----
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The great documentary filmmaker Les Blank founded his own production company, Flower Films, in the late 60s, and all of his films since that time have been independently produced. Most of his films focus on American traditional music forms including (among others) blues, Appalachian, Cajun, Creole, Tex-Mex, polka, tamburitza, and Hawaiian musics. Many of these films represent the only filmed documents of master musicians who are now deceased. Other notable films by Blank on non-musical subjects include a film about garlic and another about gap-toothed women. His best known works are two films about German film director Werner Herzog: Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe (1980) and Burden of Dreams (1982), the latter about the filming of Herzog's Fitzcarraldo. His most recent film, All In This Tea, begun in 1997 and released in 2007, is a profile of the Berkeley, California-based tea importer and adventurer David Lee Hoffman. He talks about his new film, Werner Herzog, and his life as a maverick filmmaker in this recent interview. Below find short pieces from eleven of his more than forty films.
'Pinocchio started it all for me, in 1940, when I was 4 years old. It happened at the Tampa Theater, one of the grand old depression-era movie palaces thankfully preserved still today, with all of its ornate and excessive decor, in Tampa, Florida. It has twinkling stars in the ceiling and clouds that float by. Plus lots of bare-breasted women with long flowing tresses seemingly everywhere I looked. One held the water fountain out for me to drink from. Others waved huge candlelabra of light and were strategically situated throughout the wondrous and mysterious, darkened stucco caverns. For a breast-fed kid of four it was most stimulating. There was no question of my willingness to suspend disbelief. And suspend it I did. I was instantly sucked into the cartoon from the first frame and I’m not sure I’ve ever completely returned.'-- Les Blank
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
fromThe Blues According to Lightnin' Hopkins(1967; 2:10)
-- 'The great Texas bluesman Lightnin' Hopkins is captured in this emotional and revealing feature length film. Blank reveals Lightnin's inspiration, and features a generous helping of classic blues.'
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
fromSpend It All(1971; 2:46)
-- 'Blank's rich portrayal of the lives and music of the French-speaking Cajuns of Louisiana, featuring the Balfa Brothers, Marc Savoy and Nathan Abshire.'
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
fromHot Pepper(1973; 4:28)
-- 'Blank's musical portrait of Zydeco King Clifton Chenier, who combines the pulsating rhythms of Cajun dance music and black R&B with African overtones, belting out his irresistible music in the sweaty juke joints of South Louisiana.'
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
fromAlways for Pleasure(1978; 2:38)
-- 'An intense insider's portrait of New Orleans' street celebrations and unique cultural gumbo: Second-line parades, Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest. Features live music from Professor Longhair, the Wild Tchoupitoulas, the Neville Brothers and more.'
fromGarlic is as Good as Ten Mothers(1980; 2:47)
-- 'Blank's zesty paean of praise to the greater glories of garlic is a passionate foray into the history, consumption, cultivation and culinary/curative powers of the stinking rose.'
fromWerner Herzog Eats His Shoe(1980; 5:42)
-- 'German film director Werner Herzog really does eat his shoe to fulfill a vow to fellow filmmaker Errol Morris -- boldly exemplifying his belief that people must have the guts to attempt what they dream of.'
fromBurden of Dreams(1982; 1:17)
-- ' Blank's feature-length documentary about the messianic German director Werner Herzog struggling against desperate odds in the Amazon basin to make his epic feature, Fitzcarraldo.'
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
fromSprout Wings and Fly(1983; 3:14)
-- 'Blank's emotional tribute to Appalachian culture profiles legendary, old-time fiddler Tommy Jarrell.'
fromIn Heaven There is No Beer?(1984; 3:19)
-- 'Blank's joyous romp through the dance, food, music, friendship, and even religion of the Polka.'
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
fromSworn to the Drum(1995; 2:23)
-- 'Blank's documentary tribute to Francisco Aguabella, perhaps the finest Afro-Cuban master percussionist still living.'
fromAll In This Tea(2007; 2:50)
-- 'All In This Tea takes us into the world of tea by following world-renowned obsessive tea expert David Lee Hoffman to some of the most remote regions of China in search of the best handmade teas in the world.'
