Jack Smith Overview

Pioneering avant-garde 'father of the american underground', Jack Smith has been regarded by many as one of the most influential, and overlooked, director in the history of american independent cinema and one of the originators of Performance Art. Smith's queer aesthetics,... [more]

Pioneering avant-garde 'father of the american underground', Jack Smith has been regarded by many as one of the most influential, and overlooked, director in the history of american independent cinema and one of the originators of Performance Art. Smith's queer aesthetics, mixed with keen eye for camp and B-Movie stars like Maria Montez, has profoundly affected the american cultural imagination ranging from the films of John Waters to the annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade. His films are often filled with Dionysian orgies, overflowing with comically stylized costume and posture. [show less]