Les Blank had always been that kind of filmmaker that I pictured when I heard the term "artist", even without the fancy cameras or rigs or lighting set-ups. Most famously known for his 20-minute film Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe (1980), his films also touched on a few of his other idiosyncratic interests, such as music, food, and dance. He had the imagination that couldn't be replicated by anyone else in his industry, thus providing a super influential voice for documentary filmmakers all across the world. He takes the approach of celebrating everyday lives and events, and loving the people that are next to you. That, for me, is the end goal. When you find your niche of people, it's hard to resist putting the camera down, especially if everyone around you inspires you. Today, we'll be looking at a few of Les Blank's films that had the most profound impact on me, and why I consider him one of my favorite filmmakers. 

The first film that I ever saw from Les was Gap-Toothed Women (1987), and I immediately fell in love with its philosophy and willingness to take on subjects relating to beauty standards. The film takes vignettes from gap-toothed women of all attitudes and combines them together to create a story within a story. From model Lauren Hutton to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Les captures each women with appreciation and open-ears, something that is super important in filmmaking. The strongest points of his documentary, being the intimacy of the stories and giving women the ability to speak on their experiences, captures exactly what a great documentary should achieve. An ode to self love and tuning in on your authentic bodies gives this film so much power, and is something I believe harnessed my love for filming my friends and families, or listening to their stories. 

After I watched Gap-Toothed Women, I fell down a rabbit hole of searching for all of Les Blank's works. Thanks to my friends Criterion subscription, (Aidan if you're seeing this, thanks a bunch) the entire filmography of my soon-to-be favorite filmmaker unfolded right in front of me. Similar in vein to Gap-Toothed Women, Les Blank's 1980 film Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers became another favorite. A film whose cadence is similar to walking around a farmer's market, trying each booth with curiosity, Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers celebrates another niche: garlic lovers. 

Another favorite of mine can be Blank's 1978 documentary, Always For Pleasure. I adore Les Blank documentaries for their abundance of joyful, everyday people dancing, eating, and singing, providing the perfect tonic for any night I could have chosen to watch this. Blank captures the vibrant street culture of New Orleans, featuring lively 2nd line bands, and the colorful spectacle of Mardi Gras, all while showcasing the local traditions passed down through generations, accompanied by the soulful sounds of Professor Longhair, the Neville Brothers, and Allen Toussaint. But to me, and other viewers, the film means so much more than music and cooking tips - it gives me a new landscape of a cultural identity I never had the chance to learn about.