W. Eugene Smith on the tube

jtk · Nov 25, 2019

https://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Loft-David-Amram/dp/B0784W97WG

Watched this last night on the tube (Netflix or similar). Very rewarding.

W Eugene Smith and his studio and jazz in 50s New York. "Studio" means the jazz crowd who hung out at all hours...little or no evidence of studio photography. Almost entirely grab shots of hangers-on (e.g. Salvador Dali) and jazzers (famous and forgotten). Incidental film footage of his darkroom work. insights about his use of bleach. Images from the era (contacts and prints), music and chatter taped by Smith, and incidental modern comments by the jazz musicians that still live... very little about his previous life (he was already famous), almost nothing about Miyamata.

jvo · Nov 25, 2019

being a jazz fan, and photographer this is one of 3 films i own and continue to enjoy...

there is a book on minamata - very good.

CMoore · Nov 25, 2019

Oh Man, i had meant to make an "Advance Order" of that DVD.
Thanks for mentioning it.
The whole scenario is fascinating.!
.....to me anyway.

Thanks Again for bringing it to my attention.!

James Bleifus · Nov 25, 2019

I have this, and it’s wonderful. What a pleasure to hear Gene Smith’s voice. I believe that the film is inspired from the article in DoubleTake around 2002 or so.

Cheers, James

Louis Nargi · Nov 25, 2019

Thanks I'll order this I have photography made difficult.

juan · Nov 26, 2019

It streams free on Amazon Prime.

jtk · Nov 26, 2019

juan said:
It streams free on Amazon Prime.

Yes! And the B&W looks great.

CMoore · Dec 14, 2019

I am watching this NOW.!
Awesome..... just F'ing awesome.!
When i was 15-16... i was playing the drums, for just a few years. Playing Blues/Rock with my friends, circa 1976.
I heard Max Roach and Elvin Jones the following year..... a friend of mine was really into Jazz, especially Bebop and Hard bop. That really opened my eyes and ears to Jazz.
I thought i was going to be a jazz drummer of the most extraordinary kind. ...

That never happened obviously.

About that same time, 1978, i "installed" myself in our high school photo class.
I thought i was (also) going to be the next Gordon Parks or Garry Winogrand.
More disappointment.

Watching this movie swells up memories of the most vivid and emotional kind.

Thank You (again) So Much for starting this thread.. jtk

Alex Benjamin · Jan 18, 2022

Watched it this weekend on Apple TV. Very interesting movie, not only because of what we learn about Gene Smith but also for the glimpse it offers on the jazz scene in NYC at that time.

You can find many of Smith's photographs from the movie in Sam Stephenson's The Jazz Loft Project.

Considering the thousands and thousands of photographs he took, it's really a shame there isn't a major retrospective of his work on the way and so few books available. I know Smith worked obsessively in darkroom to get the print exactly how he wanted it, so maybe that's the reason so few are shown.

Arthurwg · Jan 18, 2022

The loft in question, on 28th St in Manhattan I believe, belonged to genius composer and arranger Hall Overton, Among other things, Overton arranged and rehearsed Thelonious Monk's big band for the legendary Lincoln Center concert of 1963. He was credited with saving the day by putting Monk's difficult music into workable big-band form. The recording in a classic.

Alex Benjamin · Jan 18, 2022

Arthurwg said:
The loft in question belonged to genius composer and arranger Hall Overton, Among other things, Overton arranged and rehearsed Thelonious Monk's big band for the legendary Lincoln Center concert of 1963. He was credited with saving the day by putting Monk's difficult music into workable big-band form.

Yes, there is a whole passage in the film, really fascinating, about the collaboration between Monk and Overton on the project, and the rehearsals that took place in the loft. The choice they made in the documentary, going from jazz as subject, to photography, is interesting and very well done. Of course, Smith's stuff - photographs and recordings - serve as link going back and forth between music and photography.

Overton was a fascinating character. The more you hear about him in the film, the more you think "Hey, I would have loved to meet this guy."

Arthurwg · Jan 18, 2022

I must say I truly love that music,

Louis Nargi · Jan 18, 2022

Thanks I own Photography made Difficult

Alex Benjamin · Jan 18, 2022

Arthurwg said:
I must say I truly love that music,

Same here. I've been listening to nothing but Zoot Sims for the last three days.

Alex Benjamin · Jan 18, 2022

Louis Nargi said:
Thanks I own Photography made Difficult

Hadn't heard of that one.

Anybody seen Minamata yet? I know it's not distributed in North America. I think there was a thread about that already here...

Louis Nargi · Jan 20, 2022

Alex Benjamin said:
Hadn't heard of that one.

Anybody seen Minamata yet? I know it's not distributed in North America. I think there was a thread about that already here...

Try and find it worth it to watch

guangong · Jan 21, 2022

Making Photography Difficult illustrates the complex nature of some artists. At the same time that he produced work of a deeply humanistic nature he completely ignored and abandoned his wife and children. As human individuals we are capable of so many contradictory characteristics.
I would describe Making Photography Difficult more of a docu-drama with talking heads than a documentary, but well done and watchable.

markbau · Jan 21, 2022

Something that should never be overlooked when talking about WES is that he was an absolute master printer. I can't believe how rarely this is mentioned when talking about the great man.

W. Eugene Smith on the tube

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