The film explores this hidden side to hughes through a blend of fiction and nonfiction. Looking for langston is a lyrical exploration and recreation of the private world of poet, novelist and playwright langston hughes 1902 1967 and his fellow black artists and writers who formed the harlem renaissance in the 1920s. I dream a world looking for langston a new exhibition focusing on the isaac juliens hugely significant 1989 film delves into what made this work such a landmark in africanamerican and queer studies, through a presentation of newly realised photographic works and rare archival material. It was playing on a double bill with the virtually unwatchable, robert mapplethorpe gets his nipple pierced. The film reclaims and celebrates langston hughes as an important black gay voice in american culture. Fusing poetry hughess own, as well as poems by essex hemphill and bruce nugent with an archival exploration of the period in the 1920s when black artists and writers were in vogue with the harlem tastemakers of the day, looking for langston is more a dreamscape in black and white than it is a documentary on the period. With ben ellison, matthew baidoo, akim mogaji, john wilson. Nov 16, 2017 this feature is not available right now. The 1989 film is a landmark in the exploration of artistic expression, a hallmark of new queer cinema and regarded as a touchstone for africanamerican studies for nearly 30 years. Original footage of the cotton club in the 1920s and period blues music set the scene for this examination of attitudes toward homosexuality then and now. The film s narrative focuses on the life of poet langston hughes and his relationship to fellow harlem renaissance artists. Released 1988, looking for langston stars ben ellison, matthew baidoo, akim mogaji the r movie has a runtime of about 45 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic, which put. Looking for langston is a peculiar, yet beautiful film. Cast and crew credits for looking for langston, 1990, directed by isaac julien, with jimmy somerville, pedro williams, steve brown, at turner classic movies.
Two prisoners in complete isolation, separated by the thick brick walls, and desperately in. But when a love triangle develops on set and the lines between reality and fantasy start to blur, the. If youre looking for a film about langston hughes, look elsewhere. Looking for langston songs are not available at this moment. Get in touch with a langston real estate agent who can help you find the home of your dreams in. Peppered with luxurious dramatizations of harlem renaissanceera intimacy and debauchery, its images broke ground and continue to stand the test of time. In one of his most important early works, isaac julien combines history and fantasy to conjure the world of his artistic and cultural ancestor langston hughes during the harlem renaissance. The film draws from the works of langston hughes played by ben ellison and james. Langston, white, loves black guys and has a lover called beauty. Original footage of the cotton club in the 1920s, archival footage. Watch the latest looking for langston trailer on video detective. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things.
Isaac julien, 1989 dedicated to luminary author james baldwin, looking for langston is a short biographical drama on black queer artistic history. One should read langston poetry and about his life before seeing it. The film is made so beautifully it worships the contibution the poet langston hughes made on this earth and also lends itself to celebrating the strength that other gay men and, hell, anyone on the outer should feel and be thankful for. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing looking for langston near you. Simply complete the contact form on langstons website and put film festival volunteer in the subject line. Looking for langston is not a mainstream film, but a short film, an avantgarde film, a gay film, and a black british film. Find release information for looking for langston 1988 isaac julien on allmovie. Bruce recounts his friendships with such historical figures as langston hughes and zora neale hurston. The films opening is strikingly bold, starting with the words from hughes memorial mass over an image of the dead artist in his coffin played by isaac julien.
Essex hemphill and larry duckette in conversation audio recording of a. On show will be the awardwinning and restored 16 mm film, accompanied by photographic work, that explore the fractured narratives of memory and desire. Looking for langston 1988, directed by isaac julien film. Historical records and family trees related to charlie langston. Looking for langston trailer asniff 2016 absurde seance. Easily the most recognizable character of langston university for over 50 years, butch is loved by all and known by none. Triumph of belief and passion over misguided energy and vanity. Check out my website to see if im coming to a city near you. Directed by julien while he was a member of sankofa film and video collective, and assisted by the. Records may include photos, original documents, family history, relatives, specific dates, locations and full names. The films opening is strikingly bold, starting with.
