Stay tuned for more transfers and keep an eye on our website - www.anthologyfilmarchives.org - for additional films, audio recordings and other material making their way on-line in the coming months.
Most cars are from 1960s. VW bugs, American coupes and sedans. One or two cars date from 1950s. At 17-19 seconds in, appears to be the body shape of either a 1969 or 1970 Chevelle or Buick Skylark, recognizable to my husband, who owned a 1970 Skylark. Could also be a 1969. Strained to identify anything later than 1970. Could not. Anyone else see anything later? Clothing and hair styles seem right for 1970.
Sorry I just caught up with this Willie. Well what can I say other than Far Out! Usually I don't dig animations ever since Fritz the Cay! ;-) BTW did you ever read "BUT BEAUTIFUL" by Geoff Dyer? There is some interesting fact, fiction or simply mere conjecture about Monk, Nica etc etc. It's a paperback & a fast interesting humorous read. Thanks ,CIAO Man.
And here is the animated film Harry Smith made using the original version of Monk's Misterioso (1948) When two geniuses are involved in one project chances are the result is going to be something very special. The sound track to this film is one of the most magnificent pieces of American music--in any genre. But it's jazz and its composer is Thelonious Monk. Originally issued on Blue Note Records, the personnel is Monk piano Milt Jackson vibes John Simmons bass and Shadow Wilson drums. Jackson is one of the greatest interpreters of Monk's music, as you can hear. Yes, it's the same Harry Smith who was the author of the highly influential Anthology of American Folk Music, originally a six album set issued by Folkways Records. Many very famous musicians took up music after hearing these albums. They were a collection of 78 rpm records from Smith's personal collection transferred to 33 rpm vinyl. Smith was a musicologist, filmmaker, painter, author and all around amazing man. . No. 11 Mirror Animation, from 1956-57 on 16mm color film, is all hand made by Smith himself, as were all his animations .When you imagine the amount of work involved here, it's really mind blowing. Smith had the highest regard for Monk's music and the feeling was mutual. Monk called Harry "the magician"
So this was before psychedelics really hit western culture, huh? That kinda blows my mind, the kaleidoscopic effects are just like visuals I'll get on weaker doses of Ayahuasca. Great stuff, thanks for posting. OH WOW, the same Harry Smith that compiled the famous folk music collection.
Yeah, I did what research I could about 20 years ago and it seemed there was an established “Harry Smith Studio” in NYC or environs in the late ’40s. I am pretty sure (from talking to Jordan Belson) that Harry was living above the Jackson’s Nook club in the Fillmore in S.F. at that time. As far as I know, he did not get to NYC before 1952 (I think he traveled from the West Coast with Philip Lamantia). But it is possible he visited once or twice before that.
I believe you are probably right. I just went through a long discussion on this subject with another person who shared your viewpoint. Since I don't think I can send the link, if you RU-vid Thelonious Monk Misterioso you can see our correspondence. It's the black and white picture with Monk sitting at a piano. Thanks for your input.
I believe the session engineer was a different person named Harry Smith, but I would be glad to learn otherwise! (Harry was in San Francisco in ’47, I believe this was recorded in the NYC area.)
just discovered all about Harry Smith from the excellent liner notes to Anthology of American Folk Music volume IV.Feel like I've discovered an old friend.
I am a former AFA employee in the Film Program and it was a great honor to get to know Harry Smith personally AND professionally. Greetings from France.
@zensolo It was a amusement park which was opened only for a short period of time. It was in the Northern Bronx. My sister went there once, can't remember why but I didn't.
@butohbaby Yeah, I see your point. I'm just reacting from the P.O.V. of a guy fresh out of college who didn't see downtown New York, and East Village, until the late 1970s. Compared to today, Astor Place in 1978 looked pretty much the same as in this movie. Sure, cool stuff was already percolating behind the storefronts, but it was all invisible to me at that time. I wish I knew, back then!
@Lisanne78RPM I saw a 1962 Oldsmobile, as well as at least two 1961 Ford taxicabs, so I think this was either 1962 or even in 1963, before the city repainted the traffic signals yellow. The yellow signals were more commonplace in Manhattan by November 1963. Very fascinating to see!
