The Outsiders of New Orleans: Loujon Press (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Weddle
- Start date
Black Swan
Abord the Yorikke!
Wonderful film-documentary. Thank you so much for caring and the link.
You're very welcome.
I went to the New Orleans premier on Thursday and it was fantastic. The movie was shown in this great old neighborhood theater called the Prytania. The place has 260 seats and about 200 of them were filled. The crowd included young and old, some of Lou's friends from back in the day among them.
The theater has a huge screen and it was quite a treat to see the film like that.
After the show, there was a reception at the Upperline Restaurant, which is also featured in the film. (It's the place where Noel Rockmore's painting, Homage to the French Quarter hangs.)
The audience laughed in all the right places and clapped enthusiastically at the end. Then some of us were called up on stage for a Q & A session. It was Wayne Ewing (producer & director), Curtis Robinson (producer), Ed Blair, Lou Webb, and me.
Wayne held the microphone and asked for questions. The very first one blew us all away.
A man down on the front row asked if Lou would like a rent-free apartment in the French Quarter for the rest of her life!
Now, for various reasons that I won't go into here, it's not completely clear that she'll decide to make that move. But she might. Regardless, it was an incredible, humane, and selfless offer for this gentleman to make.
There were lots of other great questions about the film, Loujon history, etc., too.
All in all, this was one of the most wonderful, amazing, satisfying days of my life.
All best,
Jeff
I went to the New Orleans premier on Thursday and it was fantastic. The movie was shown in this great old neighborhood theater called the Prytania. The place has 260 seats and about 200 of them were filled. The crowd included young and old, some of Lou's friends from back in the day among them.
The theater has a huge screen and it was quite a treat to see the film like that.
After the show, there was a reception at the Upperline Restaurant, which is also featured in the film. (It's the place where Noel Rockmore's painting, Homage to the French Quarter hangs.)
The audience laughed in all the right places and clapped enthusiastically at the end. Then some of us were called up on stage for a Q & A session. It was Wayne Ewing (producer & director), Curtis Robinson (producer), Ed Blair, Lou Webb, and me.
Wayne held the microphone and asked for questions. The very first one blew us all away.
A man down on the front row asked if Lou would like a rent-free apartment in the French Quarter for the rest of her life!
Now, for various reasons that I won't go into here, it's not completely clear that she'll decide to make that move. But she might. Regardless, it was an incredible, humane, and selfless offer for this gentleman to make.
There were lots of other great questions about the film, Loujon history, etc., too.
All in all, this was one of the most wonderful, amazing, satisfying days of my life.
All best,
Jeff
Black Swan
Abord the Yorikke!
Hello Jeff,
I was so hoping that something like that would happen. See how far a selfless gesture goes. I am waiting to see what she decides to do. What a beautiful person. She inspires love.
I was so hoping that something like that would happen. See how far a selfless gesture goes. I am waiting to see what she decides to do. What a beautiful person. She inspires love.
mjp
Founding member
That doesn't surprise me, I had the same feeling after seeing the film. I don't have an apartment to offer (so maybe it's easy to feel that way), but if I did...
Father Luke
Founding member
Simple, but all I am able to offer
Jeff? I just wanted to say that you bring so much to this Forum, and I felt
compelled to thank you for all I've gotten from you.
Thanks.
Jeff? I just wanted to say that you bring so much to this Forum, and I felt
compelled to thank you for all I've gotten from you.
Thanks.
I really appreciate your saying this. I began reading Bukowski back around 1979 and went for many years being the only person I knew who appreciated his work. It's wonderful to see how many faithful readers he has at this point.
I'm glad I'm able to give a little bit back for all of the pleasure and solace Buk's work has given me through the years. I'm especially glad that I've been able to give a little something back to Louise Webb. She's one of the finest people I've ever known.
Many thanks for your kind words.
She does indeed. What a lovely way to put it.
Nah, my gut tells me you'd help her out in a heartbeat.
All best,
Jeff
I'm glad I'm able to give a little bit back for all of the pleasure and solace Buk's work has given me through the years. I'm especially glad that I've been able to give a little something back to Louise Webb. She's one of the finest people I've ever known.
Many thanks for your kind words.
She does indeed. What a lovely way to put it.
Nah, my gut tells me you'd help her out in a heartbeat.
