell and Basil's boyfriend Dennis Hopper. Long before Basil had recorded her song, Conner approached her about putting her in a film. Basil provided her own wardrobe, making a flower garland and cutting out holes in her tights.

Shooting happened in October 1964, in an apartment on the Santa Monica Pier. Conner used a Bolex 16 mm camera. Stockwell was also there, filming the shoot. Footage from the first day of filming was largely unusable, so they continued for a second day with Hopper helping to light it. Basil improvised her choreography.

In February 1966, Basil released her debut single "I'm 28", with "Breakaway" as the B-side. Conner edited his earlier footage of Basil to the song later that year. Because of the hundreds of splices used, the editing process was laborious and lasted several weeks.

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