FILM DIRECTOR

Jack Smith

1932 - 1989

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Jack Smith (November 14, 1932 – September 18, 1989) was an American filmmaker, actor, and pioneer of underground cinema. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Jack Smith has received more than 70,031 page views. His biography is available in 15 different languages on Wikipedia. Jack Smith is the 1,650th most popular film director (down from 1,401st in 2019), the 12,278th most popular biography from United States (down from 10,310th in 2019) and the 472nd most popular American Film Director.

Memorability Metrics

  • 70k

    Page Views (PV)

  • 40.68

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 15

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 2.19

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 3.08

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Among FILM DIRECTORS

Among film directors, Jack Smith ranks 1,650 out of 2,041. Before him are Neil Marshall, Tomm Moore, Prakash Jha, Zeki Demirkubuz, Gaylen Ross, and Stacy Peralta. After him are David Mackenzie, Richard LaGravenese, Detlev Buck, Lino Brocka, Trevor Nunn, and Paolo Virzì.

Most Popular Film Directors in Wikipedia

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1932, Jack Smith ranks 540. Before him are Shirley Cawley, Duke Pearson, Udupi Ramachandra Rao, Clyde McPhatter, Dorothy Ashby, and Tina Brooks. After him are Kurt Schmid, Aladár Kovácsi, Charlie Rich, Bob McGrath, Nadira, and Shashikala. Among people deceased in 1989, Jack Smith ranks 291. Before him are Egon Orowan, Prem Nazir, Willi Horn, Frank Sullivan, Ludwig Schuberth, and Aristid Lindenmayer. After him are Duncan Gregg, Beatrice Lillie, Frank Adams, Nilufer Hanımsultan, Shamil Serikov, and Thomas Sopwith.

Others Born in 1932

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Others Deceased in 1989

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In United States

Among people born in United States, Jack Smith ranks 12,278 out of 20,380. Before him are Ebon Moss-Bachrach (1977), Russell Carpenter (1950), Jesse Jackson Jr. (1965), Joan Caulfield (1922), John Wright (1909), and Natalie Merchant (1963). After him are Rya Kihlstedt (1970), Thomas McKean (1734), Lurleen Wallace (1926), Jeremy Camp (1978), Vince Gill (1957), and William Bendix (1906).

Others born in United States

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Among FILM DIRECTORS In United States

Among film directors born in United States, Jack Smith ranks 472. Before him are Jim Wynorski (1950), Tim Van Patten (1959), Deran Sarafian (1958), Brad Anderson (1964), Gaylen Ross (1950), and Stacy Peralta (1957). After him are Richard LaGravenese (1959), Todd Solondz (1959), Jack Hannah (1913), Larry Charles (1956), Ira Sachs (1965), and Lowell Thomas (1892).

American born Film Directors

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Filmography

Flaming Creatures
Director
Filmmaker and artist Jack Smith described his own film as a “comedy set in a haunted movie studio.” Flaming Creatures begins humorously enough with several men and women, mostly of indeterminate gender, vamping it up in front of the camera and participating in a mock advertisement for an indelible, heart-shaped brand of lipstick. However, things take a dark, nightmarish turn when a transvestite chases, catches and begins molesting a woman. Soon, all of the titular “creatures” participate in a (mostly clothed) orgy that causes a massive earthquake. After the creatures are killed in the resulting chaos, a vampire dressed like an old Hollywood starlet rises from her coffin to resurrect the dead. All ends happily enough when the now undead creatures dance with each other, even though another orgy and earthquake loom over the end title card.
Apr 29o 19634.588 / 10
Scotch Tape
Director
Shot in 1959, Scotch Tape is Jack Smith's first film -- a joyous, three-minute romp, in color, using Peter Duchin's rhumba "Carinhoso" for its soundtrack. Three young men merrily bop through the wreckage of razed buildings at the site of what would become Lincoln Center. Apparently, Scotch Tape was never edited and, instead, was cut in the camera by Smith, combining long shots and close-ups while filming mostly from overhead. The title comes from a small strip of scotch tape that was accidentally stuck on the camera and so is visible in the lower-right corner of the frame throughout the film.
Jan 1o 19624.2 / 10
Normal Love
Director
The feature length Normal Love is Jack Smith’s follow up to his now legendary film Flaming Creatures. This vivid, full-color homage to B-movies is a dizzying display of camp that clearly affirms Smith’s role as the driving force behind underground cinema and performance art of the post-war era. The cast includes Mario Montez, Diane de Prima, Tiny Tim, Francis Francine, Beverley Grant and John Vaccaro. Smith was known to constantly re-edit the film, often during screenings as it was still unspooling from the projector.
Jan 1o 19636.9 / 10