Film Notes has published Mike Kuchar's essay "The Metaphysics of Moviemaking," which explores cinema as a form of divination and alchemy. The text, originally from George and Mike Kuchar's 1997 book *Reflections from a Cinematic Cesspool*, is being reissued in anticipation of a new edition from Inpatient Press, copublished with Varichon & Cie. In the essay, Kuchar recounts a personal anecdote about making his 1984 film *Fable for a New Age*, describing his improvisational, unscripted approach to filmmaking and a moment where a missing cut-away shot threatened the coherence of the work.
This publication matters because it revives the voice of Mike Kuchar, a significant underground filmmaker whose work bridges experimental cinema and visual art. The essay's emphasis on chance, accident, and unconscious creation resonates with broader conversations about artistic process and intuition. The forthcoming book edition also signals continued interest in preserving and recontextualizing the Kuchar brothers' influential, often irreverent contributions to queer and avant-garde film culture.