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      Benjamin Smoke

      Released Jul 21, 2000 1h 13m Documentary List
      70% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 78% Audience Score 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. Read More Read Less

      Critics Reviews

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      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 Full Review 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 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

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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 I heard this film was good and was waiting awhile to see it. It really wasn't the typical autobio pic I thought it would be and I had very high hopes that were not met. Some amazing music on here but as for a documentary it's all over the place. The film is rather short for its claim of over a decade of footage. Very surface view of this mans interesting life and philosophies on the world. The movie rambles on like Benjamin's accounts/theories. However some great shots of the small town and some beautiful music clips. His band definitely had a unique and guttural style. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 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 Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Benjamin Smoke

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      Movie Info

      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