Customer Reviews

Louie Bluie [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an early documentary by director Terry Zwigoff ("Crumb", "Ghost World") that focuses on an old time music/blues player named William Howard Armstrong. Armstrong was 75 at the time this film was shot, but he was still capable of some blistering playing. We get to see him play the fiddle, the guitar, the banjo, the ukelele, and some hybrid instruments. He appears with the players he has been with for years and years.

Interspersed between the musical shots are slice-of-life vignettes where we get to hear our hero trading philosophy and folksy wisdom, along with some very ribald stories, with his compadres. We also get to look at some of his colorful, "realist" (artist's own description) paintings of African-American life. But the real treat for me was a treasure he has kept locked up since he created it. It's a "prostitute's bible" with folktales, how-to guides, anecdotes (personal and otherwise), cut-out magazine photos, and some charmingly explicit and colorful drawings. I would pay at least $100 for a copy of it. When asked why he keeps it locked away, he replies that he does so to avoid "the man" keeping him locked away. It's unfortunate that this video hasn't been released on DVD, because in effect, its obscurity does keep Louie Bluie locked away.

I've been waiting years for the wonderful little documentary 'Louie Bluie' to make an appearance on DVD. I am overjoyed that it is finally going to be part of the Criterion Collection!

Terry Zwigoff is best known for 'Ghost World', 'Crumb' and 'Bad Santa', but before he made those films he directed this charming and fascinating 1985 documentary. It follows Howard Armstrong (Louie Bluie) a pioneer string band musician who was still going strong in the 1980s. Lovers of the blues will instantly fall in love with Howard's astounding musical abilities and the film serves up a lot of musical scenes. But it also devotes time to Armstrong's opinions on women, art and other subjects. 'Louie Bluie' is a timeless film that provides a valuable snapshot of a kind of musician that just isn't around anymore.

The new director-approved special edition DVD contains:

New, restored high-definition digital transfer (1.33:1), approved by director Terry Zwigoff

Audio commentary featuring Zwigoff

Thirty minutes of unused footage

Illustrations by Howard Armstrong

Stills gallery

PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Michael Sragow

Louie Bluie is the greatest documentary about old time music ever made. It is amazing that these musicians were captured on film and preserved at all but with Louie Bluie we get a window into what it was like to be a 1920's Blues musician and we witness a handful of the greatest Blues & Jazz musicians of the 1920's & 30's that ever lived, Howard Armstrong, Ted Bogan, Yank Rachel and Banjo Ikey Robinson as they hang out, B.S. and play music with one another. There is nothing else like it. It's both heartbreaking and hysterical to watch these guys in the twilight of their lives as they fade out of existence nearly unnoticed. Thank God Terry Zwigoff noticed!!!
If you are interested in Old-Time Music at all and don't own this DVD you MUST buy it!!!
NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Howard "Louie Bluie" Armstrong is a charismatic performer and a disarming storyteller. CRUMB Director Terry Zwigoff's first documentary profiles this obscure, singular visual artist and musician in a blunt but clearly affectionate profile. It's really much more of a tribute.

At the time of filming, Louie Bluie Armstrong was a member of the last known black string band in America. Zwigoff includes generous and representative samples of the unusual (to my ears), infectious music and sly comedic moments.

This film is a real treat. But it is also an interesting harbinger of Zwigoff's fascination with the outer banks of our culture that he focused on in the ensuing years.

Extras include Zwigoff's terrific commentary and over 30 minutes of interesting, unused footage.

Louie Bluie is the greatest film about a musician that has ever been made. I first saw Louie Bluie when a friend of mine passed me a copy of it that he had dubbed from his VHS tape. I was floored. From the music, the man, and the colorful cast of characters I was hooked. The scene in the "Cacklin' Hen affected me so much that a few friends and I named our group after Armstrong's first group, The Tennessee Chocolate Drops changing the local from Tennessee to Carolina to represent two of our memebers home state North Carolina. Beside this just being a great portrait of a musician, this movie is also a great portrait of a black string band musician who's music representd an amazing part of American musicial history. The black string band is a highly underappreciated piece of the musicial puzzle and Mr. Zwigoff's film gives a highly informative and entertaining potrait of one of the greats. Even though it is billed as a documentary, it is far more entertaining than any other documentary that I have ever seen. I could go on and on but just pick up a copy of this film! It will blow your mind!

The magnificent content of this documentary has been covered by others, believe what those who rated it 5 stars have to say. A deeply personal and loving documentary of these Blues gentlemen, who love their music and share a joyous time recounting their memories and meeting at eachothers homes for a good jam session.

Criterion has done an outstanding job of restoration on the original 16mm footage, just compare it to the hour of unrestored "deleted scenes". Too bad they did not restore these too, but do not overlook watching them, they are pure gold. And I also highly recommend Terry Zwigoff's incredible documentary, "Crumb". Howard Armstrong had a love of erotic cartooning, and shows you some of his personal collection in his portfolio of sometimes innocent "porn", actually humorous erotic curiosities. He has a one man gallery showing describing how he made his own paint as a child by squeezing the dye from wet crepe paper. I wondered if his work was a source of inspiration for R. Crumb, who illustrated the cover for the DVD.

This movie shows us an often overlooked chapter in African American music. Musician, poet, artist --Louie "Bluie" Armstrong is the original triple threat.

This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

Louie Bluie is a documentary about a musician of the same name. Louie "Bluie" Armstrong was a member of the last known African American string band. I really liked the film as it was a homage to a dying breed. This type of music once, ubiquitous is no longer made. The film does well at interviewing various people and explores the history of the music.

The DVD includes commentary by Terry Zwigoff, a half hour of unused footage, illustrations, and production photos.

This is a great film but covers a niche topic not all will appreciate.