250:
31:
161:
Following his university education, he worked for a production company called
Operation Success, making films that he would later describe as "insipid films that promote business and industry." In 1967 he founded his own production company, Flower Films, with the release of
319:
245:
Blank's films focusing on musical subjects often spent much of their running time focusing not on the music itself but on the music's cultural context, portraying the surroundings from which these
American roots musics come.
391:
announced that Blank had been accepted to receive its 2013 Outstanding
Achievement Award along with a retrospective of his work at the festival, which took place from April 25 to May 5, 2013.
1208:
1053:
1124:
388:
399:
The moving image collection of Les Blank is held at the
Academy Film Archive. The Academy Film Archive has preserved numerous Les Blank films including
207:
and all of his films were independently produced, often with the assistance of grants from cultural agencies, both governmental and non-governmental.
1388:
1408:
1413:
350:
944:
1393:
1383:
595:
1205:
187:
which produced the acid trip segment of that movie, but was replaced afterwards by a more experienced crew. This was followed by
381:
802:
1224:
1050:
987:
962:
927:
1398:
1280:
1192:
1034:
147:
1403:
1143:
151:
97:
1330:
572:
262:
865:
323:
was completed shortly after his death by Gina
Leibrecht, and was a portrait of the co-founder of Direct Cinema,
360:
at his
Berkeley Hills home on April 7, 2013. The nonprofit Les Blank Films continues to release Blank's work.
299:(1995) were Blank's last two films using 16mm film. He later worked in digital video. One of his last films,
1344:
1247:
1323:
564:
275:
1007:
249:
1106:
786:
1302:
518:
242:
music. Many of these films represent the only filmed documents of musicians who are now deceased.
1273:
992:
615:
373:
1026:
1075:
766:
369:
305:, which was co-directed with his creative partner Gina Leibrecht, was a profile of the western
900:
1378:
1373:
1253:
462:
342:
254:
200:
839:
8:
1316:
1216:
1080:
541:
181:
and others were in New
Orleans as part of the original “underground filmmakers” crew of
123:
210:
Most of his films focused on
American traditional music forms, including (among others)
1266:
155:
1187:
1151:
1030:
873:
810:
314:
139:
93:
1337:
1309:
581:
555:
526:
377:
281:
135:
134:
Leslie Harrod Blank Jr. was born
November 27, 1935, in Tampa, Florida. He attended
119:
107:
1351:
1212:
1197:
1057:
931:
732:
447:
372:
in 2007, a national honor given to one artist a year. He was awarded in 1990 the
324:
301:
239:
204:
178:
1232:
327:. In 2007 Blank was awarded the prestigious Edward MacDowell Medal in the Arts.
924:
380:
for outstanding lifetime achievement as an independent filmmaker. In 2011, the
357:
338:
223:
215:
196:
73:
55:
1258:
1367:
1155:
877:
814:
704:
270:
331:
306:
287:
227:
167:
266:
143:
1183:
235:
183:
174:
146:, where he received a B.A. degree in English. He also briefly attended
642:
1193:"Food Filmmaker Les Blank Puts The Scent In Cinema" by Ann Hornaday
945:"Critic's Notebook: Why 'Easy Rider' Still Matters 45 Years Later"
170:
345:, which celebrated Les Blank Day on Jan 22, 2013. His company,
1051:"2011 Career Achievement Award--Visionary Wayfarer: Les Blank"
787:
Les Blank: Always for
Pleasure (1968)|The Criterion Collection
664:
231:
219:
211:
36:
30:
741:
How to Smell a Rose: A Visit with Ricky Leacock in Normandy
320:
How to Smell a Rose: A Visit with Ricky Leacock in Normandy
1178:
803:"Les Blank, Filmmaker of America's Periphery, Dies at 77"
310:
963:"Berkeley documentary filmmaker Les Blank to be honored"
470:
God Respects Us When We Work, But Loves Us When We Dance
164:
God Respects Us When We Work, but Loves Us When We Dance
1101:
1099:
269:
women, as well as two films about German film director
368:
Blank was the first documentary filmmaker to earn the
150:. In the early 1960s, Blank studied filmmaking at the
1096:
1023:
Desert to Dream: A Decade of Burning Man Photography
1008:"Les Blank: Director, Producer, and Cinematographer"
389:
Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival
261:
Other notable films on non-musical subjects include
118:(November 27, 1935 – April 7, 2013) was an American
720:
Sworn to the Drum: A Tribute to Francisco Aguabella
423:
Running Around Like a Chicken With Its Head Cut Off
297:
Sworn to the Drum: A Tribute to Francisco Aguabella
1144:"Film: 'Gap-Toothed Women,' 'Miss . . . or Myth?'"
