OLD WEIRD AMERICA: HARRY SMITH'S ANTHOLOGY OF AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC

Director Rani Singh / 2007 / USA

“My dreams came true… I saw America changed by music.” - Harry Smith Filmmaker, musician, painter, mystic and string collector… Harry Smith was a man of many talents. He was catapulted into the American cultural conscious after spearheading the Anthology of American Folk Music in 1952. From the book's initial compilation of 78 records from rural Americana through to its influence on today's artists, such as Elvis Costello, Beth Orton, Nick Cave, Beck and Sonic Youth, this celebratory film assembles concert footage with interviews and archival images to create what is, essentially, a wild ride through a remarkable musical landscape. Rani Singh is the founder and director of the Harry Smith Archives and worked as Smith's assistant for several years before his death in 1991. This documentary is her feature film debut.


D Rani Singh P Rani Singh, Adam Hyman WS Rani Singh TD digibeta&DVcam/2006/90mins

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