Road hard

Published: Friday, May 1, 2026 at 4:22 pm

Road Movies and the Cinematic Exploration of America

A recent program of experimental films, "Eyes on the Road: Four American Road Movies," offered a compelling exploration of the road trip as a cinematic device. The program, presented by Tone Glow, showcased how filmmakers use the journey to capture and convey perspectives on the American landscape and experience.

The centerpiece of the program was James Benning and Bette Gordon's "The United States of America" (1975). This film, shot from the perspective of the filmmakers' car, documents their travels across the country. The film's impact stems from its seemingly spontaneous nature, despite being carefully constructed. The filmmakers choreographed their on-screen appearances and incorporated contemporary radio hits into the soundtrack. Made around America's bicentennial, the film serves as both a statement and a question about the nation.

Also screened were two rare Benning shorts, "Chicago Loop" (1976) and "9-1-75" (1975). "9-1-75" features Benning filming the perimeter of a campground, with a soundtrack that, upon closer inspection, reveals a deliberate manipulation of sound. The program also included Thom Andersen's "Get Out of the Car" (2010), which documents cultural shifts in Los Angeles.

The author also attended screenings of Robert Bresson's "A Man Escaped" (1956) as part of a "Prison Break!: Films of Escape" series. The author notes the importance of sound in Bresson's work, highlighting how the filmmaker uses sound to shape the viewer's experience. The author also saw John Cromwell's "The Prisoner of Zenda" (1937) and Joo Csar Monteiro's "Recollections of the Yellow House" (1989).

BNN's Perspective: The program highlights the enduring power of film to explore themes of travel, observation, and the construction of meaning. The diverse selection of films, from the structuralist approach of Benning and Gordon to the narrative focus of Bresson, demonstrates the multifaceted ways in which filmmakers can use the road and the cinematic medium to engage with the world.

Keywords: road movies, experimental film, James Benning, Bette Gordon, The United States of America, Thom Andersen, A Man Escaped, Robert Bresson, Chicago Loop, 9-1-75, Get Out of the Car, film sound, cinema, movie review, film program

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