Topic: Britain's Other Music Hall: The Story of the Blackface Minstrels

[Pan]

Pan, thanks for the link to Free Show Tonight.  It's a wonderful movie.  I wish I'd been there at the actual performance.  

Anyone who hasn't watched this should be sure to check it out.  

dj, you're most welcome! I really liked it too.

Cheers

Pan

Edited to add: I know it's been discussed before, but in case you have missed it, there are other gems among the Folkstream films. Check it out!

[dj]

One more recommendation for Free Show Tonight, if I may:

I watched the movie on Thursday and Friday, and parts of it again today.  I have taken no other medications in the meantime.  And today I'm tapeworm free!   

I wonder what was in those bottles they were selling...

[DanceGypsy]

My wife and I watched "Free Show Tonight" a couple nights back, this after I watched the majority of it at work the day before.  I cannot recommend this film highly enough.  Hammie Nixon is one of the old medicine show musicians they found, and he blows jug and sings a number or two and generally cuts up whenever the camera is on him.  Guitar Slim plays some fine piano, and the white "Greasy" Medlin has got the country blues all through his bones.  "Free Show Tonight" was filmed in 1982 and released in '83, and Greasy Medlin died before the film came out.

[oddenda]

And then there is "Born for Hard Luck", the film bio of harmonica player par excellence Peg Leg Sam, one-time med show performer and all around character.

Peter B.