The Blank Generation
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The Blank Generation is the earliest published D-I-Y "home movies" of New York punk's birth filmed by Amos Poe and Ivan Kral, legendary 1970s guitarist with Iggy Pop, Blondie and Patti Smith.
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Synopsis
Directors and producers Ivan Kral and No Wave filmmaker Amos Poe use behind-the-scenes footage of punk musicians before they became icons. The film includes footage of Iggy Pop, Blondie, Patti Smith, The Ramones, Television, Talking Heads, New York Dolls, The Heartbreakers, The Shirts, and Robert Gordon as visitors to New York's CBGB's,
Film locations include Max's Kansas City, The Bottom Line, Bowery, and the Lower East Side.
Cast
- Richard Hell
- Patti Smith Group
- Television
- Ramones
- The Heartbreakers
- Talking Heads
- Blondie
- Harry Toledo
- Marbles
- Tuff Darts
- The Miamis
- New York Dolls
- The Shirts
Musicians
Musicians featured in the film include: Joey Ramone, Debbie Harry, Richard Hell, Patti Smith, Johnny Thunders, David Byrne, Tom Verlaine, David Johansen, Wayne County, Tommy Ramone, Lenny Kaye, Dee Dee Ramone, Chris Stein, Fred Smith, Johnny Ramone, Ivan Kral, Robert Gordon, Richard Lloyd, Tina Weymouth, Walter Lure, Jeff Salen, Annie Golden, Jayne County, Chris Frantz, Jimmy Destri, Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Gary Valentine, Clem Burke, Arthur Kane, Syl Sylvain, Jerry Nolan, Jay Dee Daugherty, Richard Sohl, Billy Ficca, Hilly Kristal and more.
Background and Style
Initially filmed for private consumption, Ivan Kral used silent camera for all of the concert footage. Together with filmmaker Amos Poe, he edited the images together with demo recordings of the various bands, resulting in a film that lies somewhere between a Rockumentary and series of music videos. The divorce of sound and image was inspired by Jean-Luc Godard and the French New Wave as a way to alienate the audience and make them hyper-aware that they were watching a film.
