Les Blank: Always for Pleasure [Blu-ray]

Each documentary is unique and fun.Extras and interviews are all great and enhanced the material.Would recommend to anyone.

An absolutely terrific set from Criterion, with 14 (!) films from one of America's most humanist documentarians. Blank makes idiosyncratic, often funny and delightful films that celebrate people, places and traditions, and does so with no pretense of 'objectivity', just his personal need to share things he loves (top of the list - music and food). They're all under an hour, and while easily digested, they also hold up well to repeated viewings.My favorite (I'm a blues fan) may be the earliest in the set; The Blues Accordin' to Lightnin' Hopkins (1968). This early 31 minute film captures what’s terrific about Blank’s style. The love and admiration he feels for his subjects, his willingness not to sugar coat the dark sides (like Hopkins’ drinking), and the embrace of music and food as exemplars of the joys of existence. It’s hard not to smile watching Blank’s work. The home-spun approach to his film-making – hand drawn titles, an avoidance of anything slick or fancy in his style, no narrator to create distance, makes it feel like you’re watching a friend’s home movies about a subject they’re really excited about. But the art lies in the fact that these ‘home movies’ uncannily capture people, places and whole cultures with an immediacy and vibrancy that too few documentaries have. I also like that Blank makes his films just as long as he feels they needs to be, without worry. If that means one film is 20 minutes and another 180, that won’t bother him. Blank is following his gut, with no look to how it’s ‘supposed’ to be done. By the end of this film, I wanted to run and buy a stack of Lightnin’ Hopkins recordings. That’s a pretty good endorsement.The blu-ray presentation is excellent, but keep in mind most of these films were shot on 16mm, with no budget, so all the inherent limitations of that are part of the charms of the films. And if all that's not enough, there are the usual Criterion ton of extras; interviews, outtakes, etc for many of the films, and an intelligent, well written booklet as well. A great set.

What a wonderful collection of great documentaries. I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite from such a set of treasures. I immediately watched Always for Pleasure when the set arrived. Next up was In Heaven There Is No Beer. I'm slowly savoring the music, the food, the great people and interviews.

This is the best money that I have spent in quite a long time. Les Blank's films are a treasure. No phoniness or set-ups for the camera, he just films the beauty of every day life and treasured rituals of the wonderful and diverse folks that he met. You can feel the love that he had for the simple people of the bayou, the Texas plains, and everywhere else that he traveled. Anyone wishing to see America, it's roots, and some off the beaten path individuals should not hesitate to see Les' films. Very human and for me, very spiritual as well. Thank you Criterion!

Criterion has done a marvellous job here, and their timing is good. The films of Les Blank and Maureen Gosling have been reaching wider audiences in festivals in recent years, and this collection can only help that positive trend. 'Les Blank: Always for Pleasure' would be better titled 'Les & Maureen: Always for Pleasure' -- Maureen Gosling co-directs and/or edits nearly all of these films and her creative stamp is very much part of the texture of these films.

Excellent documentaries always links with traditionnal US folk music ! We will sure show some of them in our cinema Nova in Brussels Belgium during May-June and also July 2019. Thank you Les Blank for your work !

wow what a tremendous pleasure. a wonderful group of Les Blanks' Documentaries for your fun and amusement. these capture life in Louisiana in the 60's and 70's and the lives of two great texas bluesmen at the same time. cooking Cajun food, admiring different standards of beauty, and a bunch of other stuff. buy this and be fascinated by another time and place. a hippie love in 1967.

This is a masterful compilation of restored films by the great documentary filmmaker Les Blank, who died in 2013. I love Les' films for their way of immersing the viewer into interesting ethnic subcultures. His films have no narration; he lets his subjects reveal themselves. Lots of music, food, dancing and living. I'm delighted to have this collection on Blu-Ray with great picture and sound. Highly recommended!

So many fantastic music / cultural films in one place I hardly know which to play first. Since seeing some of these films e.g. the Mance Lipscomb / Bois Sec Ardoin ones well over 30 yrs ago in the grotty but culturally life saving Scala cinema, Kings Cross, London, I've dreamed about them. Even saw Bois Sec play, (a little) at Barbican, London with his family in indoor tropical garden 15+ yrs ago. Yes some have been shown on T.V. in GB occasionally, (& available separately on DVD) but this box really is unbeatable for this very real music & value! Pity it's only U.S. format, but these are the type of films I bought a multi region player for. Boy am I glad.

Great work by Les Blank and Criterion