Summer Concert Series: Oasis: Supersonic (2016)

 

Note: This film has been placed back in theaters briefly. Though I missed the movie when it first came out, I was able to be introduced to this documentary on the big screen, which is the best way to see it.

An excellent documentary about one of the most iconic rock bands of the 1990's. 

This movie takes a wonderful approach to the rock and roll documentary. Rather than having your typical narrator, this film has all of the offscreen talking done by the band, those they toured with and family members. The film also completely revolves around the first few years of the band, from their start to the height of their popularity. Both of these make this movie something truly special. Listening to the band tell us the story themselves is a wonderful idea. It helps make this film feel like something more up close and personal than the average rock-doc. As we watch this movie, we get to feel like we get to truly know who these people are. It also gives the film a real sense of honesty as none of their flaws are hidden from us. Their egos, the arguments between the two brothers at the front of the band and their tempers are all on full display here. Yet at the same time, this is far from a fully negative portrait of thew group. We also see that they are a band that truly appreciates their fans and goes out of their way to make sure that their audience gets the best they can give them. As such this becomes a complex portrait of not only major rock stars but also real human beings. At the same time, their music is often front and center. Listening to their music here, it is very easy to understand why they become so popular, it is truly wonderful. It is shown to its best effect here and this film is truly a treat for the ears. This movie uses many rarely seen (well before the film was released) live footage of the band in concert. These are true gems and help give one the idea of just what incredible shows this band put on at the height of their powers. I always feel that the best compliment that a music documentary can be given is that someone who is unfamiliar with the band, would become a fan after watching. With this delightful rock-doc, I can fully see this happening. 

 Mat Whitecross, this movie's director, has had a career that has revolved around rock and roll. His career began with an art film entitled 9 Songs (2004); a movie whose story revolves around nine different rock songs heard throughout. He also directed the Ian Duray biopic Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2010) and the rock-docs Scott Walker: 30 Century Man (2006) and Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams (2018) as well as the Coldplay concert film, Live in São Paulo (2018). Away from movies, he has also directed music videos for Pink Floyd, Coldplay, Take That and The Rolling Stones.

Oasis: Supersonic is a wonderful treat for all rock and roll fans. 

Summer Concert Series: Stop Making Sense (1984)

 

Note: I normally don't do Summer Concert Series posts outside of summer. However, since this film has been rereleased to movie theaters recently and I just saw it there earlier today, I felt it was the right time to make this post.  

Stop Making Sense has been referred to as one of the best concert films ever made. When you watch the movie, it is very easy to understand why.

Few concert films have ever so perfectly captured a band at their artistic peak. I feel that one of the best ways to determine if a concert film is a great movie is if you can picture someone who has never heard of the band or singer before, leaving as a fan. This is perfectly the case when it comes to Stop Making Sense. The Talking Heads have never sounded better than they do here. In fact, the movie versions of some of the songs here sound even better than the studio recordings. Even if you aren't normally a rock and roll fan, it is hard to find your foot moving to the sound of the music. The Talking Heads not only sound great here, but they are a lot of fun to watch. When you watch David Byrne's boundless energy on stage, Tina Weymouth's wonderful stage presence (especially when she takes over lead vocals on Genius of Love) or the sheer amount of fun backing singers (Lynn Mabry, Ednah Holt) are having it is hard not to be caught up in the pure energy.

The movie also has a wonderful start as David Byrne is alone on stage with his acoustic guitar (and a portable cassette player) playing and singing Psycho Killer. The next song (Heaven) finds Tina Weymouth joining him on stage. With the next few songs more and more members of The Talking Heads will join them on stage, with various equipment being hauled out as the musicians are playing to accommodate. By the film's sixth song (the top 10 hit, Burning Down the House) the whole band is on stage. This is not only excellent showmanship, but it also makes this movie feel more cinematic because like a good fictional film, it keeps building upon itself with each new scene (or song). 

