USA,
1978, 58 min
Shown in 1995
CREDITS
- dir
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Les Blank
- prod
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Les Blank
- cam
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Les Blank
- editor
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Les Blank
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COMMENTS
Shown with Spend it All. Les Blank was the subject of a tribute in 1995; he appeared in person.
Les Blank makes us feel right at home in these two films, which explore two sides of Louisiana culture. Always for Pleasure is about New Orleans—it opens with a colorful collage of the city in motion—and its street-party tradition. We follow a solemn funeral procession and watch it turn into an all-out parade. It’s tradition, explains musician Allen Toussaint: You march slow to the funeral, and “cut up” on the way back. Packed with music (Wild Tchoupitoulas, Neville Brothers), dancing and even an easy recipe for red beans and rice, Pleasure moves from funerals to Mardi Gras to smaller neighborhood celebrations. As with all Blank’s films, we don’t just watch, we participate: At Dot’s Bar, his camera bounces and sweats with the crowd as Professor Longhair holds court.
—Kurt Wolff
FACTOID #347
The world premiere of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert took place at the 1994 San Francisco International Film Festival at the Castro Theatre.
