Experimental vs. Narrative

Can experimental films be narratives?

I'm going to take a political approach to answer this question and say that some experimental films are narratives, while others are not. However, a lot of this question has to do with the definition of "narrative;" and as Amanda says in her blog, "story" comes up in the definition. Looking back to previous films, in my opinion, Dorsky's "Variations" doesn't display much of a story. I see images of walks around San Francisco. I don't really see him telling a tale, but more giving me an idea of balance between the image and the maker. The film also gave me a sense that I was taking a walk with Dorsky, seeing everything he saw. As we talked about in class, the film was more like a visual diary, rather than a story with its own characters. For this film, I would say it is not a narrative, but rather a "sense of heightened vision" into the streets of San Francisco.
On the other hand, "Birthday Suit," by Lisa Steel is much more intimate and confessional. I do get a sense of a narrative in this film where Lisa is the main character and we hear the stories from her birth until age twenty-seven. While it wasn't a traditional story, I did hear a beginning, middle, and end. She told the story of her life so far and the scars and defects she obtained since she was born. I would call this film a narrative.
To answer the question, "are these films important?" I would say both films definitely are significant because they are experimental. Anything that gets you to think is extremely important. If we stop experimenting with film, we would be watching the same thing over and over again, not learning anything. I don't think films require a narrative to have a meaning or even significance.
Does abandoning traditional conventions mean that you have to alienate the viewer?
No, because creating questions and ideas with the viewer does not necessarily mean they are being alienated, it means they are being forced to think. They are being handed something out of the ordinary and asked to try to figure it out. Maybe if they are turned away from nontraditional conventions, they are choosing not to open up their minds and think.