Though one may think that directing a concert film is an easy job, where all the director has to do is point a camera at the performers, it is well worth noting that the best concert films are by great directors (think of Martin Scorsese with The Last Waltz (1978) or D. A. Pennebaker with Monterey Pop (1968)). This movie has a very acclaimed director at the helm, Jonathan Demme. This is the filmmaker that caused no less than Paul Thomas Anderson to say his three favorite filmmakers were "Jonathan Demme, Jonathan Demme and Jonathan Demme." Some of this great director's films include Swing Shift (1984), Married to the Mob (1988), The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Philadelphia (1993). His other concert films include Neil Young: Heart of Gold (2006) and Justin Timberlake + The Tennessee Kids (2016). His direction in Stop Making Sense is perfect. This is not one of those static concert films where the camera remains static. Instead, this is a very cinematic concert film. Yet the camera never moves simply to have the camera move. Instead, it feels like just as natural part of the concert as the music itself. There are times when the camera follows the performers making us feel like we are on stage with them. There are other times when the camera can stay still in beautiful shots that capture the whole stage (these moments need to be seen on a movie screen to be fully appreciated). However, the music always seems to determine what the camera does. Because of this it enhances the performance instead of distracting from it. It adds to the pure energy and fun of the movie. 

This is one of those movies that can be equally appreciated as cinematic art and as entertainment. This may be a concert film, but it is something that many aspiring filmmakers could learn from studying and those who look at cinema as a great art form can be amazed by. At the same time, it can simply be enjoyed by those who simply want to hear good music. A must see.   

Summer Concert Series: Gimme Shelter (1970)

This landmark documentary is still incredibly powerful and shocking today. This isn't just a movie about a rock band, but about a tragedy and the change in culture that created it. 

As many know the 1960's is often considered a time of idealism but thoughts of peace and love sadly couldn't last forever. This falling out of ideals is brutally and honestly shown at a rock concert in 1969 that took place at Altamont Speedway that erupted in a hideous display of violence. Though this film is technically about the Rolling Stones, the footage of this concert takes center stage and is what people remember and take away from this film. Anyone who wants a feel good fun rock and roll concert film, had better watch a different movie. The footage of this concert is unpleasant and will leave some with a feeling of discomfort and disillusionment. Yet this movie leaves such a powerful impression that anyone who has seen it can never forget it. Even as one of the most popular rock and roll bands in the world performs their most famous hits, they are unfortunately upstaged and overshadowed by the horror playing out in front of them. Of course the music is excellent but how musically talented the Stones are is not going to be your parting thought. There is little of the peace and love associated with 60's rock and roll, instead their is the violence and unruliness of a painful part of human nature that the hippie dream could not overcome no matter how hard it tried. What hurts all the more is that this is a documentary and what you see in the same is what actually happened as it happened. 

This is not an upbeat movie by any means but it is a thought provoking one that will stay with you long after the film is over. 

-Michael J. Ruhland

Summer Concert Series: Decline of Western Civilization Part 2: The Metal Years (1988)

Penelope Spheeris' 2nd entry into her incredible rock and roll documentary trilogy, turns the focus to heavy metal.

Like how the first movie was the ultimate punk rock film, this is the ultimate heavy metal movie. Like the first entry this sequel covers not only the music but the lifestyle. Once again the lifestyle is neither condoned or condemned. It is simply shown in full and complete honesty. To get the full feeling of the lifestyle, both huge name artists (Aerosmith, Ozzy Ozzborne, Alice Cooper, Poison) to smaller time artists that have bands you probably have never heard of are interviewed. Tales of drugs, rock and roll and especially sex fill this movie to the brim. The way many of the artists talk about sex is revealing and at times uncomfortable. The people interviewed often go into detail about the sexual experiences and talk about them with complete pride. While this can feel strange and off-putting to those of us who don't think about sex 24/7, I appreciate this movie's honesty when it comes to the subject. The gender politics of the genre are also discussed and can be rather sad to hear even if they are well known at times. Sadly there is a heavy metal image and unfortunately often women don't fit into it, despite that they have again and again proven they can rock as hard as the women. As well as musicians talking about how much they love heavy metal, there are also interviews with a woman who supports and practices what she calls "de-meatal-azation," a process of getting young people away from heavy metal music and the lifestyle it is believed to represent. Again what is great about this movie is that it does not take sides, it simply shows what it sees in full honesty.

The music is an excellent look at late 80's metal, showing everything that made the music so popular. There is such a pure level of energy and excitement to the music that is performed here. As much time as is spent interviewing huge names, the performances are often by lesser known artists like London, Seduce and Odin (though Megadeath does perform here as well). While this may disappoint those who want to hear Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Kiss or Poison, there is nothing wrong with the music that is heard here.