285:(1982), the latter about the filming of Herzog's
1365:
341:and for more than 30 years he was a resident of
1288:
384:honored Blank with a career achievement award.
1274:
925:Notable Alumni, USC School of Cinematic Arts
166:, a short colorful document of Los Angeles'
988:"Documentary filmmaker Les Blank, 77, dies"
901:"A Well Spent Life: Les Blank, In Memoriam"
351:El Cerrito, Contra Costa County, California
334:, has also become a documentary filmmaker.
1281:
1267:
122:filmmaker best known for his portraits of
29:
1389:Deaths from bladder cancer in California
248:
189:The Blues Accordin' to Lightnin' Hopkins
1073:
1067:
985:
863:
697:The Maestro: King of the Cowboy Artists
679:Julie: Old Time Tales of the Blue Ridge
387:Two months prior to Blank's death, the
293:The Maestro: King of the Cowboy Artists
1366:
960:
1262:
1141:
1020:
800:
657:J'ai Été Au Bal / I Went to the Dance
382:International Documentary Association
1179:Flower Films/Les Blank official site
956:
954:
895:
893:
834:
832:
830:
796:
794:
769:inductee (former 1993; latter 2004)
203:. He never went back to work making
1409:USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni
13:
1414:People from El Cerrito, California
148:University of California, Berkeley
129:
14:
1425:
1394:Artists from Berkeley, California
1252:an essay by Andrew Horton at the
1222:
1172:
1074:Benzine, Adam (5 February 2013).
951:
890:
827:
791:
743:(co-directed with Gina Leibrecht)
736:(co-directed with Gina Leibrecht)
152:University of Southern California
98:University of Southern California
1331:Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers
1021:Traub, Barbara Fischman (2006).
573:Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers
1384:American documentary filmmakers
1225:"A Conversation with Les Blank"
1135:
1117:
1043:
1014:
1000:
645:and the Moula Banda Rhythm Aces
986:Whiting, Sam (April 7, 2013).
979:
937:
918:
857:
780:
630:Ziveli! Medicine for the Heart
414:
177:in late February 1968, Blank,
124:American traditional musicians
16:American documentary filmmaker
1:
1142:Canby, Vincent (1987-09-16).
961:Taylor, Tracey (2013-01-22).
840:"The Making of Les Blank Day"
773:
864:Russell, Tony (2013-04-12).
703:My Old Fiddle: A Visit with
429:Six Short Films of Les Blank
7:
1345:In Heaven There Is No Beer?
1324:Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe
1249:Les Blank’s Cinéma Vitalité
801:Weber, Bruce (2013-04-07).
596:In Heaven There Is No Beer?
565:Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe
409:Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe
276:Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe
10:
1430:
1399:People from Tampa, Florida
1244:(interview with Les Blank)
1076:"Hot Docs to honour Blank"
663:Yum, Yum, Yum! A Taste of
394:
1297:
760:Les Blank's Student Films
363:
317:. In 2014, his last film
103:
89:
81:
62:
44:
28:
21:
1404:Tulane University alumni
1303:A Poem Is a Naked Person
1084:. Brunico Communications
930:August 26, 2009, at the
748:A Poem Is A Naked Person
519:A Poem Is a Naked Person
313:importer and adventurer
993:San Francisco Chronicle
726:The Maestro Rides Again
616:Huey Lewis and the News
461:The Blues Accordin' to
374:American Film Institute
49:Leslie Harrod Blank Jr.
