Movies: Patti Smith

New York City, 1977 - It was a time when the city had fallen into decay, with too few jobs, money, police, schools, and social services. There was a city wide blackout with major looting, a serial killer on the loose, and the Bronx was burning. And y...

This is Poe and Král's first effort, shot on small-gauge stock, before their more well-known endeavor The Blank Generation (1976) came to be. A "DIY" portrait of the New York music scene, the film is a patchwork of footage of numerous rock acts perfo...

Follows John Cale, a Welsh musician and producer, who founded the legendary 60s and 70s NY rock band - the Velvet Underground, with Lou Reed. Cale delved into other mainstream and experimental music genres as well....

Now well into his eighties, Delsener shows little sign of slowing down. At one point, the camera follows him as he ping-pongs across New York attending multiple concerts in one evening. His love for the work of putting on a show shines through as he ...

Crump directed the feature-length documentary film Black White + Gray: A Portrait of Sam Wagstaff + Robert Mapplethorpe, which premiered in North America at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival and in Europe at Art Basel. It explores the influence curator ...

This 2-DVD set captures explosive live performances and revealing interviews on DVD for the first time ever from the forefathers of the punk and new wave movements, such as The Ramones, Elvis Costello, Iggy Pop, John Lydon (of The Sex Pistols and PiL...

In April of 2013, American singer Patti Smith travels to the grave of French writer Jean Genet in Larache, Morocco. She brings him three stones, which she collected for him over 30 years ago....

Benjamin Smoke is the highly acclaimed documentary by directors Jem Cohen and Peter Sillen on legendary underground musician Benjamin Smoke. Benjamin Smoke follows the crooked path of this fringe-dweller, speed-freak, occasional drag-queen and all-ar...

Short film by photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. A portrait of Patti Smith....

Legendary former Beach Boy, Brian Wilson toured America and Japan with a 10 piece band. Here he is captured performing 24 live tracks, and one that has never been issued before. Also included are interviews with Pete Townshend, Sheryl Crow, Neil Youn...

A short portrait of Patti Smith in the city where she lives. Patti recites the very first poem-song she ever wrote. We take a walk in her changing neighborhood, and I ask her what she saw....

An exploration of Burroughs’ life story, as told by Burroughs himself along with many of his contemporaries, including Allen Ginsberg, Brion Gysin, Francis Bacon, Herbert Huncke, Patti Smith, Terry Southern, and William Burroughs Jr....

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In 2010, Godard's Film Socialisme explores the sinking of political ideals in Europe. In 2012, the Costa Concordia, which had served as an allegorical platform for Godard, sank in front of the cameras of passengers and the world. In 2018, Paul Grivas...

Music Video Distributors has been releasing the best in punk rock music videos for years. In compiling WHAT THE PUNK?!, the music experts over at MVD have poured through their vaults, handpicking the best excerpts from hundreds of hours of footage. T...

This is a video record of the Buddhist Wake ceremony at Allen Ginsberg's apartment. You see Allen, now asleep forever, in his bed; some of his close friends; and the wrapping up and removal of Allen's body from the apartment. You hear Jonas' descript...

The Patti Smith Group's Rockpalast performance in 1979 was a live concert broadcast as part of the German Rockpalast series. The band at that time included Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye, Ivan Kral, Jay Dee Daugherty, and Richard Sohl. This performance is n...

Part of "The Women in Music" series...

Collecting highlights from the debut season of the acclaimed PBS series "Sessions at West 54th," this compilation video captures performances by musical greats such as trumpet maestro Wynton Marsalis and Grammy-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Other artists...

Documentary about rock pioneer Roky Erickson, detailing his rise as a psychedelic hero, his lengthy institutionalization, his descent into poverty and filth, and his brother's struggle with their religious mother to improve Roky's care....