This is in many ways this is the definitive heavy metal movie and a must watch for both those who are into the music and those who aren't

-Michael J. Ruhland

Summer Concert Series: Decline of Western Civilization (1981)

Before directing Wayne's World (1992) or The Little Rascals (1994), Penelope Spheeris made her mark upon the film world with this incredible documentary on the punk rock scene in L.A.

What makes this movie so great is that it neither condones nor condemns any of the people shown in it. It instead gives you an honest and unflinching portrait of these individuals, who live so far out of societal norms. We are left to decide for ourselves whether the punk rock scene is a powerful form of protest against society, an advocation of anarchy, or just a bunch of crazy people being crazy. The rowdy and craziness of the clubs is also shown in all its glory or horror (depending on your persuasion) with unflinching honesty. Again Penelope Spheeris shows us this simply as it is and neither endorses or condemns what goes on here, leaving us to decide for ourselves. The footage of the individuals interviewed is raw and unpolished, but emotional powerful, just like the music being presented here. It should be noted that what is shown here is not the later more mainstream punk rock but a much rawer and rough edged style of punk rock. The filmmaking here purposely keeps much of that rough edged style of the music.

In my personal subjective-ness I enjoyed some of the music, while some of it I can't get into. The appeal of bands like Germs or Catholic Discipline is completely lost on me. Yet at the same time I really enjoyed the music of X and Alice Bag Band that I heard here. Of course some of you may like the music I didn't and dislike the music I liked and that is okay. This is not mainstream music and it is not meant to appeal to everyone.

This is a fascinating film to watch today, decades after it was made. We get to see how in some ways things have changed but the basic angst and attitude of so many shown here, show how in reality a lot is still the same today.

Whether you are a punk rock fan or not, this is such a well made and impactful film, that it is still a must see for all movie buffs.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Summer Concert Series: Down from the Mountain (2000)

 The movie, O Brother Where Art Thou (2000) brought a renewed interest in folk and bluegrass music. In fact the music was so important to that movie that a concert film was created based around the performers who did the songs heard there. As strange of an idea as this is, Down From the Mountain works wonderfully.

Despite the presence of D.A. Pennebaker (Don't Look Back (1967), Monterey Pop (1968)) as one of the directors there is little cinematic about this movie. You can close your eyes and simply listen to the music and get pretty much the same out of it. That may sound like a major insult, but when the music is this good one hardly needs anymore. Those who know my taste in music (or anyone who reads my Cowboy Church posts) will hardly be surprised to hear me praise this movie, it is a perfect example of what I listen to when I am not watching movies. Such incredible artists as Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss and Union Station, The Cox Family, Ralph Stanley, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, John Hartford and The Whites perform here and all of them are at the top of their game. From the perfect voices of Emmylou Harris and Alison Krauss, to the incredible lyrics of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, to the incredible musicianship of Ralph Stanley and Union Station, this film gives country, folk and bluegrass fans all they could want from a concert movie and much more.

A pure auditorily treat, even if cinematically it leaves some to be desired. 

-Michael J. Ruhland

Summer Concert Series: Foreigner: All Access Tonight (2003)

In 2002 VH1 was doing a behind the music segment on British/American rock band Foreigner. When they were asked for archival footage of the band performing, they began to realize that they had none. Guitarist and founding member Mick Jones, decided that this was a fact that needed to be rectified. So he asked his friend Justin Bougerie (the director of this movie) to film the 2002-2003 tour of the band. In the end they had enough footage to make a feature length film.

This movie is hardly as polished as something like The Last Waltz (1978). It was filmed on one camera and therefore many of the cinematic touches seen in other concert films are completely missing here. The footage itself is about the same picture quality as a fan recording one of their favorite bands and concert and posting it to YouTube. However the sound quality is much better. There are some scenes where you see the band when they are not performing. While there is hardly the intimacy of say Don't Look Back (1967), these scenes are a lot of fun (with the exception of them checking into a hotel in a scene where nothing else happens).

While this movie may be lacking cinematically at times, it makes up for this with Foreigner's performances. They put on quite a show and are a joy to watch as they perform their hits. Many of these songs sound just as good if not better live. Despite this being 25 years after the band formed they had lost none of their talent by this time. Adding to this is that hit songs like Double Vision, Hot Blooded, Feels Like the First Time and Juke Hero are just as fun as they were when they came out.