1107:"Les Blank Collection"
767:National Film Registry
370:Edward MacDowell Medal
258:
1204:Courtney Fathom Sell
603:Battle of the Guitars
482:The Sun's Gonna Shine
252:
193:The Sun's Gonna Shine
108:Documentary filmmaker
1254:Criterion Collection
1206:interviews Les Blank
1129:Academy Film Archive
1125:"Preserved Projects"
1111:Academy Film Archive
1062:Documentary Magazine
1025:. Immedium. p.
866:"Les Blank obituary"
589:Sprout Wings and Fly
255:Delacroix, Louisiana
1317:Always for Pleasure
1217:SouthCoastToday.com
947:. 21 February 2013.
542:Always for Pleasure
405:Always for Pleasure
337:Blank lived in the
263:a film about garlic
1289:Films directed by
1211:2017-11-07 at the
1148:The New York Times
1056:2015-04-02 at the
846:. January 22, 2013
807:The New York Times
667:and Creole Cooking
441:And Freedom Came?!
265:and another about
259:
1361:
1360:
715:(cinematographer)
707:in the Blue Ridge
651:The Best of Blank
624:Gap-Toothed Women
559:(cinematographer)
500:A Well Spent Life
463:Lightnin' Hopkins
401:A Well Spent Life
315:David Lee Hoffman
201:Lightnin' Hopkins
154:and received his
140:Tulane University
113:
112:
94:Tulane University
52:November 27, 1935
1421:
1338:Burden of Dreams
1310:Chulas Fronteras
1283:
1276:
1269:
1260:
1259:
1243:
1241:
1240:
1231:. Archived from
1166:
1165:
1163:
1162:
1139:
1133:
1132:
1121:
1115:
1114:
1103:
1094:
1093:
1091:
1089:
1071:
1065:
1049:Taylor Segrest,
1047:
1041:
1040:
1018:
1012:
1011:
1004:
998:
997:
983:
977:
976:
974:
973:
958:
949:
948:
941:
935:
922:
916:
915:
913:
912:
897:
888:
887:
885:
884:
861:
855:
854:
852:
851:
836:
825:
824:
822:
821:
798:
789:
784:
673:Innocents Abroad
582:Burden of Dreams
556:Poto and Cabengo
549:Del Mero Corazon
527:Chulas Fronteras
455:Christopher Tree
378:Maya Deren Award
282:Burden of Dreams
205:industrial films
136:Phillips Academy
69:
33:
19:
18:
1429:
1428:
1424:
1423:
1422:
1420:
1419:
1418:
1364:
1363:
1362:
1357:
1352:All in This Tea
1293:
1287:
1238:
1236:
1229:The Independent
1213:Wayback Machine
1198:Washington Post
1175:
1170:
1169:
1160:
1158:
1140:
1136:
1123:
1122:
1118:
1105:
1104:
1097:
1087:
1085:
1072:
1068:
1058:Wayback Machine
1048:
1044:
1037:
1019:
1015:
1006:
1005:
1001:
984:
980:
971:
969:
959:
952:
943:
942:
938:
932:Wayback Machine
923:
919:
910:
908:
899:
898:
891:
882:
880:
862:
858:
849:
847:
838:
837:
828:
819:
817:
799:
792:
785:
781:
776:
771:
754:Thailand Moment
733:All in This Tea
713:Roots of Rhythm
609:Cigarette Blues
448:Dizzy Gillespie
417:
397:
366:
349:, was based in
325:Richard Leacock
302:All in This Tea
199:blues musician
179:Barry Feinstein
156:master's degree
132:
130:Life and career
96:
90:Alma mater
77:
71:
67:
58:
53:
51:
50:
40:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1427:
1417:
1416:
1411:
1406:
1401:
1396:
1391:
1386:
1381:
1376:
1359:
1358:
1356:
1355:
1348:
1341:
1334:
1327:
1320:
1313:
1306:
1298:
1295:
1294:
1286:
1285:
1278:
1271:
1263:
1257:
1256:
1245:
1223:Tames, David.
1220:
1202:
1201:, 9 March 2005
1190:
1181:
1174:
1173:External links
1171:
1168:
1167:
1134:
1116:
1095:
1066:
1064:, Winter 2012.
