Benjamin Smoke

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Benjamin Smoke

Released Jul 21, 2000

1h 13m

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

70%

Tomatometer

10 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

This highly unorthodox documentary follows the crooked path of Benjamin (no last name). He lives in a hidden neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia called "Cabbagetown." Drag-queen, speed-freak, all-around renegade, Benjamin left the straight (in every sense of the word) world behind a long time ago.

Roger Clarke

Independent (UK)

Smoke's life had not been an easy one in the rural Deep South, but this moving tribute comes across as vindication of his "folk-noir" music and unquenchable individuality.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 26, 2024

Full Review

Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

Rated: 3/4

Aug 14, 2007

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BBC.com

Rated: 4/5

Apr 17, 2001

Full Review

David Noh

Film Journal International

It is the actual presence of Patti Smith that confers a profound sort of grace on the film.

Dec 11, 2006

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 3/5

Jul 26, 2005

Full Review

Hollywood.com

Rated: 0/4

Apr 5, 2003

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Audience Member

How have I not heard of this guy before?

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

i adore him and his honesty, his husky voice, his dresses and his yellow nail-polish. such a lovely character. i enjoyed every single minute of this film. a total joy to watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Only just started watching this, but I'm gonna be audacious and rate it five stars based on the first five minutes. Looks fascinating and the music is like a more mournful, haunted Tom Waits.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Robert Dickerson, aka Benjamin Smoke, was an HIV positive indie-rock front man for the band Smoke, based in Atlanta. I saw this documentary at its premiere at the Chicago Underground Film Festival and was blown away, by the music, by Dickerson's gentle flamboyance and indomitability, by the filmmakers' experimental spirit. A must-see.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A nostalgia bomb for anybody who lived down in Atlanta proper during the late 80s & 90s, made all the more wistful by the mournful music and lingering look back at a time and a place and a person all long gone.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Jem Cohen definitely has a way of conveying the face behind the sound, while not diminishing the effect of the artist's music...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

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Jem Cohen

Director

Peter Sillen

Director

Benjamin Dickerson

Self

Tim Campion

Smoke Percussion

Brian Halloran

Smoke Cello

Coleman Lewis

Smoke Guitar

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Synopsis

This highly unorthodox documentary follows the crooked path of Benjamin (no last name). He lives in a hidden neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia called "Cabbagetown." Drag-queen, speed-freak, all-around renegade, Benjamin left the straight (in every sense of the word) world behind a long time ago.

Director: Jem Cohen, Peter Sillen
Screenwriter: Jem Cohen, Peter Sillen
Distributor: Cowboy Booking International
Production Co: C-Hundred Film Corp., Pumpernickel, Gravity Hill Films
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 21, 2000, Wide
Box Office (Gross USA): $36.8K
Runtime: 1h 13m