LES BLANK MARATHON
TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET
Documentarian Les Blank made his first movie in 1960 (a short film with a long title: Running Around Like a Chicken with Its Head Cut Off). His last one was released in 2014, a year after his death. In between, he made dozens of nonfiction films, including my personal favorite, 1980’s Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe. Neither of those is presented tonight, but 11 others are, starting with four set in his beloved New Orleans. At 8 p.m. ET, there’s 1978’s Always for Pleasure (a look at Mardi Gras, pictured), followed at 9:15 p.m. ET by 1972’s Spend It All (about Cajun culture, especially its music), at 10:15 p.m. ET by 1973’s Dry Wood (a brief biography of Cajun musician “Bois Sec” Ardoin), and at 11 p.m. ET by 1980’s Yum Yum Yum! A Taste of Cajun and Creole Cooking of Louisiana.