Thursday night the Centre Pompidou screened Cocksucker Blues, photographer Robert Frank's 1977 filmed documentary. Rarely seen since Frank has control over when and where it's shown, the showing was sold out on short notice. (photo by Bob Gruen: Rolling Stones at a press party at Danceteria).
From Time, "It's been available for years in poor-quality, black & white bootleg copies at a few hundred indie video stores around the world, but there is only one way to see it legally..called Cocksucker Blues, after a song Mick Jagger wrote to anger record company executives... Although the movie was originally commissioned by the Stones themselves, they blocked its release when they saw the scenes of drug use and graphic groupie sex. After years of legal headaches, the band and Frank agreed to a sort-of compromise: the film can be shown only a few times a year, and Frank himself decides where and when, so that he may be present to ensure the screening meets his approval."
Of course, YouTube has managed a few clips, and we've got one cued up here. Street fighting seems like a fun theme for today's viewing on Danceteria.
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