1042:
1036:978-1597020039
1035:
1013:
999:
978:
950:
936:
917:
889:
856:
826:
790:
778:
777:
775:
772:
763:
762:
756:
750:
744:
737:
728:
722:
716:
709:
699:
693:
687:
685:Marc & Ann
681:
675:
669:
659:
653:
647:
638:
636:A Blank Buffet
632:
626:
620:
611:
605:
599:
591:
585:
577:
568:
560:
551:
545:
537:
531:
522:
514:
508:
502:
496:
490:
484:
478:
472:
466:
457:
451:
443:
437:
431:
425:
418:
416:
413:
396:
393:
365:
362:
358:bladder cancer
356:Blank died of
339:Berkeley Hills
131:
128:
111:
110:
105:
101:
100:
91:
87:
86:
83:
79:
78:
74:Berkeley Hills
72:
70:(aged 77)
64:
60:
59:
56:Tampa, Florida
54:
48:
46:
42:
41:
35:Blank at 43rd
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1426:
1415:
1412:
1410:
1407:
1405:
1402:
1400:
1397:
1395:
1392:
1390:
1387:
1385:
1382:
1380:
1377:
1375:
1372:
1371:
1369:
1354:
1353:
1349:
1347:
1346:
1342:
1340:
1339:
1335:
1333:
1332:
1328:
1326:
1325:
1321:
1319:
1318:
1314:
1312:
1311:
1307:
1305:
1304:
1300:
1299:
1296:
1292:
1284:
1279:
1277:
1272:
1270:
1265:
1264:
1261:
1255:
1251:
1250:
1246:
1235:on 2013-06-22
1234:
1230:
1226:
1221:
1219:, May 7, 2008
1218:
1214:
1210:
1207:
1203:
1200:
1199:
1194:
1191:
1189:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1176:
1157:
1153:
1149:
1145:
1138:
1130:
1126:
1120:
1112:
1108:
1102:
1100:
1083:
1082:
1077:
1070:
1063:
1059:
1055:
1052:
1046:
1038:
1032:
1028:
1024:
1017:
1009:
1003:
995:
994:
989:
982:
968:
964:
957:
955:
946:
940:
933:
929:
926:
921:
906:
902:
896:
894:
879:
875:
871:
867:
860:
845:
841:
835:
833:
831:
816:
812:
808:
804:
797:
795:
788:
783:
779:
770:
768:
761:
757:
755:
751:
749:
745:
742:
738:
735:
734:
729:
727:
723:
721:
717:
714:
710:
708:
706:
705:Tommy Jarrell
700:
698:
694:
692:
688:
686:
682:
680:
676:
674:
670:
668:
666:
660:
658:
654:
652:
648:
646:
644:
639:
637:
633:
631:
627:
625:
621:
619:
617:
612:
610:
606:
604:
600:
598:
597:
592:
590:
586:
584:
583:
578:
575:
574:
569:
567:
566:
561:
558:
557:
552:
550:
546:
544:
543:
538:
536:
532:
529:
528:
523:
521:
520:
515:
513:
509:
507:
503:
501:
497:
495:
491:
489:
485:
483:
479:
477:
473:
471:
467:
465:
464:
458:
456:
452:
450:
449:
444:
442:
438:
436:
432:
430:
426:
424:
420:
419:
412:
410:
406:
402:
392:
390:
385:
383:
379:
375:
371:
361:
359:
354:
352:
348:
344:
340:
335:
333:
328:
326:
322:
321:
316:
312:
308:
304:
303:
298:
294:
290:
289:
284:
283:
278:
277:
272:
271:Werner Herzog
268:
264:
256:
251:
247:
243:
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
221:
217:
213:
208:
206:
202:
198:
195:(1968) about
194:
190:
186:
185:
180:
176:
172:
169:
165:
159:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
127:
125:
121:
117:
109:
106:
102:
99:
95:
92:
88:
84:
80:
75:
66:April 7, 2013
65:
61:
57:
47:
43:
38:
32:
27:
20:
1350:
1343:
1336:
1329:
1322:
1315:
1308:
1301:
1290:
1248:
1237:. Retrieved
1233:the original
1228:
1196:
1159:. Retrieved
