Bessie Smith

Bessie Smith

16mm, black and white, sound, 13.5 min
A cinematic tribute to the late blues singer Bessie Smith, with Bessie Smith as she appeared in the 1929 film St. Louis Blues and songs sung by her as well as a commentary read by Joseph Marzano. "It's ...
Rental format: 16mm

Stills

About

A cinematic tribute to the late blues singer Bessie Smith, with Bessie Smith as she appeared in the 1929 film St. Louis Blues and songs sung by her as well as a commentary read by Joseph Marzano. "It's the best film I've seen this year .... A masterpiece." – Lenny Lipton, Berkeley Barb

Programs

  • See More

    Cine-Syncopation: Jazz on Film

    Four FMC film and video artworks exploring jazz music, part of the series "Sonic Visions: Experiments in Cinema and Music"

    ​For the second program in our summer series SONIC VISIONS: EXPERIMENTS IN CINEMA AND MUSIC, join us at the Film-Makers' Cooperative on Friday, August 23rd, 2024, at 7pm, for an hour-long slate of subversive and rarely-screened films and video art from our collection about, or featuring, jazz!

Films

  • Other films by this artist in our catalogue

  • Read More
    Peaches & Cream
    Experimental

    Peaches & Cream
    Charles I. Levine

    16mm, color, sound, 5.5 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Arts / Artists
  • Read More
    Shooting Guns
    Documentary
    Experimental

    Shooting Guns
    Charles I. Levine

    16mm, black and white, sound, 8 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Films About Film
    • Biography / Autobiography
  • Read More
    Si See Sunni
    Experimental

    Si See Sunni
    Charles I. Levine

    16mm, color, sound, 6.5 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Arts / Artists
    • Biography / Autobiography
  • Read More
    Siva
    Experimental

    Siva
    Charles I. Levine

    16mm, color, sound, 2.25 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Literarature / Theater
    • Spiritual / Mystical
  • Read More
    The Sound of Chartreuse
    Experimental

    The Sound of Chartreuse
    Charles I. Levine

    16mm, color, sound, 19 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Found Footage
    • Spiritual / Mystical
  • Read More
    Apropos of San Francisco
    Experimental

    Apropos of San Francisco
    Charles I. Levine

    16mm, color and b/w, optical sound, 4.5 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Music
    • Structural
  • Read More
    Horseopera ( A Western)
    Experimental

    Horseopera ( A Western)
    Charles I. Levine

    16mm, black and white, sound, 24 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • History
    • Structural
  • Read More
    Steps
    Experimental

    Steps
    Charles I. Levine

    16mm, color, sound, 12 min
    Rental format: 16mm
    • Structural
  • Read More
    Levine's Mother

    Levine's Mother
    Charles I. Levine

    16mm, black and white, sound, 59.5 min
    • Structural
  • Read More
    Meditations By Black & White (Levine's Mother, Part One)
    Experimental

    Meditations By Black & White (Levine's Mother, Part One)
    Charles I. Levine

    16mm, black and white, silent, 31.25 min
    • Structural