Ganja & Hess

Flirting with the conventions of blaxploitation and horror, Bill Gunn’s revolutionary independent film Ganja & Hess is a highly stylized and utterly original... Read more

Ganja & Hess

Directed by Bill Gunn

Year: 1973
Running Time: 113
Color Type: Color
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Country: U.S.
Language: English
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Ganja & Hess

Cast
Mabel King
Leonard Jackson
Sam Waymon
Duane Jones
Marlene Clark
Bill Gunn

Crew
Writer Bill Gunn
Produced by Chiz Schults
Directed by Bill Gunn


New DCP now available!

Flirting with the conventions of blaxploitation and horror, Bill Gunn’s revolutionary independent film Ganja & Hess is a highly stylized and utterly original treatise on sex, religion, and African American identity. Duane Jones (Night of the Living Dead) stars as anthropologist Hess Green, who is stabbed with an ancient ceremonial dagger by his unstable assistant (director Bill Gunn), bestowing upon him the blessing of immortality... and the curse of an unquenchable thirst for blood. When the assistant’s beautiful and outspoken wife Ganja (Marlene Clark) comes searching for her missing husband, she and Hess form an unexpected partnership. Together, they explore just how much power blood holds.

Later recut and released in an inferior version, this edition represents the original release, restored by The Museum of Modern Art with support from The Film Foundation, and mastered in HD from a 35mm negative.

Reviews

"A sensual, scholarly, magic-realist exploration of black history and black desire."

– A. O. Scott, The New York Times

"An underground classic! The most complicated, intriguing, subtle, sophisticated and passionate black film of the '70s."

– James Monaco, American Film Now

"A blood-soaked masterpiece. One of the most profound, surreal and horrifying love stories ever made."

– Complex

"A visionary filmmaker."

– Richard Brody, The New Yorker


Awards

  • Official Selection Cannes Film Festival

Press Kit

Hi-Res Poster

Hi-Res Images

Trailer Embed Code

Interested in bringing Ganja & Hess to your school or library? If you'd like to have an in-class viewing, on-campus screening, or purchase the DVD for your library's collection, please contact Estelle Grosso at EDU@kinolorber.com or call (212) 629-6880 with your request.

Ganja & Hess may also be available with Public Performance Rights (PPR) and Digital Site Licensing (DSL) for colleges and universities. To purchase the DVD with PPR or DSL, please contact Estelle Grosso at EDU@kinolorber.com or call (212) 629-6880. Click here to learn more at Kino Lorber Edu.

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Duane Jones as Dr. Hess Green and Marlene Clark as Ganja Meda in Bill Gunn's GANJA & HESS.
Duane Jones as Dr. Hess Green and Marlene Clark as Ganja Meda in Bill Gunn's GANJA & HESS.
Duane Jones as Dr. Hess Green in Bill Gunn's GANJA & HESS.
The late Bill Gunn, who wrote, directed, and co-starred in GANJA & HESS.
Sam Waymon, seen here as Reverend Luther Williams, also composed and performed the wildly imaginative score for Bill Gunn's GANJA & HESS.
Duane Jones as Dr. Hess Green in Bill Gunn's GANJA & HESS.

PLAYDATES

Venue City Date
Northwest Film Center Portland 1533960000August 11, 2018
SF MoMA San Francisco 1532664000July 27, 2018
Film Scene Iowa City 1531281600July 11, 2018
Gene Siskel Film Center Chicago 15296400006/22, 6/26
Belcourt Theatre Nashville 1529380800June 19 - June 21, 2018
Mayfair Ottawa 15292944006/18, 6/20
Ragtag Cinema Columbia 1528430400June 8 - June 14, 2018
Winnipeg Film Group Winnipeg 1528344000June 7, 2018
Cleveland Cinematheque Cleveland 1528344000June 7 - June 8, 2018
Metrograph New York 1527652800May 30 - June 7, 2018


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'@KinoLorber' on May. 23 2018 at 6:39pm
RT' @nytimes': 18. "Ganja & Hess" (1973): Directed by Bill Gunn, a fixture of the New York black independent film movement, the movie's a sen…
'@KinoLorber' on May. 23 2018 at 6:25pm
“A sensual, scholarly, magic-realist exploration of black history and black desire.” –' @aoscott', The New York Times…' https://t.co/VhuTxDUTYf'
'@KinoLorber' on May. 23 2018 at 6:14pm
"A reminder of the egolessness necessary for great egos to flourish." –' @BostonGlobe' FILMWORKER (@SK13movie) opens…' https://t.co/4t4tPKiViq'
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RT' @MetrographNYC': GANJA & HESS composer and actor Sam Waymon joins us for a Q&A and vinyl-signing of the soundtrack on 5/30. The new resto…
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RT' @LandmarkLTC': After his first encounter with Stanley Kubrick, Leon Vitali swiftly resolved to devote the rest of his life working for th…
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