Historical Treasures

by Jack Smith

essays by filmmaker-auteur of "Flaming Creatures"

Paperback

First published September 1, 1990

About the author

During his lifetime Jack Smith was a legendary playwright, critic, and filmmaker with a small, but faithful cult following. His movie masterpiece Flaming Creatures defined avant-garde cinema in the 1960s. This collection of interviews, essays, and play scripts brings together most of Smith's unpublished work. With his sharp wit, shrewd observations, and radical aesthetics, Smith--who died of AIDS in 1989--is now viewed by many as an innovative founding father of post-modern performance and gay sensibility. Smith's work is still shocking and Wait For Me at the Bottom of the Pool is indispensable for anyone interested in contemporary theater and film.

For additional biography see: Jack Smith (film director)

Reviews

[Tosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Hanuman Books winner! Jack Smith was one of the great characters (and artist) from the grand old days of Avant-Garde New York. Those days are long gone, and so is Smith, but his work will live on. I regret that I never seen any of his performances. But alas, we have this little book by him and that is a very good thing.

[KHLOARIS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filmmaker/flamewarrior Jack Smith shares a bit about his life in his twilight years…. like the time he got invited to contribute to a performance art event… an eager audience anticipates his presence… he decides to sit silently in the dark for 45mins holding a lightbulb.

A major portion of this cute little dollhouse-sized book consists of his detailed description of this inordinate performance piece. For some reason it reminded me of 陰翳礼讃 (1933) by
Junichiro Tanizaki.

[Mills College Library]

P Hanuman