He died in the late sixties, so the film flickers between the past and more recent. Looking for langston 1989 looking for langston 1989. Looking for langston 1989 r 45min biography, drama 1 october 1989 usa a black and white, fantasylike recreation of highsociety gay men during the harlem renaissance, with archival footage and photographs intercut with a story. Its focus on a black, queer experience within the american cultural landscape retains its urgency and relevance. Shot in sumptuous monochrome looking for langston is a lyrical exploration and recreation of the private world of poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist langston hughes 1902 1967 and his fellow black artists and writers who formed the harlem renaissance during the 1920s. A mythic recreation of the private world of the black artists and writers such as langston hughes who formed the harlem renaissance of the 1920s. I tried to make my clips capture how the film structured, which is scattered, artistic, symbolic, intense, fun, and confusing at times. Looking for langston is a mood piece that gives a full flavour of what it is like to have lived a closeted and yet strangely public life as a black gay artist.
Isaac julien looking for langston galerie ron mandos artsy. British director isaac juliens looking for langston visually beautiful montage in black and white is labeled a mediation on langston hughes and the harlem renaissance it was a time when the black artist was in vogue but it is much more than that. Looking for langston 1989 is an homage by acclaimed artist isaac julien to langston hughes and the harlem renaissance. When best friends benji peter carroll and ruben nick trivisonno decide to make a film about the man on the moon, they dont realize theyre signing up for the end of the world as they know it. This is a tremendous honor and a great way for the langston university community to show the world how much we love butch.
This film imagines the artistic community of 1920s harlem. This stylish avantgarde film is a meditation on the work of acclaimed black poet langston hughes. Looking for langston gay in the 80s posted on august 23, 2018 by colin clews august 23, 2018 isaac juliens breakthrough movie focuses on black writer langston hughes and harlems cotton club to explore the issue of being black and gay from the 1920s to the present day. In this lyrical and poetic consideration of the life of revered harlem renaissance poet langston hughes, filmmaker isaac julien invokes hughes as a black gay cultural icon, against an impressionistic, atmospheric setting that parallels a harlem speakeasy of the 1920s with an 80s london nightclub. It is a celebration of brave men, holding them up in an unapologetically heroic light. Made when julien was a member of the sankofa film and video collective, looking for langston is introduced as being a meditation on langston hughes and the harlem renaissance. This movie per julien is about desire, which has a cinematic toolbox that never doesnt work. A young art student befriends an elderly homeless man named bruce, who narrates the story of his life growing up as a young black gay writer during the harlem renaissance. Butch film at harkins in bricktown langston university. Looking for langston 1988 gay black men in harlem in the 1920s experience freedom. Artistically envisioned and lovingly done, looking for langston is an exploration of the life and consequences of late africanamerican poet langston hughes. It is impossible to tell hughes story without delving into the social atmosphere in which he thrived.
The soundtrack to isaac juliens looking for langston. With a great location adjacent to the cleveland state university campus, the langston is the perfect home for those with a studyhard livefreely attitude. Overview of looking for langston, 1990, directed by isaac julien, with ben ellison, matthew baidoo, john wilson, at turner classic movies. View our langston real estate area information to learn about the weather, local school districts, demographic data, and general information about langston, ok.
A black and white, fantasylike recreation of highsociety gay men during the harlem renaissance, with archival footage and photographs intercut with a story. A meditation on the black poet langston hughes and an attempt to reclaim him as an important black gay in american culture. Jul 20, 2017 the soundtrack to filmmaker isaac juliens powerful 1989 looking for langston is set for its first ever vinyl release. Nov 21, 2016 mumford says they are still looking for volunteers to help with the festival. Notice the effeminate white tuxedoed man complete with a curl on his forehead as opposed to the strikingly handsome masculine black men. Charlie langston historical records and family trees. Notice the effeminate white tuxedoed man complete with a curl on his. The film uses readings of hughes poetry and the poetry of his contemporaries to create a picture of hughes and the history of black gay men in america. Downstairs is an elegant bar where tuxedoed men dance and talk. Faca parte do filmow e avalie este filme voce tambem. A poetic visual fantasy of the lives of black gay men in 20s harlem, shot in beautiful monochrome and packed with startling images of dream and desire. Its hard to imagine a more perfect year for looking for langston to be restored to its full elegance. Isaac juliens 1991 film young soul rebels will also be screening at the golden age cinema on 18 february 2018 as part of the mardi gras film festival. A stylised and dramatised biography of the black poet langston hughes.
