John Cage: I Have Nothing to Say and I Am Saying It (1990)

Director: Allan Miller

This 56-minute documentary on America's most controversial and unique composer manages to cover a great many aspects of Cage's work and thought. His love for mushrooms, his Zen beliefs and use of the I Ching, and basic bio details are all explained intelligently and dynamically. Black Mountain, Buckminster Fuller, Rauschenberg, Duchamp are mentioned. Yoko Ono, John Rockwell, Laurie Anderson, Richard Kostelanetz make appearances. Fascinating performance sequences include Margaret Leng-Tan performing on prepared piano, Merce Cunningham and company, and performances of Credo In Us, Water Music, and Third Construction. Demystifies the man who made music from silence, from all sounds, from life.

Cast

John Cage

Self

Merce Cunningham

Self

Yoko Ono

Self

Laurie Anderson

Self

Margaret Leng Tan

Herself

Robert Rauschenberg

Himself

Patricia Denk Powers

Narrator (voice)