Always for Pleasure (1978)

A look at the spirit of New Orleans. First a funeral: Allen Toussaint explains that you arrive slow and cut up afterwards. Then it's food, with a lesson in eating crayfish at Frankie and ... See full summary »

Director:

Les Blank

Stars:

Kid Thomas, Allen Toussaint, Blue Lu Barker

Cast

Credited cast:
Kid Thomas	...	Self (as 'Kid Thomas' Valentine)
Allen Toussaint	...	Self
Blue Lu Barker	...	Self (as 'Blue Lu' Barker)
Irma Thomas	...	Self
Henry 'Professor Longhair' Byrd	...	Self (as Professor Longhair)
Amos Landry	...	Self
George Landry	...	Self (as 'Chief Jolly' Landry)
Booker Washington	...	Self
Sylvester Martin	...	Self
Aaron Neville	...	Self (as The Neville Brothers)
Art Neville	...	Self (as The Neville Brothers)
Charles Neville	...	Self (as The Neville Brothers)
Cyril Neville	...	Self (as The Neville Brothers)
Deacon John Moore	...	Self (as Deacon John)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dr. John	...	Self

Storyline

A look at the spirit of New Orleans. First a funeral: Allen Toussaint explains that you arrive slow and cut up afterwards. Then it's food, with a lesson in eating crayfish at Frankie and Johnny's. Next, a St. Patrick's Day party: New Orleans celebrates holidays on the streets. Then it's preparation for Mardi gras, with roots in slave days, when slaves gathered on Sundays to prepare for the one holiday they could celebrate. The Wild Tchoupitoulas society makes Indian costumes to honor the help Indians gave slaves. At Mardi gras, we're with this society parading, singing, and partying. We end with the annual parade for St. Joseph, the saint of the people. More music, dance and ritual.

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Plot Keywords:

mardi gras | louisiana | mississippi river | parade | funeral parade | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Music

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #737.

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Quotes

Henry 'Professor Longhair' Byrd: [singing] Me got fire me can't put out! Heap fire water gonna make me shout! Me goin' down and get my squaw, Me might buy a great big car, Me gonna do everything me could, Me Big Chief, I'm feelin' good...

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Connections

Referenced in The IMDb Show: Take 5 With Wendell Pierce (2020)

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Soundtracks

Congo Bereji
from Music of Africa
courtesy of Kaleidophone
recorded in Northern Congo by Hugh Tracey

User Reviews

weird look at mardi gras

From Janus Films, Les Blank brings us a look at New Orleans and the French Quarter, 1978. the music plays while we watch various scenes of seafood being unloaded, funeral footage.. it's a mix of slow, sad, soulful jazz, and every now and then, they break into faster, happier tunes to celebrate the deceased. Directed by Les Blank.. king of the documentaries from 1960 into the 2000s. he just lets the film roll. not much talk. a whole lot of time spent on the crayfish and food being prepared, cooked, and dished onto plates at the end of the funeral. and a weird explanation of mardi gras. it's all a random look at people in N'Olins, selected by Les Blank. no rhyme or reason. it's mildly entertaining, but nothing scientific or research oriented. very random looks at the mardi gras participants. ain't no thang. bailed out halfway through. couldn't do it.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 May 1982 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Stetes Vergnügen

Filming Locations:

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church - 411 N Rampart Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Flower Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

58 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1