This may not be anything groundbreaking but it is a fun concert film.

-Michael J. Ruhland  

Summer Concert Series: How James Brown Saved Boston (2008)

James Brown did an incredible concert on April 5, 1968 in Boston, the day after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. This was of course a very tense and emotional time for America and many feared that this concert would enact rioting and violence that might leave Boston in shambles or that someone might attempt to kill James Brown (who had vocally given respect to Dr. King). Mayor Kevin White saw this as a lose lose situation politicly. He felt could cancel the concert and be accused of discriminating against the black community, or he could do nothing and others would accuse him of allowing a riot. His solution was to televise the concert. This made James very angry as he would be losing a whole lot of money. This lead to a very tense experience for all involved, yet an incredible concert that was a landmark in musical history.

  The Night James Brown Saved Boston is an incredible look into this concert and the climate that created such a tension around it. This film has various very intelligent people intelligently discussing this period of time giving us a fresh and moving look into this tense and emotionally challenging time following a great tragedy in American history. It also gives insight into how James Brown felt about everything going on, as well how he was able to give an incredible performance with all that was going around this concert. Whether or not you are a fan of his music, there is no doubt James Brown had an incredible gift for entertaining an audience and to watch him on stage is like watching no one else. Watching the clips of him performing here are an incredible testament to how this man could control a stage and an audience like no other performer. This makes these clips a joy to watch for anyone regardless of musical taste.

-Michael J. Ruhland 

Summer Concert Series: Johnny Cash! The Man, His World, His Music (1969)

In many ways this movie is director Robert Elfstrom's response to Don't Look Back. Like that film, this documentary follows its subject with a camera and simply shows what he does on and offstage. The biggest difference the difference between Johnny Cash at this time and Bob Dylan at the time of Don't Look Back. Bob was tired of constantly being asked questions about the deep meaning of his songs and being viewed as a voice of a generation. He simply wanted to play music and be left alone when he wasn't. Because of this he developed a snarky persona that is present through the whole film. Johnny Cash on the other hand was at one of the happiest moments of life. After years of drug abuse and erratic behavior tearing away everyone who loved him, he had turned back to God and found peace and comfort there. The Johnny Cash we see here is very different from the one we would have seen a couple years earlier. We see him at peace and enjoying his soundings and what he is doing. As such this is a far more tranquil movie with a completely different appeal than Don't Look Back despite very similar filmmaking styles. We see Johnny help out a new coming singer, enjoy the company of his fans, hike in nature, stand up for social causes and play music.

Of course the music here is fantastic. Unlike Don't Look Back, we get to see the whole songs being performed here, which is a delight. This was John at the peak of his career and he has never sounded better. As well as Johnny we get to see him perform a duet with (appropriately) Bob Dylan as well as a brief performance by rock and roll great Carl Perkins (who by this time had become a regular part of John's live performances) with his biggest hit, Blue Suede Shoes.

John got along well with director Robert Elfstorm and when he produced the movie Gospel Road (1973), he picked Robert as the director.

This may not quite measure up to Don't Look Back, but is a very enjoyable movie in its own right.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Summer Concert Series: Thelonious Monk Straight No Chaser (1988)

This movie is a very touching and human account of the great jazz pianist. Those who know much about Thelonious Monk will no that he had some mental problems that affected his life greatly. This is always a touchy subject for movies (documentaries included) because they have a tendency to let the disabilities become the person. This film does an incredible job about talking rather in depth about his disabilities while still showing that while they affected him they did not define him. Much of the heart of this film comes from interviews with the musician's friends and family. They speak about him with so much love that it is hard for us not to love him as well. Fellow musicians who spoke in this movie were so in awe of the man's musical talent that this film can give even jazz fans a new perspective on this great artist.