1147:
1137:
1128:
1119:
1110:
1086:. Retrieved
1079:
1069:
1061:
1045:
1022:
1016:
1002:
991:
981:
970:. Retrieved
967:Berkeleyside
966:
939:
920:
909:. Retrieved
907:. 2 May 2013
904:
881:. Retrieved
870:The Guardian
869:
859:
848:. Retrieved
843:
818:. Retrieved
806:
782:
764:
759:
753:
752:1967/2015 -
747:
746:1974/2015 -
740:
731:
725:
719:
712:
702:
696:
690:
684:
678:
672:
662:
656:
650:
641:
635:
629:
623:
614:
608:
602:
594:
588:
580:
571:
563:
554:
548:
540:
534:
525:
517:
511:
505:
499:
494:Spend It All
493:
488:Chicken Real
487:
481:
475:
469:
460:
454:
446:
440:
434:
428:
427:1960–1985 -
422:
408:
404:
400:
398:
386:
367:
355:
347:Flower Films
346:
336:
332:Harrod Blank
329:
318:
307:Marin County
300:
296:
292:
288:Fitzcarraldo
286:
280:
274:
260:
244:
209:
192:
188:
182:
168:Elysian Park
163:
160:
133:
115:
114:
76:, California
68:(2013-04-07)
1379:2013 deaths
1374:1935 births
415:Filmography
330:Les's son,
295:(1994) and
279:(1980) and
267:gap-toothed
216:Appalachian
191:(1968) and
144:New Orleans
120:documentary
82:Nationality
1368:Categories
1239:2007-10-05
1161:2019-09-09
972:2019-09-10
911:2019-09-10
905:bampfa.org
883:2019-09-10
850:2019-09-10
820:2019-09-10
774:References
618:: Be-Fore!
512:Hot Pepper
236:tamburitza
184:Easy Rider
175:Mardi Gras
104:Occupation
1291:Les Blank
1184:Les Blank
1156:0362-4331
878:0261-3077
844:KQED Arts
815:0362-4331
643:Ry Cooder
535:More Fess
257:, in 1981
253:Blank in
173:. During
116:Les Blank
23:Les Blank
1209:Archived
1081:Playback
1054:Archived
928:Archived
506:Dry Wood
476:The Arch
433:1961, -
343:Berkeley
240:Hawaiian
85:American
1088:8 April
758:2015 -
739:2014 -
730:2007 -
724:2005 -
718:1995 -
711:1994 -
701:1994 -
695:1994 -
691:Puamana
689:1991 -
683:1991 -
677:1991 -
671:1991 -
661:1990 -
655:1989 -
649:1989 -
640:1988 -
634:1988 -
628:1987 -
622:1987 -
613:1986 -
607:1985 -
601:1985 -
593:1984 -
587:1983 -
579:1982 -
570:1980 -
562:1980 -
553:1980 -
547:1979 -
539:1978 -
533:1978 -
524:1976 -
516:1974 -
510:1973 -
504:1973 -
498:1971 -
492:1971 -
486:1970 -
480:1969 -
474:1969 -
468:1968 -
459:1968 -
453:1967 -
445:1965 -
439:1962 -
435:Strike!
421:1960 -
395:Archive
309:-based
228:Tex-Mex
197:Houston
171:Love-in
39:in 2008
1154:
1033:
876:
813:
407:, and
364:Legacy
238:, and
224:Creole
138:, and
665:Cajun
232:polka
220:Cajun
212:blues
37:KVIFF
1188:IMDb
1152:ISSN
1090:2013
1031:ISBN
874:ISSN
811:ISSN
63:Died
45:Born
1186:at
1027:157
376:'s
311:tea
142:in
1370::
1227:.
1215:,
1195:,
1150:.
1146:.
1127:.
1109:.
1098:^
1078:.
1060:,
1029:.
990:.
965:.
953:^
903:.
892:^
872:.
868:.
842:.
829:^
809:.
805:.
793:^
411:.
403:,
353:.
291:.
273::
234:,
230:,
226:,
222:,
218:,
214:,
158:.
126:.
1282:e
1275:t
1268:v
1242:.
1164:.
1131:.
1113:.
1092:.
1039:.
1010:.
996:.
975:.
934:.
914:.
886:.
853:.
823:.
765:â‰
576:â‰
530:â‰
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
