Les Blank, a film maker known for his ability to capture American musical traditions in his independent films, has passed away Sunday at age 77. A “film-maker’s film maker,” Les Blank’s talents are often overlooked by the mainstream film culture, but he has received top honors from the American Film Institute and the International Documentary Association, as well as the high regard of film makers like Ken Burns and Werner Herzog (who was the subject of Blank’s 1982 film “Burden of Dreams” which documented Herzogs filming of “Fitzcarraldo,” a ill-fated documentary about a man building an opera house in the jungle).

According to Scott Alarik, “perhaps the best way to describe the genius of Les Blank, is to say that he makes folk songs for the eyes.” Blank’s forays into American folk music portray American traditional music styles as a living, malleable creatures. Folk music, to Blank, was able to retain the basic tenants of what makes the music unique, while still being able to adjust to the ever-changing lives of the people who made the music. His subjects were the greatest benefactor to his genius. The first ‘folk film’ he recorded with his independent film company, Flower Films, was “The Blues Accordin’ to Lightning Hopkins.” Bluesman Lightning Hopkins, frustrated with Blank after the first day of filming, sent him away. It was only after playing cards (and losing) to Hopkins that Blank was allowed to return with his camera.

Blank despised the notion of a ‘filter’ between his subject and the viewer, but made use of somewhat non-conventional methods in order to get the best material possible. Rather than being the ‘invisible fly-on-the-wall film maker,” Blank would spend weeks living with his subjects, becoming a temporary part of the community, and often helping artists with their day-to-day chores, gardening, feeding children, etc. The result was some of the most unadulterated portrayals of folk music (and artists) ever created. Alan Lomax, famed ethnomusicologist and one of Blank’s primary influencers, called Blank’s “The Sun Gonna Shine,” “One of the three most important films on the South.”

In an interview with film writer Taylor Segrest, Blank noted, “ I try to find a fresh way of looking at the world around me and making some sense of it–hopefully something positive, something lasting that the world would want to see 100 years from now.” He is survived by his children Harrod, Beau and Ferris, and three grandchildren.

– Matt Hengeveld