Customer Reviews

Benjamin Smoke

5 star:		(5)
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If this is your first exposure to Benjamin and the music of Smoke, you might find his openess and life unsettling, but given a chance this drug-gobbling, dress-wearing poet will take up residence in your soul. This film captures, probably as well as is possible, the amazingly unique man that was Benjamin. While the film shows us tragic times, it isn't a tragedy. Instead, it's the story of a brave--and strange-- heart, who just didn't fit into the "real" world. Our loss.

I was fortunate enough to be able to see this at the National Film Theatre when I was living in London. I was in a film class through University College London, and we had the chance to see about 5 of Jem Cohen's documentaries - and the best part was that Cohen was there too, and after the film he got up and spoke about them and took questions.

I had never heard of Benjamin Smoke before seeing this documentary, but have been intrigued by him ever since. The documentary is stunning in it's portrayal of Benjamin, and you really do get the sense that you've been taken somewhere else - a completely different realm - if only for a few minutes. I'm a freelance photographer and I cannot say how often the images from this documentary have run through my mind as I've tried to capture my own sense of "difference" in the world.

This is definitely a mood piece, and I'd say that it'd be best to watch it in a place where you can just focus on the film itself - let yourself be mesmerized by it...

The last thing Benjamin'd want is for some sycophant to "justify" his life. Jem Cohen does as is his want in evoking the life of a true elysian navigator: pastels, washes, cinematic perfumes. Throughout it all Benjamin riffs; his grit betraying a lucidity that many choose to ignore.

I ordered this expecting it to take at least a week or two to come but it came in only a few days! Very happy surprise PLUS the DVD had absolutely no scratches or sign of use!

Little to say about this film other than it is probably the most remarkable documentary I have seen. the fact that the filmmakers spent a decade off and on getting to know 'benjamin' means that two things happen: first, there's a complete intimacy and authenticity to the fragmentary shoots; second, the filmmakers don't go for quick sensationalism, and leave out just as much as you yourself would when telling the story of a close friend. It helps if you like 'Smoke's music, but it's not essential to be a hipster, the power of the voice comes through, and the makers use so many techniques to piece the film together, they totally avoid all the cliches of a music video or concert film, getting very close to the power of performance.
A truly wonderful film.