All best,
Jeff
Another nice review of the Loujon film
Hi All:
I found this review of The Outsiders of New Orleans and thought some of you might enjoy reading it:
http://popentertainment.com/outsidersno.htm
All best,
Jeff
Hi All:
I found this review of The Outsiders of New Orleans and thought some of you might enjoy reading it:
http://popentertainment.com/outsidersno.htm
All best,
Jeff
A little snippet of a 60 min documentary about Loujon Press founders, Jon & Gypsy Lou Webb:
That doc is good. Jeff Weddle's book Bohemian New Orleans (which is referenced somewhere on here) is also a a very informative and interesting look at the Webbs.
My post was moved to
the appropriate thread, so please ignore my redundancies.
the appropriate thread, so please ignore my redundancies.
Last edited:
Too bad his last post here was some seven years ago. I like his book and I like the Loujon viddy, which I picked up recently.
If it's still available, I'll see if I can get the DVD for XMas. I've always been interested in Loujon Press, ever since reading Hank's letters.
My lovely wife just bought this for me!
If you haven't read Jeff Weddle's book, Bohemian New Orleans, The Story of the Outsider and Loujon Press, you should have your wife buy that for you too. :DD
Is it worth the purchase?
From an older thread. My wife and I went to the French Quarter four years ago. We had a great time, but you'd never know just by looking that Loujon had even been there.
Lots of good info and photos here: https://bukowskiforum.com/threads/the-location-of-loujon-press.5533/
Lots of good info and photos here: https://bukowskiforum.com/threads/the-location-of-loujon-press.5533/
@Purple Stickpin Thanks so much for the link to the old thread. I see what you mean about the addresses and how you'd never know. I think my wife and I actually walked right by the first address (the pic look very familiar). I was worried that that might be the case.
I knew about the poboy joints before we went so that part at least was not a problem, haha.
I knew about the poboy joints before we went so that part at least was not a problem, haha.
What happened to their printer? Was it sold off?
mjp
Founding member
A printer is a person, the machine is a press.
I'd suspect that like most of those old monsters, it was sold for scrap. At the time they abandoned letterpress the machines weren't valued, they were seen as antiquated junk. Any that were saved were re-purposed to do die cutting or went to schools to teach kids a trade that they would never be able to use.
We often place value on people's everyday tools in hindsight, or out of feelings of nostalgia. But at the time that's all their presses were, tools. When they stopped using letterpress I would be surprised if anyone saw the old press(es) as anything special or things to be preserved.
I'd suspect that like most of those old monsters, it was sold for scrap. At the time they abandoned letterpress the machines weren't valued, they were seen as antiquated junk. Any that were saved were re-purposed to do die cutting or went to schools to teach kids a trade that they would never be able to use.
We often place value on people's everyday tools in hindsight, or out of feelings of nostalgia. But at the time that's all their presses were, tools. When they stopped using letterpress I would be surprised if anyone saw the old press(es) as anything special or things to be preserved.
Gary Eisenberg
RIP
mjp
Founding member
There are probably more people doing letterpress now than there have been in the past 30 years. It's been going through a resurgence for some time. There are a lot more commercial letterpress shops in Los Angeles than there were even 10 or 15 years ago. I fully expect Western Union to start sending telegrams again when the demand from handlebar moustache wielding hipsters reaches a fever pitch some time next summer.
But at the time the Webbs retired their letterpress, in the early 70s, it would have been difficult to sell a big old clamshell letterpress to a printing business. Those places were getting rid of their own letterpress machines in order to make room for offset presses. Offset replaced letterpress for a lot of good reasons. Letterpress machinery is slow, cumbersome, labor intensive and takes up a lot of square footage.
Kind of like how all the typewriters went into basements, garages and landfills when everyone got a computer. Only a half ton iron clamshell press is a little more difficult to tuck away and forget about.
But at the time the Webbs retired their letterpress, in the early 70s, it would have been difficult to sell a big old clamshell letterpress to a printing business. Those places were getting rid of their own letterpress machines in order to make room for offset presses. Offset replaced letterpress for a lot of good reasons. Letterpress machinery is slow, cumbersome, labor intensive and takes up a lot of square footage.
Kind of like how all the typewriters went into basements, garages and landfills when everyone got a computer. Only a half ton iron clamshell press is a little more difficult to tuck away and forget about.
Got your book for Xmas, Jeff. A good read. One dude who stuck in my mind is "Marcus Grapes", he seemed quite a character! I also love your bits on the Buk. Your book was a decent-sized piece of jigsaw puzzle dropping into place for me, ever since the intriguing intro Buk put about the Webbs in his work, 'Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame'.
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