This film is also a sheer joy for jazz fans with so many rare clips of the great artist both on and off stage. These clips are an important part of jazz history that might have been lost to time if it wasn't for this movie. We also get to hear a lot of his music and all of it is excellent. This will make fans of newcomers and will delight long time fans.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Summer Concert Series: Jazz on a Summer's Day (1959)

Jazz on A Summer's Day is one of the earliest concert films and one of the best. This movie provides all one could wish for from a film like this, provided a great look at the 1958 Newport Jazz festival. Of course most important to this type of movie is the music and that is fantastic here. The line up of artists is fantastic. Included are Louis Armstrong, Chuck Berry, Thelonious Monk, Gerry Mulligan, Big Maybelle, Chico Hamilton and Mahalia Jackson. All of them are at the top of their game here. Watching Louis Armstrong continue showing that he was one of the world's great entertainers (as he did in many movies) is a pure delight. He and trombonist Jack Teagarden have incredible chemistry and it is a joy to watch them together. Though Monk is in the film only briefly his music leaves quite an impression. Chico Hamilton and Gerry Mulligan show that this type of jazz is just as great today as it was then. Chuck Berry gives his all and shows all the energy and fun that defined early rock and roll. There was no better way to end this movie than gospel singer Mahalia Jackson. If her singing doesn't move you nothing will. Her performance of The Lord's Prayer not only stops the show but glues your ears and eyes to the movie in a way free performers can. Time stands still and all there is are the words, music and her voice creating an incredible experience found in few concert films. 

The way this movie is filmed is fascinating. Unlike many concert movies where the camera is always on the performers this film spends just as much if not more time looking at the audience. It is often times just as much fun watching the audience as it is the performers. When you think of jazz in movies, you often think of a dark film noir type setting as well as dark and shady characters. Instead what we get here is a bright summer's day in a nice upscale looking place and a crowd of people who look like they are at a church service. They are mostly a restrained crowd but one that is heavily enjoying the music. Watching the crowd when Chuck Berry is performing is watching musical and cultural history happening. The younger audience members, who are restrained through much of the film are dancing and having tons of fun with the still new rock and roll. Meanwhile the older attendees (who probably came to hear jazz music) are cold and unemotional to this new fangled genre. As well as the scenes with the audience watching the performances, there also scenes simply showing the attendees having wholesome fun, when there are no artists on stage. This makes the movie more appealing today as it becomes a nostalgic time capsule of a time that is very different from how we live today. 

If you are a film fan, if you are a music fan or if you are both, this movie is a must watch.

-Michael J. Ruhland 

Summer Concert Series: Festival Express (2003)

In Canada in 1970, a brand new type of music festival was created. It was one that would not be tried again and remains a unique and exciting idea. This idea was to have many great music artists travel a country by train, performing at the places where the train stopped. This great documentary tells the story of that tour.

The music in this movie is in many ways not surprisingly the highlight. Janis Joplin in particular is an artist that is just as fun to watch perform as she is to listen to. Her performance of Tell Mama is incredible. Her voice not only sounds amazing but she knows how to perfectly command the stage. What she gives us here is pure and utter rock and roll at its finest. After reviewing The Last Waltz (1978) earlier in this summer concert series, it is great to get a bit of a different view of The Band here. There was a polish and perfection to The Last Waltz that is not here, but what is in its place is a rougher edge more rootsy sound that is just as great in its own way. The Grateful Dead seem to be the main stars of this movie and they are at the top of their game here. The Flying Burrito Brothers appear much to briefly but are excellent. Buddy Guy was so good, he left me wanting more of him in this movie. The one part of the music that didn't work for me was Sha-Na-Na. I am not a fan and they still didn't impress me here

The story is extremely interesting and tells a great story about the history of rock music that is often overlooked. We get to hear the people who organized the concert as well as the performers talk about the tour and it is a joy to listen to. The scenes of the artists on the train jamming out are a sheer delight for fans of rock and roll.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Summer Concert Series: Devil at the Crossroads (2019)

Robert Johnson is one of the most fascinating figures in American music. His music itself is mysterious and defies explanations and for a long time his life was just as mysterious. Little facts were known and myths as mysterious as the man's music began to pop up. The most famous of these is that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil for incredible musical talent, a myth that seems to be supported by lyrics to songs like Me and the Devil Blues. This fascinating documentary not only addresses these myths, but also talks about how Johnson changed the blues and was a forerunner to rock and roll. Incredible musicians like Keith Richards and Keb Mo' talk about Johnson's music with incredible reverence. However where this movie really succeeds is when it discusses these myths. I will admit before seeing this film I knew Robert's music but not much about his life. What I heard here was completely fascinating and new to me. This movie gives a great insight into this brilliant musicians strange life while still keeping an aura of mystery around it creating a fascinating and one of a kind documentary. 

