Date:
Sept. 28, 2016
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.
