A Poem Is a Naked Person
A Poem Is a Naked Person • 1h 30m
Directed by Les Blank • 1974 • United States
Les Blank considered this free-form feature documentary about beloved singer-songwriter Leon Russell, filmed between 1972 and 1974, to be one of his greatest accomplishments. Yet it has not been released until now. Hired by Russell to film him at his recording studio in northeast Oklahoma, Blank ended up constructing a unique, intimate portrait of a musician and his environment. Made up of mesmerizing scenes of Russell and his band performing, both in concert and in the studio, as well as off-the-cuff moments behind the scenes, this singular film - which also features performances by Willie Nelson and George Jones - has attained legendary status over the years. It's a work of rough beauty that serves as testament to Blank's cinematic daring and Russell's immense musical talents.
Up Next in A Poem Is a Naked Person
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Harrod Blank and Leon Russell on A PO...
Director Les Blank’s son Harrod Blank was instrumental in helping A POEM IS A NAKED PERSON see the light of day, after it had gone largely unseen for decades. In this conversation, Blank sits down with the film’s subject, musician Leon Russell, in Nashville to talk about POEM’s long journey, from...
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Les Blank on A POEM IS A NAKED PERSON
In February 2013, shortly before filmmaker Les Blank’s death, a screening of A POEM IS A NAKED PERSON took place at Pixar Animation Studios in Northern California, with Blank in attendance. Presented here are excerpts from his discussion with the audience of family and friends.
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The Making of A POEM IS A NAKED PERSON
This documentary, produced in 2015, features interviews with A POEM IS A NAKED PERSON director Les Blank’s son Harrod Blank; sound recordist and assistant editor Maureen Gosling; and Jim Franklin, the artist prominently featured in the film.
