Press Release for 'A Poem Is a Naked Person'

Date: Sept. 28, 2016

To: All media for immediate release

Re: The screening of “A Poem Is a Naked Person”

From: The Bijou Film Center

On Fri., Oct. 7 and Sat., Oct. 8: In its screening room at 304 E. Broad St. the Bijou Film Center will present to the public four screenings of a long-awaited film directed by the legendary Les Blank. Plus a wee surprise.

Admission: $9. No advance tickets.

Show times: 6:30 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.

About the director: As filmmakers go, Les Blank (1935-2013) was an independent's independent. His work frequently offers intimate glimpses into the idiosyncratic lives of people existing at the periphery of American society. Blank's mostly short films have focused on Cajun, Mexican, Polish, Hawaiian and Serbian-American music and food traditions. As well as on Afro-Cuban drummers, Texas blues men, Appalachian fiddlers, flower children and yes – gap-toothed women.

“A Poem Is a Naked Person” (1974, 2015): 90 minutes. Color. Directed by Les Blank. Cast: Leon Russell, Willie Nelson and George Jones.

About the film: Les Blank shot and edited “A Poem Is A Naked Person” over a couple of years (1972-74), while living in the Russell/Shelter Records recording studio compound in Oklahoma. Although it was shown a few times by non-profits to private audiences, the highly-praised film wasn't released, theatrically. Then, after the filmmaker's death in 2013, his son Harrod Blank cut a deal with Leon Russell in order to re-master and finally release the 40-year-old film.

The trailer is here.

Note: A second, short Les Blank film will be screened before “A Poem Is a Naked Person” for both show times on both evenings. The title? Be surprised.

Beer, wine and soft drinks will be for sale.