Les Blank: Always For Pleasure/Dvd, Criterion Collection, DVD

An uncompromisingly independent filmmaker, Les Blank made documentaries for nearly fifty years, elegantly disappearing with his camera into cultural spots rarely seen on-screen - mostly on the peripheries of the United States, but also occasionally abroad. Seemingly off-the-cuff yet poetically constructed, these films are humane, sometimes wry, always engaging tributes to music, food, and all sorts of regionally specific delights. This collector's set provides a diverse survey of Les Blank's vast output, including fourteen of his best-known works and eight related short films. Texas musician: Always for Pleasure, which captures the vivacious spirit of New Orleans: Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers, a hilarious celebration of the pungent, flavorful stinking rose of the title: and eleven other unexpected features, plus eight of Blank's short films.