Always for Pleasure

1978 0h 58m EN

👍

7.4

SOLID

★7.4TMDB · 19

DocumentaryMusic

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A musical portrait of New Orleans' street celebrations and unique cultural gumbo in 1977: second-line parades, Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest. Features live music from Professor Longhair, the Wild Tchoupitoulas, the Neville Brothers and more. This glorious, soul-satisfying film is among Blank's special masterworks. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 1999.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

Criterion ChannelSubscription

Cast

Kid Thomas Valentine
Self - Band Leader, Trumpet Player
Allen Toussaint
Self - Composer, Arranger, Pianist
Blue Lu Barker
Self - Jazz Singer
Irma Thomas
Self - R&B Singer
Professor Longhair
Self
Aaron Neville
Self - The Neville Brothers
Art Neville
Self - The Neville Brothers
Charles Neville
Self - The Neville Brothers

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Les Blank
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 58-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

48 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Part of the "Les Blank: Always for Pleasure" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Les Blank, shot by Les Blank. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Les Blank shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Kid Thomas Valentine and Allen Toussaint and Blue Lu Barker carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0077154 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Les Blank directs. Les Blank behind the camera. Les Blank cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 58-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
248 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Part of the "Les Blank: Always for Pleasure" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Les Blank, shot by Les Blank. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Editor Les Blank shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Kid Thomas Valentine and Allen Toussaint and Blue Lu Barker carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0077154 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 19 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 13 themes, including "southern usa", "new orleans, louisiana", "mardi gras", "parade".

The technical file

Cinematography: Les Blank
Editing: Les Blank
Runtime: 58 min · 0h 58m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: Always for Pleasure (1978)

Part of

Les Blank: Always for Pleasure

An uncompromisingly independent filmmaker, Les Blank made documentaries for nearly fifty years, elegantly disappearing with his camera into cultural spots rarely seen on-screen—mostly on the peripheries of the United States, but also occasionally abroad. Seemingly off-the-cuff yet poetically constructed, these films are humane, sometimes wry, always engaging tributes to music, food, and all sorts of regionally specific delights. This collector’s set provides a diverse survey of Les Blank’s vast output, including fourteen of his best-known works and eight related short films.