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Kino Lorber "Who's Crazy?" (1966)... Blu-ray & DVD


Kino Classics is proud to announce the Blu-ray and DVD release of Thomas White's Who's Crazy?, featuring an original soundtrack by jazz great Ornette Coleman and starring members of The Living Theatre. This wild, free-form burst of '60s experimental filmmaking follows a group of mental patients who hole up in a deserted Belgian farmhouse, where they cook large quantities of eggs and condemn one of their own in an impromptu court. The actors don't have much need for words when they can dance around, light things on fire, and drip hot wax on each other instead.

Who's Crazy? was long thought to be lost until a 35mm print -- struck for the film's 1966 debut at the Cannes Film Festival -- was discovered in the garage of director Thomas White. The restoration was supervised by John Klacsmann, archivist at Anthology Film Archives, and produced by Vanessa McDonnell and Aaron Schimberg of Grand Motel Films. The restored Who's Crazy? was released in limited theatrical engagements by Kino Lorber Repertory earlier this year, opening in March at Film Society of Lincoln Center before moving on to engagements in other key national markets.
 


In addition to its status as a lost film and its significance within 1960s avant garde cinema, Who's Crazy? has also long been of interest to jazz scholars, as it features an original score by Ornette Coleman. Coleman and the other members of his trio -- David Izenzon and Charles Moffett -- recorded their score for Who's Crazy? in one go while the film was projected for them, and the result feels like a slapstick silent film with the greatest possible accompaniment. The soundtrack has long been available only as a rare LP, but now, with the recovery and restoration of the film, jazz scholars and aficionados have the opportunity to see the images that Coleman saw as he composed his score. The soundtrack also includes the song "Sadness", sung by Marianne Faithfull.

Director: Thomas White
Produced by Thomas White and Allan Zion
Starring Actors from The Living Theatre Company:
Wimme Andre, Melvin Clay, Tom Edmonston, Carl Einhorn, Peter Glaze, Gene Gordon, Diane Gregory, Leroy House, Nona Howard, Steven Ben Israel, Gene Lipton, Michèle Mareck, Dorothy Shari, William Shari, Barry Shuck, Esther Silber, Marvin Silber, Luke Theodore, Steve Thompson, James Tiroff, Lester Waldman

Original soundtrack composed by Ornette Coleman and performed by The Ornette Coleman Trio with David Izenzon (bass) and Charles Moffett (drums). "Sadness" written by Ornette Coleman, sung by Marianne Faithfull.

Additional singing by Nona Howard. Additional music by Nino Ferrer.
Spanish guitar by Ramon Ybarra.
Jeremy [Six Strings]

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