-Michael J. Ruhland

Summer Concert Series: Chasing Trane (2016)

Excellent documentary on Jazz legend John Coltrane.

This movie being only a little over an hour and a half, obviously does not give a full view of the many facets of John's incredible career, yet it does remarkably well with the time it spends on its subject. We get a brief basic overview of his career as well as incredible critical insight of his music by critics, musicians, biographers and more. They all explain what John's music means to them. After listening to them talk we can hear clips of Coltrane's music and we listen to it in a way we never could before. No one is ever going to completely change our musical tastes, but as music (especially jazz) can be heard and interrupted completely different by different people, others can help us see what they hear or feel when they listen to a piece of music and that can completely change the way we hear it. That is what this movie does best and why it is such a great music documentary despite giving us a very simplified historical overview of its subject.

This film will help fans get something new out of Coltrane's music, while striking newcomers interest at the same time.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Summer Concert Series: Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison (2008)

When the great albums of the 1960's are discussed it is mostly rock and roll albums from artists like The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and The Beach Boys. However one country music album often finds its way into this list and that is Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison. While I would argue that there are plenty of great country albums of the 60's that could go on these lists, I can not deny that this album is a masterwork. If any album where to get a feature length documentary, this is a darn good choice. This album marked a turning point in John's career and happened at a very important time in his life. After this Johnny had proven to many that he had a coolness and honest that transcended country music. This was to honest and personal to define with a simple genre title. This was something new and exciting, while still being from an artist who had been around for over a decade. This also marked the time that Johnny had started to turn his life around, from the drugs and scandals of earlier the same decade.

This documentary gives great insight into why this album was so great and to all the stories of how it came about as well as the affect it would later have on John's life. Even as a Johnny Cash fan, when I first saw this movie I learned much more about the story of Glen Shirley (the inmate who's composition, Johnny performed at the concert and who Johnny would help get out of prison and start a music career for). These scenes about Glen Shirley show us a side of Johnny that many of us are not as familiar with. How even with his political and social activism, there were times when he tried to help but was misguided. He was sure he had the power to affect Glen Sherley's life in a much greater way than he actually did and how he dealt with good intentions simply not paying off. Listening to Glen's daughter and son talk is heartbreaking but powerful. It was also fascinating to listen to the people who were there with him at the show talk about his performance (from one of the inmates to a photographer to a prison guard to two members of the Tennessee Three (W.S. Holland and Marshall Grant)).

Still this film is far from perfect. At times it can feel more than a little unfocused. There is some time spent discussing John's early music of the 1950's and how the sound came about. This took up too much time for a documentary about one album instead of John's whole career, yet too little time to give any information that fans haven't heard a million times or that newcomers couldn't simply find with a quick Google search. Since there is no actual film footage of the concert, the movie uses a music video format for the songs instead. While it is always a treat listening to the songs, the music videos can feel a little flat and uninspired.

Still overall the good in this film, tops the things that don't work and therefore I still heavily recommend it to Johnny Cash fans or new comers.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Summer Concert Series: Tom Petty: Runnin' Down a Dream (2007)

It is hard to think of a band that defines rock and roll music more than Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Their music has everything that rock and roll is and can be and I personally think they are one of the finest rock and roll bands of all time. Just as no band could capture the essence of rock and roll better than Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, no movie could better capture the essence of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers than Runnin' Down a Dream.

Director Peter Bogadonovich, quickly became passionate about the band of the course of making this movie and it shows here. After getting to know the boys, Peter decided that only they could tell their own story. Therefore he left out the typical documentary narration and let the band tell the story themselves. While this is a departure from your typical rock and roll documentary, I have to admit, I did not notice the first time I watched this film. This is because nothing feels missing here and when the band talks, I was so interested in what they were saying I didn't care. The boys are just as passionate talking about their music as Peter was making this film. These are people whose lives have been moved and changed by rock and roll and when this movie was made, they hadn't lost any of the passion they had when they were kids hearing rock music for the first time. Though this movie is near four hours, you are still hanging on every word that they say when the film comes to a close. Not only that but I felt like I'd be willing to listen to them talk for another four hours. In fact this became a problem for Peter Bogadonovich, who had more material than could fit in one movie and all of it was high quality.