----
*
p.s. Hey. So, it turns out that this trip to Berlin to do the post-production has been a total fiasco. Very long story very short, despite plans and assurances to the contrary, our producers have been unable to find anyone here capable of doing the post-production work on our film. Zac and I will return to Paris this evening, and we will have to try to find someone or someones there to do the post- work as soon as possible. Completely ridiculous, but there it is. What this means for you is that the p.s. will return live tomorrow and continue until/if the post-production work in Paris requires me to start work in the mornings. You will, however, continue to get rerun posts for the next shortish while because I was completely unprepared for this situation. For today, please enjoy this old post about Les Blank, and I will see you and catch up with your comments tomorrow.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The great documentary filmmaker Les Blank founded his own production company, Flower Films, in the late 60s, and all of his films since that time have been independently produced. Most of his films focus on American traditional music forms including (among others) blues, Appalachian, Cajun, Creole, Tex-Mex, polka, tamburitza, and Hawaiian musics. Many of these films represent the only filmed documents of master musicians who are now deceased. Other notable films by Blank on non-musical subjects include a film about garlic and another about gap-toothed women. His best known works are two films about German film director Werner Herzog: Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe (1980) and Burden of Dreams (1982), the latter about the filming of Herzog's Fitzcarraldo. His most recent film, All In This Tea, begun in 1997 and released in 2007, is a profile of the Berkeley, California-based tea importer and adventurer David Lee Hoffman. He talks about his new film, Werner Herzog, and his life as a maverick filmmaker in this recent interview. Below find short pieces from eleven of his more than forty films.
'Pinocchio started it all for me, in 1940, when I was 4 years old. It happened at the Tampa Theater, one of the grand old depression-era movie palaces thankfully preserved still today, with all of its ornate and excessive decor, in Tampa, Florida. It has twinkling stars in the ceiling and clouds that float by. Plus lots of bare-breasted women with long flowing tresses seemingly everywhere I looked. One held the water fountain out for me to drink from. Others waved huge candlelabra of light and were strategically situated throughout the wondrous and mysterious, darkened stucco caverns. For a breast-fed kid of four it was most stimulating. There was no question of my willingness to suspend disbelief. And suspend it I did. I was instantly sucked into the cartoon from the first frame and I’m not sure I’ve ever completely returned.'-- Les Blank
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
fromThe Blues According to Lightnin' Hopkins(1967; 2:10)
-- 'The great Texas bluesman Lightnin' Hopkins is captured in this emotional and revealing feature length film. Blank reveals Lightnin's inspiration, and features a generous helping of classic blues.'
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
fromSpend It All(1971; 2:46)
-- 'Blank's rich portrayal of the lives and music of the French-speaking Cajuns of Louisiana, featuring the Balfa Brothers, Marc Savoy and Nathan Abshire.'
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
fromHot Pepper(1973; 4:28)
-- 'Blank's musical portrait of Zydeco King Clifton Chenier, who combines the pulsating rhythms of Cajun dance music and black R&B with African overtones, belting out his irresistible music in the sweaty juke joints of South Louisiana.'
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
fromAlways for Pleasure(1978; 2:38)
-- 'An intense insider's portrait of New Orleans' street celebrations and unique cultural gumbo: Second-line parades, Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest. Features live music from Professor Longhair, the Wild Tchoupitoulas, the Neville Brothers and more.'
fromGarlic is as Good as Ten Mothers(1980; 2:47)
-- 'Blank's zesty paean of praise to the greater glories of garlic is a passionate foray into the history, consumption, cultivation and culinary/curative powers of the stinking rose.'
fromWerner Herzog Eats His Shoe(1980; 5:42)
-- 'German film director Werner Herzog really does eat his shoe to fulfill a vow to fellow filmmaker Errol Morris -- boldly exemplifying his belief that people must have the guts to attempt what they dream of.'
fromBurden of Dreams(1982; 1:17)
-- ' Blank's feature-length documentary about the messianic German director Werner Herzog struggling against desperate odds in the Amazon basin to make his epic feature, Fitzcarraldo.'
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
fromSprout Wings and Fly(1983; 3:14)
-- 'Blank's emotional tribute to Appalachian culture profiles legendary, old-time fiddler Tommy Jarrell.'
fromIn Heaven There is No Beer?(1984; 3:19)
-- 'Blank's joyous romp through the dance, food, music, friendship, and even religion of the Polka.'
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
fromSworn to the Drum(1995; 2:23)
-- 'Blank's documentary tribute to Francisco Aguabella, perhaps the finest Afro-Cuban master percussionist still living.'
fromAll In This Tea(2007; 2:50)
-- 'All In This Tea takes us into the world of tea by following world-renowned obsessive tea expert David Lee Hoffman to some of the most remote regions of China in search of the best handmade teas in the world.'
----
*
p.s. Hey. So, it turns out that this trip to Berlin to do the post-production has been a total fiasco. Very long story very short, despite plans and assurances to the contrary, our producers have been unable to find anyone here capable of doing the post-production work on our film. Zac and I will return to Paris this evening, and we will have to try to find someone or someones there to do the post- work as soon as possible. Completely ridiculous, but there it is. What this means for you is that the p.s. will return live tomorrow and continue until/if the post-production work in Paris requires me to start work in the mornings. You will, however, continue to get rerun posts for the next shortish while because I was completely unprepared for this situation. For today, please enjoy this old post about Les Blank, and I will see you and catch up with your comments tomorrow.