Selected Filmography, Land Where the Blues Began
Beale Street. Produced by Alexis Krasilovsky, Ann Rickey, and Walter Baldwin, distributed by the Center for the Study of Southern Culture (hereafter referred to as CSSC), 1981 (29 min., 16mm and ½” video, B&W).Bessie Smith. Produced by Charles Levine, distributed by Film-Makers’ Cooperative, Canyon Cinema Co-op, 1968 (13.5 min., 16mm, B&W).
Black Delta Religion. Produced by Judy Peiser and William Ferris, distributed by CSSC, 1974 (15 min., ½” video, B&W).
The Blues Accordin’ to Lightnin’ Hopkins. Produced by Les Blank, distributed by Flower Films, 1969 (31 min., 16mm, color). Available on ½” video from CSSC.
Blues Houseparty. Produced by Eleanor Ellis, directed by Jackson Frost, distributed by CSSC, 1989 (57 min., ½” video, color).
Blues Like Showers of Rain: Lightnin’ Hopkins. Directed by John Jeremy, distributed by CSSC (30 min., ½” video, B&W).
Blues Maker. Produced by the University of Mississippi Center for the Public Serivce and Continuing Studies, distributed by CSSC, 1969 (14 min., ½” video, B&W).
Born for Hard Luck: Peg Leg Sam Jackson. Produced by Davenport Films and the Curriculum in Folklore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, distributed by CSSC, 1976 (29 min., ½” video, B&W).
Bottle Up and Go. Produced by Judy Peiser and William Ferris, distributed by CSSC, 1980 (18 min., ½” video, color).
Chicago Blues: Muddy Waters. Produced by Harley Cokliss, distributed by CSSC (50 min., ½” video, color).
The Delta Blues Festival. Produced by the University of Mississippi Telecommunications Resource Center, distributed by CSSC, 1985 (30 min., ½” video, color).
Delta Blues Singer: James “Sonny Ford” Thomas. Produced by William Ferris and Josette Rossi, distributed by CSSC, 1970 (44 min., ½” video, B&W).
Faulkner’s Mississippi: Land Into Legend. Produced by University of Mississippi Division of Continuing Education, distributed by CSSC, 1965 (32 min., 1/2'” video, color).
Festival. Produced by Murray Lerner/Patchke Productions, 1967 (95 min., 16mm, B&W). Scenes of the Newport Folk Festival, 1963-66.
Give My Poor Heart Ease. Produced by William Ferris/Yale University Media Design Studio, distributed by CSSC, 1975 (20 min., ½” video, color).
Gravel Springs Fife and Drum. Produced by William Ferris, Judy Peiser, ad David Evans/Center for Southern Folklore, distributed by CSSC, 1971 (10 min., ½” video, color).
The Land Where the Blues Began. Produced by Alan Lomax, distributed by Jane Balfour Films, Ltd. (overseas), Pacific Arts Video (home video #PBS 260), and the Association for Cultural Equity, 1981 (60 min., ¾” video, color).
Mississippi Delta Blues. Produced by Judy Peiser and William Ferris/Center for Southern Folklore, distributed by CSSC, 1974 (18 min., ½” video, B&W).
Mississippi Delta Blues. Produced by Anthony Herrera, distributed by CSSC (29 min., ½” video, color).
Mississippi Steamboatin’. Produced by Walter Lewisohn, distributed by CSSC (16 min., ½” video, color).
The Parchman Trials. Produced by Mississippi Educational Television, distributed by CSSC (60 min., ½” video, color).
Ray Lum: Mule Trader. Produced by Judy Peiser and William Ferris/Center for Southern Folklore, distributed by CSSC, 1973 (18 min., ½” video, color).
Return to the River. Produced by Mississippi Educational Television, distributed by CSSC, (60min., ½” video, color).
Reverend Gary Davis/Sonny Terry: Masters of the Country Blues Series. Produced and distributed by Yazoo Video (#501), a division of Shanachie Records, 1991 (60 min., ½” video, color).
Roots of American Music: Country and Urban Music, Parts 1, 2, & 3. Produced by University of Washington School of Music, distributed by University of Washington Press, 1971 (40 min., 33 min., and 23 min., 16 mm, color). Performances by Son House, Fred McDowell, Mance Lipscomb, the Georgia Sea Island Singers, and others.
Shoutin’ the Blues. Produced by Agrinsky Films, distributed by CSSC (16 min., ½” video, color).
Son House/Bukka White: Masters of the Country Blues Series. Produced and distributed by Yazoo Video (#500), a division of Shanachie Records, 1991 (60 min., ½” video, color).
Sun’s Gonna Shine. Produced by Les Blank, distributed by Flower Films, 1968 (10 min., 16mm, color). Available on ½” video from CSSC.
Three Songs by Leadbelly. Produced by Blanding Sloan and Wah Mong Chong/Folklore Research Films, distributed by Film Images, 1945 (8 min., 16mm, color).
To Hear Your Banjo Play. Produced by Alan Lomax and Creative Age Films, distributed by Audio Brandon Films, 1947 (16 min., 16mm, B&W).
Two Black Churches. Produced by William Ferris/Yale University Media Design Studio, distributed by CSSC, 1977 (20 min., ½” video, color).
A Well Spent Life. Produced by Les Blank, distributed by Flower Films, 1971 (44 min., 16mm, color). Available on ½” video from CSSC. Portrait of the Texas bluesman Mance Lipscomb.
Yank Rachell: Tennessee Tornado. Produced by Michael Atwood, distributed by CSSC, 1989 (30 min., ½” video, color).
Most of these listings were drawn, with permission of the editors, from American Folklore Films and Videotapes: An Index, edited by William Ferris and Judy Peiser (Memphis, Tenn.: Center for Southern Folklore, 1976), and the Southern Culture Catalog, distributed by the Center for the Study of Southern Culture (CSSC) at the University of Mississippi.
