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The Jazz Loft According to W. Eugene Smith

Play trailer Poster for The Jazz Loft According to W. Eugene Smith 2015 1h 27m Documentary Music Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Photographer W. Eugene Smith's archive of photos documents the careers of jazz legends.
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The Jazz Loft According to W. Eugene Smith

Critics Reviews

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John DeFore The Hollywood Reporter 09/23/2016
An exceptionally vivid picture of bohemian life during one of New York City's most exciting eras. Go to Full Review
Glenn Kenny New York Times 09/22/2016
The bohemian paradise of this environment had a dark side, and the movie doesn't give it short shrift. Nevertheless, a genuine exhilaration holds throughout. Go to Full Review
Alan Scherstuhl Village Voice 09/20/2016
Fishko is always on to the next striking image that will too quickly pass. Fortunately, that next thing is often a joyous surprise ... Go to Full Review
David Walsh World Socialist Web Site 02/11/2021
About a finished work, Smith once commented, he felt he ought to be able to say, "this is my honest interpretation of the world; this is not influenced by money, or trickery, or pressure-except the pressure of my soul." Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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08/19/2020 This was a perfect document of a magical time and place. I guess that's the ultimate goal of every documentary, but this one truly succeeded. Every frame was like a beautiful photograph. That's what happens when the film is mostly about photojournalist W.Eugene Smith and his time living in and documenting a loft building in NYC (821 6th avenue) between 1957-1965. Next door, dozens of jazz musicians would play together night after night until the sun rose. The whole thing was captured with still photos, film and audio by Smith including a three week period with Monk while he prepped for his 1959 concert at Town Hall with Hall Overton. He recorded 4000 hours of audio tape and took 40,000 photographs in the Jazz Loft. It wasn't all magic as it covered the bad stuff too - heroin use, family strife, the state of the world at the time. This film was stunning. If you appreciate NYC in the 50s, this is a lovely snapshot. 9/10 🎷📷Wow. See more 06/01/2019 I loved it. It gives an inside view of the creation of one of Monk's finest albums, as well as profiles of other great artists and musicians who practiced their craft in this building. Wonderful stuff. The film doesn't sugar coat anything either. Had I been in NYC during this time, I would have gone to this place as often as I could. See more 08/29/2018 Great movie about New York in the 60's and the music and art scene. Loved how it told the story with photos and only live action was interviews. See more 08/04/2017 Well put together documentary that transforms you right into the feel of NY in the 50s-60s See more Read all reviews
The Jazz Loft According to W. Eugene Smith

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Movie Info

Synopsis Photographer W. Eugene Smith's archive of photos documents the careers of jazz legends.
Director
Sara Fishko
Producer
Sara Fishko, Calvin Skaggs, Sam Stephenson
Screenwriter
Sara Fishko
Production Co
Lumiere Productions
Genre
Documentary, Music
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 7, 2016
Runtime
1h 27m
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