Every year it seems like there’s a new kid on the underground block and 2009 is no exception. This year finds the first annual Arkansas Underground Film Festival, which will run July 17-19 in Hot Springs at the historic Malco Theater.

This is primarily a short film festival, although one or two of the films run about an hour. It’s also an eclectic mix of classic underground retrospectives and new films. There will be retrospectives honoring the Flux Film movement, Stan Brakhage, Andy Warhol, William S. Burroughs, Len Lye and more. As for the new short films, there aren’t many names or titles I personally recognize, except for Jon Clark‘s Video Art, an ’80s-inspired groovealicious piece, which will run as an installation piece on the 18th. And on the 19th, while I haven’t exactly seen Neil Ira Needleman‘s What I Saw on October 32, 1988, I am a huge fan of his work in general, so I say check that out.

As you’ll see below, it’s a pretty extensive lineup. To me, it looks like a great time. For a lot of these older films, it’s really rare to catch a screening of them on a big screen and, for some of them, anywhere at all. And to check out this many new experimental, avant-garde and underground short films, I don’t think there’s anything better:

July 17

5:00 p.m.: Opening reception. David Nelson will showcase his collection of rare small-gauge projectors. Also, on installation will be shown Lee Bishop’s Light and Christine Lucy Latimer‘s (Just beyond the screen) the universe: as we know it: is ending.

6:00 p.m.: Films by George Melies, including:
The Conjurer
A Trip to the Moon
The Palace of the Arabian Nights
The Doctor Secret
The Conquest of the Pole

7:00 p.m.: “Surrealist Classics”
Un Chien Andalou, dir. Salvador Dali & Luis Bunuel
A Page of Madness, dir. Kinugasa Teinosuke

9:00 p.m.: “Surrealist Short Film Program”
Infiltration, dir. Charles Chadwick
The Salariat in Parts, dir. Zachary Epcar (Read the underground movie review)
The Land Beyond Explanation, dir. Madam X
Ichthyopolis, dir. Andre Silva
Donkey Harvest, dir. Allan Brown
Un cadavre Exquis, dir. Volatile Works collective
The Presentation Theme, dir. Jim Trainor
Running Sushi, dir. Mara Mattuschka & Chris Haring

July 18

1:00 p.m.: Opening reception by Projexorcism. Plus, on installation:
Video Art, dir. Jon Clark
Lake, dir. Jake Barningham

2:00 p.m.: “The Films of Andy Warhol“
Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol, dir. Chuck Workman
Outer and Inner Space, dir. Andy Warhol
Haircut (no.1), dir. Andy Warhol

5:15 p.m: “FluxFilm Program” (Curated by George Maciumas in the ’70s.)
George Brecht: Entry-Exit
Anonymous: Eyeblink
George Maciumas: Artype
Eric Andersen: Opus 74, version 2
Chieko Shiomi: Disappearing Music for Face
George Maciunas: 10 Feet
Robert Watts: Trace
Albert Fine: Readymade
Paul Sharits: Sears Catalogue 1-3, Dots 1 & 3, Wrist Trick, Unrolling Event
Yoko Ono: Number 4
John Cale: Police Car
Joe Jones: Smoke
Paul Sharits: Word Movie

6:15 p.m.: “William S. Burroughs Program” (Films by Burroughs, Byron Gysin and Anthony Balch)
Towers Open Fire
The Cut Ups
Bill and Tony

7:00 p.m.: Projexorcism, a live multi-projection film performance.

8:00 p.m.: Freezer Fright, dir. Nancy Silver.

9:00 p.m.: “Catfish With Falcon Wings” (Films by Jason Laray Keener and Jeremiah Ledbetter)
Athazagoraphobia
I Don’t Love Anyone Anymore
Hail Cracking Cobra Eggs
Hallelujah! Gorilla Revival
Hollow Porcelain Fish Chamber

9:30 p.m.: “Outsider Short Film Program”
La Gallina Matadora, dir. Matthew Silver & Manuel Pimentel
Everything You Need, dir. Luke Holden
Unless You’ve Tried It, You Have No Idea How Hard It Is to Bury a Horse, dir. Luke Holden
Flesh Orgy of the Zombie Totem, dir. James W. Harris
Time for Bed, dir. Montgomery Klinefelter
The Spanky Monkey Movie, dir. Micki Tschur
Miss Edmonton Teen Burger 1983 in: It’s Party Time!, dir. Amy Lockhart
Royalty and Catass, dir. The Vititoe Brothers
The Milkman, dir. Ken Takahashi

July 19

12:30 p.m.: On installation: Gennaro De Pasquale’s Bold Stories and Jeremy Newman’s Window.

1:00 p.m.: “Stan Brakhage Retrospective”
Brakhage, dir. Jim Shedden
Stan Brakhage, dir. Pip Chodorov
Garden Path, dir. by Mary Beth Reed
Films by Stan Brakhage:
Interim
Mothlight
The Stars Are Beautiful
The Dante Quartet
I… Dreaming
Lovesong
Chinese Series
The Jesus Trilogy and Coda (presented with live sound accompaniment)

4:30 p.m.: “Avant-Garde Classics”
Radio Dynamics, dir. Oscar Fischinger
Color Cry, dir. Len Lye
Particles in Space, dir. Len Lye
Tal Farlow, dir. Len Lye
Rhythm, dir. Len Lye
Free Radicals, dir. Len Lye
Cotillion, dir. Joseph Cornell
The Midnight Party, dir. Joseph Cornell
Children’s Party, dir. Joseph Cornell
Meshes in the Afternoon, dir. Maya Deren
Neighbors, dir. Norman McLaren
Wild Night in El Reno, dir. George Kuchar
The Mongreloid, dir. George Kuchar
Help! My Snowman is Burning Down, dir. Carson Davidson

6:30 p.m.: “Experimental Short Film Program”
Shade, dir. David Warren
Arterial Disposition of Thought and Being, dir. Mason Shefa
What I Saw on October 32, 1988, dir. Neil Ira Needleman
Isabell, dir. Kathleen Rugh
Spaces, dir. Josh Romphf
All the House, dir. Caroline Koebel
Destination Finale, dir. Philip Widmann (Read the underground movie review)
Themes and Variations for the Naked Eye, dir. Caitlin Horsmon
Plastic Opera, dir. Matthew Perino
One Last Shock, dir. Adam Paradis
Emergence, dir. Marcin Blajecki
In the Pink, dir. R.C. Johnson
Troll Eyes, dir. Trevor Adams
Fraunmuskel, dir. Frank Biesendorfer
Lezzieflick, dir. Nana Swiczinsky

For more info, please check out the official ARKUFF website.