Not entirely devoid of the con

November 21, 2009 12:11 PM

Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Leonard Cohen For one week only on Pitchfork TV, "this 45-minute film from 1965 offers a candid glimpse of Cohen's pre-singer-songwriter days." Previously: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and let us never forget 7.
posted by FelliniBlank (28 comments total)

Wow, Redpath Auditorium still looks just the same.
posted by Flashman at 12:47 PM on November 21, 2009

Your link is misleading. This is the correct link.
posted by Sova at 12:48 PM on November 21, 2009

Whoops, thanks, Sova.
posted by FelliniBlank at 12:51 PM on November 21, 2009

Thanks. Never get tired of Cohen.
posted by bearwife at 1:04 PM on November 21, 2009

As a time capsule from a wholly different era, it's striking how earnest everyone seems, and also that poetry was still popular enough to warrant solemn, televised attention. But I also can't help but imagine an SCTV parody of this documentary, with Martin Short playing Cohen.
posted by HP LaserJet P10006 at 1:12 PM on November 21, 2009 [1 favorite]

Fixed that link.
posted by cortex at 1:15 PM on November 21, 2009

And if you want to watch it again after it's gone from the Pitchfork site, it's always available for viewing at the National Film Board of Canada's permanent online library of films.

Cohen is a national treasure.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 1:28 PM on November 21, 2009 [6 favorites]

Before her entrance into government, Adrienne Clarkson worked for the CBC; about fifteen years ago she was hosting a show called Adrienne Clarkson Presents, which focused on Canadian art types. One of her segments was on Leonard Cohen. I tell ya, nothing has demystified Cohen more for me than seeing footage of him in a Provigo grocery store, peering through his bifocals at the prices as he decides which size of Cheez Whiz to buy.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 1:33 PM on November 21, 2009 [4 favorites]

I will try to watch this later. I just wanted to say that if you get the chance to see him in concert, GO!!! I went last year and it was the best concert I have ever seen- and I've seen some pretty good ones. I hope I'm that cool when I'm in my 70s- but then actually I wish I was that cool now.
posted by drjimmy11 at 2:46 PM on November 21, 2009

This is great. I love Leonard Cohen, and I'm not as familiar with his earlier career as I should be. Thanks!
posted by OolooKitty at 3:17 PM on November 21, 2009

I wrote an article for McSweeney's about seeing Leonard Cohen in concert last year.

Similar to Ladies and Gentlemen, in some ways - the NFB's groundbreaking documentary on Paul Anka, Lonely Boy.
posted by Marquis at 3:37 PM on November 21, 2009 [3 favorites]

I had a chance to see him for free back in the 1980s sometime, a show at Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theater (or maybe the Orpheum). I had something better to do that evening. I'm wiser now.
posted by philip-random at 4:18 PM on November 21, 2009

This is wonderful, it was great to see Montreal in the 60's. As Marquis said, Lonely Boy is very similar and very great.
posted by niccolo at 4:20 PM on November 21, 2009

I was in Spain in September and saw in a local tourist magazine that Leonard Cohen was doing a series of concerts in Barcelona. It broke my heart to miss seeing him because it was sold out and I was leaving two days before the start.
posted by A-Train at 4:44 PM on November 21, 2009

Phisohex!

He looked like a young Dustin Hoffman. I kept expecting Mrs. Robinson to pop into view.
posted by HTuttle at 6:10 PM on November 21, 2009 [1 favorite]

Thanks for posting this. I saw him earlier this month in Nashville and he was amazing. I had low expectations for the show (I mean, he IS 75) but it was excellent. Here's a nice bootleg download of his Feb 2009 NY show. [via]
posted by wearyaswater at 6:11 PM on November 21, 2009

My wife and I saw Cohen in concert less than a month ago, and it was the most amazing show I have ever seen. Nearly 3 hours long, beautiful, moving, soulful, electric. I adore the guy, though find him almost unbearably pretentious in this video... still, he never fails to have fascinating ways to say what he says...
posted by newfers at 6:12 PM on November 21, 2009

I adore the guy, though find him almost unbearably pretentious in this video

Oh definitely, although he's so impossibly young here that it's kind of sweet. And whenever he speaks, I can hear machinery operating in his brain that I don't even have a crappy facsimile of in mine.
posted by FelliniBlank at 6:27 PM on November 21, 2009

I agree, FelliniBlank - I could only aspire to be as adorably pretentious!

When we saw him in concert, in the second act, he played a small keyboard part for "Tower of Song". When the audience erupted in applause at hearing him play, he showed that lopsided Leonard Cohen grin, laughed heartily and said "You're too kind!"... it was hard not to love the guy at that moment... he truly seems to be grateful for every moment, and he was also amazingly gracious to his fabulous touring band.
posted by newfers at 7:36 PM on November 21, 2009

Thanks for this... a great post.
posted by HuronBob at 7:50 PM on November 21, 2009

And... makes me want to write.... I haven't written prose/poetry since about 1969.. time to revisit that activity!

This is the kind of post that makes MetaFilter the place I spend so much time on...
posted by HuronBob at 7:53 PM on November 21, 2009

"If you ask me is anything certain these days I would probably tell you that I love Leonard Cohen."
posted by Kattullus at 8:04 PM on November 21, 2009

Thanks for the link, FelliniBank! This is brilliant.

Seconding drjimmy11--go see him if he comes within a day's drive. He hasn't gotten any less hilarious, brilliant, or relevant.
posted by Saellys at 9:08 PM on November 21, 2009

Nice to know that he is a vegetarian. He joins a select group of vegetarians artistes, namely Moby & Morrisey.
posted by lahersedor at 1:51 AM on November 22, 2009

here's all my money, beautiful baby.
posted by pick_the_flowers at 3:28 AM on November 22, 2009

drjimmy11: I just wanted to say that if you get the chance to see him in concert, GO!!! I went last year and it was the best concert I have ever seen- and I've seen some pretty good ones.

I totally agree. My dad and I went to see him in the spring, and it was the best concert either of us had been to. I was already a big fan before that, but seeing him live--wow. Gracious. He comes across as a very gracious and humble man.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:06 AM on November 22, 2009

A week after seeing Cohen, we were excited to see Bob Dylan in Columbus as well... sadly, it was not a good experience. Mr. Dylan seems to hate his audience while Cohen at least gives the impression of being humble and appreciative.
posted by newfers at 4:01 PM on November 22, 2009

I bought this DVD, after having rented it several times. My favorite scene is the one of him in the bathtub, Such fuss over a poet, which is what he really was at the time! It warms my poet's heart.

I find the little videos attached at the end (more Film Board stuff) hilarious and almost unbearable to watch.
posted by Riverine at 7:51 PM on November 22, 2009