Directed by
Thorsen, Karen, American
Subject of
Baldwin, James, American, 1924 - 1987
Baraka, Amiri, American, 1934 - 2014
Angelou, Maya, American, 1928 - 2014
Short, Bobby, American, 1924 - 2005
Leeming, David Adams, American
Styron, William, American, 1925 - 2006
Reed, Ishmael, American, born 1938
Happersberger, Lucien, Swiss, 1932 - 2010
Owned by
D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
Date
1989
Medium
acetate film
Dimensions
Duration (Reel 1): 50 Minutes
Length (Film): 1800 Feet
Duration (Reel 2): 24 Minutes
Length (Film): 850 Feet
Caption
"James Baldwin: The Price of The Ticket" recounts the life and influence of author James Baldwin using a combination of archival footage of Baldwin and contemporary interviews with his surviving family and friends. The film was directed by Karen Thorsen in collaboration with the famous documentary production company Maysles Films.
This film was a part of the Washington D.C. Public Library's circulating 16mm film collection housed at the Martin Luther King Jr. Central Library. The collection is particularly noted for the wide variety of African American and African diaspora content.
Description
A documentary film with the title James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket. It consists of two (2) reels of color 16mm acetate film with optical sound (2017.55.23.1a and 2017.55.23.1b).
The documentary recounts the life and influence of author James Baldwin using a combination of archival footage of Baldwin and contemporary interviews with his surviving family and friends. The film was directed by Karen Thorsen in collaboration with the famous documentary production company Maysles Films.
The film includes footage of interviews and public speeches by Baldwin, scenes from Baldwin's funeral service, and explorations of Baldwin's homes in France, Switzerland, Turkey, and Harlem. Interviews with family and friends include his brother David; biographer David Leeming; writers Maya Angelou, Amiri Baraka, William Styron, Ishmael Reed and Yashar Kemal; painter Lucien Happersberger and entertainer Bobby Short.
Place depicted
Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Istanbul, Turkey, Middle East, Asia
Switzerland, Europe
Paris, Île-de-France, France, Europe
Collection title
DC Public Library Film Collection
Classification
Time-based Media - Moving Images
Type
sound films
color films (visual works)
feature films
16mm (photographic film size)
Topic
Activism
Civil rights
Documentary films
Film
Gender
LGBTQ
Literature
Sexuality
Spirituality
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2017.55.23.1ab
Restrictions & Rights
© Karen Thorsen (Nobody Knows Productions)
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd574f1a239-a28e-43aa-8216-2a68ae372bdb

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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