"Images have a primary quality for me ahead of the story," Leth once said. "I like it when the observed subject can be perceived breathing through the image." In his travel films, the director is again an anthropologist observing the world with detached intensity and refraining from analysis. This role of ostensibly unknowing, curious spectator is characteristic of Leth. 66 Scenes from America (1981), the earliest film in the box set, shows snapshots of archetypical American locations motels, diners, highways, a lone cactus iconographic images of a mythological country presented in bright postcard colours, sanitized, like the myth of America. In the latest film, Aarhus (2005), Leth travels back to the city of his childhood, whose familiar locales are likewise captured in the director's trademark tableau style. In between, we find his Haitian films. For years, Leth has lived in Haiti, a country that enthrals him and gives him the "feeling of personally delving beneath the surface, into chaos." Chaos is reflected in the raw, documentary style of these films, a far cry from his American postcards or Notebook from China (1987), confronting unknown territory with fresh eyes and no agenda. In a similar vein, his film about Homo ludens, Moments of Play (1986), documents people at play around the globe, including the filmmaker's own game with reality.
The films
66 scener fra Amerika / 66 Scenes from America - Denmark 1981 - Directed by: Jørgen Leth - Written by: Ole John - Photographed by: Dan Holmberg - Music by: Eric Satie - With: Andy Warhol, Kim Larsen - Produced by: John & Leth Film
Nye scener fra Amerika / New Scenes from America - Denmark 2002 - Directed and written by: Jørgen Leth - Photographed by: Dan Holmberg - Music by: John Cale - With: Albert Maysles, John Cale, Robert Frank, John Ashbery, Dennis Hopper - Produced by: Bech Film Aps. / Sunset Productions Inc.
Gadeartister i New York / New York Street Performers - Denmark 1982 - Directed and written by: Jørgen Leth, Ole John - Photographed by: Dan Holmberg, Jesper Bæk-Sørensen - Produced by: John & Leth Film / Danmarks Radio
Notater fra Kina / Notebook from China - Denmark 1987 - Directed and written by: Jørgen Leth - Photographed by: Dan Holmberg - Produced by: Leth & Uldal Productions
Udvalgte ord fra tog / Selected Words from a Train - Denmark 1989 - Directed, written and produced by: Lars Movin - With: Jørgen Leth
Det legende menneske / Moments of Playl - Denmark 1986 - Directed and written by: Jørgen Leth - Photographed by: Dan Holmberg - Music by: Antonio Carlos Jobim - Produced by: Leth & Uldal Productions
Aarhus - Denmark 2005 - Directed and written by: Jørgen Leth - Photographed by: Dan Holmberg - Music by: Lars H.U.G. - With: Jørgen Leth - Produced by: Nordisk Film
Haiti. Uden titel / Haiti. Untitled - Denmark 1996 - Directed and written by: Jørgen Leth - Photographed by: Dan Holmberg, Tómas Gislason, Alexander Gruszynski, Jørgen Leth - Music by: Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson - Produced by: Sunset Productions Inc.
Drømmere / Dreamers - Denmark 2002 - Directed and written by: Jørgen Leth - Photographed by: Dan Holmberg, Alexander Gruszynski, Teit Jørgensen, Bo Tengberg - Music by: Michael Galasso, Shigeru Umebayashi, Maria Grever, Sigur Rós - Produced by: Sunset Productions
Jørgen Leth om "Haiti. Uden titel" / Jørgen Leth about "Haiti. Untitled" - Denmark 1995 - Directed and written by: Prami Larsen - Photographed by: Sven Bloch - With: Jørgen Leth
Ra-ra - Denmark 1994/2008 - Directed, written and produced by: Jørgen Leth - Photographed by: Alexander Gruszynski
DVD features (3-disc DVD)
DVD 1
- 66 scener fra Amerika 1981, 42'
- Nye scener fra Amerika 2002, 35'
- Gadeartister i New York 1982, 34'
DVD 2
- Notater fra Kina 1987, 79'
- Udvalgte ord fra tog 1989, 7'
- Det legende menneske 1986, 82'
- Aarhus 2005, 27'
DVD 3
- Haiti. Uden titel 1996, 82'
- Drømmere 2002, 58'
- Jørgen Leth om "Haiti. Uden titel" 1995, 9'
- Ra-ra 1994/2008, 13'
32-page booklet
Edited by: Danish Film Institute
DVD authoring: Electric Park
DVD supervision: Dan Nissen, Thomas C. Christensen
