Free Radicals

Name: Free Radicals
Genre: Animation, Music
Released: 1958-04-23
Duration: 5 min

1958 · 0h 5m · Animation, Music · New Zealand, United States of America

In this powerful abstract film with a soundtrack of African drum music, Lye scratched "white ziggle-zag-splutter scratches" on to black leather, using a variety of tools from saw teeth to arrow heads. The first version of the film won a major award at the International Experimental Film Festival Held in Brussels in 1958 in association with the World's Fair. Stan Brakhage described the film as "an almost unbelievably immense masterpiece".

Directed by

Len Lye

6.0Smart score

The TMDB rating, pulled toward the movie average (6.03) as if it had 82 extra average votes. Few votes means more pull.

TMDB6.1

71 TMDB votes · IMDb page

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Not available to stream, rent or buy in United States.

Where each service has it

LaCinetek: available in 2 countries

Rent or buy · 2Belgium, France

Streaming data by JustWatch, via TMDB. Links open the JustWatch listing for United States.

Style & content

abstractshort film

Keywords from TMDB.

Connected through the crew

A Colour Box1935 · Director Len Lye Trade Tattoo1937 · Director Len Lye Rhythm1957 · Director Len Lye Tusalava1929 · Director Len Lye Swinging the Lambeth Walk1940 · Director Len Lye Colour Flight1937 · Director Len Lye Experimental Animation1933 · Writer Len Lye, Director Len Lye Kaleidoscope1935 · Director Len Lye The Birth of the Robot1936 · Director Len Lye Color Cry1952 · Director Len Lye

Browse lists

Best Animation Movies of the 1950s Best Music Movies of the 1950s Best Animation Movies of All Time Best Music Movies of All Time