CLICK VIDEO TO WATCH NOW! Enchanting portrait of Marc and Ann Savoy, Cajun musicians who are dedicated to the preservation and continuance of Cajun culture. Marc is an irreverent storyteller, cook, and accordion maker. His wife Ann is also a musician, the mother of four, and author of the book Cajun Music: Reflection of a […]
Les Blank marries his passion for spicy, down home food and his love for Cajuns and Creoles in this mouth-watering, exploration of the cooking, and other enthusiasms, of French-speaking Louisiana. Features tangy music, and food by Marc Savoy, Paul Prudhomme, and other greats. A film by Les Blank and Maureen Gosling31 minutes1990 NOTE: For U.S. Educational, Theatrical […]
A rich portrayal of the lives and music of the French-speaking Cajuns of Louisiana, featuring the Balfa Brothers, Marc Savoy and Nathan Abshire. A film by Les Blank with Skip Gerson41 minutes1971 NOTE: For U.S. Educational, Theatrical and Television rights, please contact Janus Films For International, Licensing and all other rights please contact Les Blank […]
A joyous romp through the dance, food, music, friendship, and even religion of the Polka. The explosive energy and high spirits of the polka subculture are rendered with warmth and a dedication to scholarship in this journey through Polish-American celebrations. Polka stars like Jimmy Sturr, Eddie Blazonzyck and Walt Solek are featured. Produced, directed, edited […]
Hippies and flower children dance and create rituals at the historic Los Angeles “Love-In” of Easter Sunday, 1967. This ’60s classic documents a once-in a lifetime phenomenon, preserving all the fashions, energy and idealism of the first “alternative lifestyles.” Psychedelic special effects! A film by Les Blank with Skip Gerson 20 minutes 1968 ISBN: 0-933621-26-4 […]
CLICK VIDEO TO WATCH NOW! 80-year-old Julie Lyon, sister of Old Time fiddler Tommy Jarrell, lights up this gem of a film as she spins tales of her Appalachian childhood in North Carolina — and her first romance. A Film by Les Blank, Cece Conway, Alice Gerrard, and Maureen Gosling11 minutes1991 This film is included on the Sprout […]
CLICK VIDEO TO WATCH NOW! The long-awaited sequel to Sprout Wings and Fly (Les Blank’s first film about this homegrown Appalachian fiddler and raconteur) is a gentle celebration of mountain living, a once-thriving American way of life. This portrait showcases Tommy’s unpretentious folk wisdom and reminiscences. The soundtrack features his singing and fiddling, spiced with […]
This touching tribute to Appalachian culture profiles legendary, old-time fiddler Tommy Jarrell. His unpretentious folk wisdom is interlaced with family scenes and reminiscences, plus plenty of old-time music. Read about Tommy Jarrell in this article on the Old-Time Fiddlers Hall of Fame website. A film by Les Blank, Cece Conway,Alice Gerrard, and Maureen Gosling.30 minutes1983 NOTE: For […]
Les Blank’s celebration of the spirit and social traditions of New Orleans, featuring Mardi Gras and St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. It is an intense insider’s portrait of New Orleans’ street celebrations and the unique cultural gumbo of Second-line parades, Mardi Gras, and the Jazz Fest. The film features live music by Professor Longhair, The Wild […]
Yes, 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. Inspiring. Werner Herzog is forging ahead in his unique cinematic quest for truth. More on Herzog in this […]
CLICK VIDEO TO WATCH NOW! This film follows world-renowned tea expert David Lee Hoffman to remote regions of China in search of the best handmade teas in existence. As a tea importer, Hoffman’s obsession with this ancient beverage led him from “insipid tea bags in America” to far-flung tea regions in Asia. In the process, […]
A charming valentine to women born with a space between their teeth, ranging from lighthearted whimsy to a deeper look at issues like self-esteem and societal attitudes toward standards of beauty. Interviews were conducted with over one hundred women, including model Lauren Hutton and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. A film by Les Blank, […]
The featured music in this Les Blank film is that of “Bois Sec” (Dry Wood) Ardoin, his sons and Canray Fontenot. Theirs is an older, rural style of Cajun music which Blank uses to weave together incidents in the lives of the Fontenot and Ardoin families. Highlights include a rollicking country Mardi Gras, work in […]
This film is a thrilling musical portrait of Zydeco King Clifton Chenier, who combines the pulsating rhythms of Cajun dance music, African overtones, and bluesy R&B into an irresistible mélange mixed up in the sweaty juke joints of South Louisiana. A film by Les Blank with Maureen Gosling54 minutes1973 For U.S. Educational, Theatrical and Television […]
Many people consider Texas bluesman Mance Lipscomb to be the greatest blues guitarist and songster of all time. This glowing portrait of the legendary musician (also life-long husband and sharecropper) is among Blank’s special masterworks. Instead of growing bitter, tough times made Lipscomb sweet. This is reportedly the favorite film of Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. A […]
A zesty paean of praise to the greater glories of garlic. This lip-smacking foray into the history, consumption, cultivation and culinary/curative powers of the stinking rose features chef Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, and a flavorful musical soundtrack. The SF Chronicle called this loving ode to garlic “a joyous, nose-tweaking, ear-tingling, mouth-watering tribute to a […]
CLICK VIDEO TO WATCH ORIGINAL VERSION NOW! The definitive film, by Les Blank, Chris Strachwitz, and Maureen Gosling, on the history of the toe-tapping, foot-stomping music of French Southwest Louisiana. The film includes many Cajun and Zydeco greats, featuring Michael Doucet and BeauSoleil, Clifton Chenier, Marc and Ann Savoy, D.L. Menard, and many others. DVD […]
CLICK VIDEO TO WATCH NOW! A lyrical journey through the heart of Chicano culture as reflected in the love songs of the Tex-Mex Norteña music tradition. Performers include, Little Joe & La Familia, Leo Garza, Chavela Ortiz, Andres Berlanga, Ricardo Mejia, Conjunto Tamaulipas, Chavela y Brown Express and more. Chulas Fronteras, Del Mero Corazon, plus […]
NEWLY REMASTERED TO 4K A complex, insightful look at the Chicano experience as mirrored in the lives and music of the most acclaimed Norteño musicians of the Texas-Mexican border, including Los Alegres de Teran, Flaco Jimenez, and Lydia Mendoza. Chulas Fronteras was selected by The Library Of Congress to be added to the National Film […]
CLICK VIDEO TO WATCH ORIGINAL 1982 VERSION NOW! An extraordinary feature-length documentary about the messianic German director Werner Herzog struggling against desperate odds in the Amazon basin to make his epic feature, Fitzcarraldo. “Burden of Dreams” was honored with a British Academy Award for Best Documentary of 1982, and many critics consider it Blank’s most awesome […]
The great Texas bluesman Lightnin’ Hopkins is captured brilliantly in this deeply moving film. Blank reveals Lightnin’s inspiration, and features a generous helping of classic blues. The film includes performances at an outdoor barbeque and a black rodeo, and a visit to his boyhood town of Centerville, Texas. This powerful portrait is among Blank’s special […]
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