The opening statement, complete in itself, of Brakhage's epic drama of the creation of the universe.

"PRELUDE is a declaration both of the unity of the world (and Brakhage's lyrical feeling of identification with it) and love for woman, expressed in transcendent, cosmic terms. His images here include both the microscopic and telescopic, and range from solar explosions to brief glimpses of the beloved's body ... the degree of spiritual, cosmic feeling is remarkable. Brakhage has gone further than any of his fellows whose work I have seen." - Paul Beckley, New York Herald Tribune

"Four basic visual themes dominate PRELUDE: 1) the four elements, air, earth, fire and water; 2) the cosmos represented in stock footage of the sun, the moon, and the stars; 3) Brakhage's household - himself, his dog and cat, his baby and particularly his wife's nude body; and 4) artificial, yet purely filmic devices such as painting or scratching on film, distorting lenses, double exposure and clear leader." - P. Adams Sitney