This screening is a rare opportunity to see isaac juliens celebrated film in its original 16mm format. The film will be shown at the harkins theatre in bricktown on friday, june 9th, at 6. This week, in conjunction with our writing new york course, we are showing the 1989 documentary looking for langston, by the black british filmmaker isaac julien. Fusing poetry hughess own, as well as poems by essex hemphill and bruce nugent with an archival exploration of the period in the 1920s when black artists and. Looking for langston 1989 directed by isaac julien. Quite simply the best film touching on human sexual life of any kind. Jan 30, 2017 le film looking for lola 1997 streaming vostfr gratuit a 20170t17. Downtown cleveland apartments and lofts the langston take an interactive tour today. Not only did chantal akerman conceive and direct this radical and eloquent work, she commandingly, exquisitely occupies every single moment of the film s 90 minutes. Awardwinning british filmmaker isaac juliens film is both critically acclaimed and. Indeed, the prospect of viewing the film can be an offputting one, considering its competing narrative lines as documentary, reclamation of an aspect of black history, rumination on the aids crisis, or pure fantasy.
In looking for langston, director isaac julian invokes hughes as a black gay cultural icon, laying archival footage alongside performance in an impressionistic, atmospheric setting that is at once 1920s harlem speakeasy, 1980s london gay nightclub, and atemporal dreamscape. With isaac julien in attendance, who let us know the 4dx future of looking for langston exhibition. A wake is going on, with mourners gathered around a. Isaac julien looking for langston 1989 available for. Isaac juliens classic 1989 meditation on desire, poetry, and the harlem renaissance still pulsates with urgency. The film draws from the works of langston hughes played by ben ellison and james baldwin, among others, and provocatively imagines the speakeasies of the period as havens for the free expression of black gay culture and desire. Isaac julien looking for langston the vinyl factory. The award winning film, looking for langston, made in 1989, is a visually beautiful and lyrical exploration of black and white gay identities set in the harlem renaissance in new york of the 1920s and 1930s. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, british artist isaac juliens lyrical looking for. Accomplished filmmaker and video installation artist isaac julien is wellknown for films like looking for langston 1989, a poetic treatment of gay black poet langston hughes and the harlem renaissance, and other groundbreaking studies of racial and sexual identity, voyages, and cultural displacement. Winner best documentary short cinematography tulsa american film festival official selection austin film festival 2017 official selection langston hughes african american film festival 2017. One of them has a dream in which he comes upon beauty, who seems to reject him, although when he awakes, beauty. And speaking of volunteers, wokoma says langston is looking for volunteers as well. Looking for langston, is a lavishly illustrated, signed, limited edition book by the internationally acclaimed artist and filmmaker, featuring newlyconceived photographic works in addition to storyboards from juliens seminal 1989 film, looking for langston, never before published contemporary polaroids and rare archival.
Looking for langston 1989 posters the movie database. It combines authentic archival newsreel footage of harlem in the 1920s with scripted scenes to produce a nonlinear. The film reveals the expressive and suppressed story of gay culture in 20s and 30s new york through unexplored aspects of langston hughes life and work. The marion stokes project film the complete works of. The film is inspired by the unexplored aspects of the life and work of the poet langston hughes 19021967. A wake is going on, with mourners gathered around a coffin. A sensual and hypnotic meditation on both the harlem renaissance and the aids crisis, looking for langston is informed by the critic eve sedgwicks theorization of the experience of being a closeted homosexual. It combines authentic archival newsreel footage of harlem in the 1920s with scripted scenes to produce a nonlinear impressionistic storyline celebrating black gay identity and desire during the artistic and cultural period known as the harlem renaissance in new york.
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