The Books of Ed Ruscha(1969)

The Books of Ed Ruscha is a rare film venture by the legendary California visual artist. Composer Mason Williams, known for "Classical Gas," opens the film on a hillside patio at dusk, preparing a drink with ritualistic precision while heavy reverb amplifies every ambient sound. He then settles in to page through Ruscha's iconic photography books—Twentysix Gas Stations, Some Los Angeles Apartments, Every Building on the Sunset Strip—examining each image in close detail. Over-the-shoulder shots reveal the books' contents as Williams flips through them, reading available text in a detached monotone. Yet beneath this solemn approach lies irreverence: Williams casually manhandles these limited-edition art objects, treating them almost like disposable catalogs as he methodically works through his task. The film balances reverence for Ruscha's conceptual vision with an unsentimental, almost playful disregard for their precious status.