You may have noticed in this review, I have referred to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers as a band throughout this review. One thing I love about this film is that it treats them as a band instead of like Tom Petty and his backing band. After I watched this movie for the first time, I never listened to their music quite the same. Before I had listened to it as if the Heartbreakers were a backing band, but afterwards I began to appreciate what each member brought to the table, every time I would listen to one of their albums or hear the music on the radio. We get to know and respect the Heartbreakers throughout this movie in the same way we do Tom Petty himself.

Of course in a rock and roll movie, audiences want to hear rock and roll music. This film puts the music at the center stage. To be honest we learn precious little about the lives Tom Petty or the Heartbreakers lead when they are not making music. With the length of this movie and the amount of great material that ended up on the cutting room floor, perhaps that was best. There simply wasn't time and we watch the movie because we love the music. Another great thing about this is that this movie doesn't just show small little clips of the band performing these but we watch them performing the song from beginning to end and who can complain about watching and listening to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers do what they do best.

This film is also a treasure trove of information for me and my fellow Tom Petty fans. You learn the stories about how each of their studio albums came about, how they ended up being Johnny Cash's backing band on his masterful album Unchained (maybe one of the finest albums of Johnny's career), as well as the backing band for Bob Dylan on a concert tour, how the Traveling Wilburys came to be, the creative differences in the band at various points and just how a song like Don't Come Around Here No More ends up on  concept album called Southern Accents (I really like the song, but it seems a little out of place on that album).

This is a must watch for fans of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and a movie that will turn newcomers into fans.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Summer Concert Series: The Big TNT Show (1966)

This semi-sequel to The T.A.M.I. Show (1964), is a great follow up and an excellent concert film.

The musical selection in this movie is as good as it gets. Artists including Ray Charles, Petula Clark, The Lovin' Spoonful, Bo Diddly, Joan Baez, The Ronettes, Roger Miller, The Byrds, Donovan and Ike and Tina Turner. Any movie that features a live performance of Ray Charles performing Georgia on My Mind (no matter how many singers sing this song, Ray's version will always be the best) is definitely worth recommending. All the artists are at the top of their gang here. After country music being completely left out of The T.A.M.I. Show it is a joy to see Roger Miller here and his unique style of country music as well as his quirky sense of humor. His performance of London Swings features the best use of background dancers in either of these films. The Ronettes give a high energy and fantastically choregraphed performance that is corny as all get out but so much fun. Joan Baez's voice as always is beautiful as ever, especially on her first two song, which are in the folk tradition that she upheld so well. Unfortunately You've Lost That Loving Feeling doesn't seem to fit her all that well. Ike and Tina Turner are so energetic and tons of fun to listen to. Donovan's performances of slower, sad songs don't quite fit in with the film's mostly high energy fast paced acts, but he is still fantastic here. Before this movie I was really only familiar with Donovan for the Bob Dylan movie, Don't Look Back (1967) and I have to say, I am very impressed. Bo Diddly is here much too brief of a time, but gives a fantastic performance. The Byrds are also at the top of their game here and show just why they were so important to folk-rock.

The biggest fault of this movie was simply the fact that the teenage girls in the audience scream a lot, like all 93 minutes. It is very annoying at first but to be honest, you get used to it pretty dang quickly. This film luckily does away with the awful comedy of Jan and Dean and the use of Go-Go dancers is minimized. Though to be fair, the climax of this film is an all Go-Go dancer spectacular. Personally part of me wanted to see Go-Go dancers behind Donovan, just for how little that would fit.

Like The T.A.M.I. Show if you like 1960's music this movie is a must watch.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Summer Concert Series: The T.A.M.I. Show (1964)

First off the question all of you are asking, T.A.M.I. stands for "Teen Age Music International" or "Teenage Awards Music International." Now on to the movie.

This is one of the finest concert films ever made. The musicians featured here are some of the finest rock and roll, pop and R&B artists of the era. The line up includes Jan and Dean, Chuck Berry, Gerry and the Peacemakers, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, Lesley Gore, The Beach Boys, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, The Supremes, The Barbarians, James Brown and the Famous Flames and The Rolling Stones. The famous Wrecking Crew (Hal Blaine, Jimmy Bond, Tommy Tedesco, Glen Campbell, Lyle Ritz, Leon Russell, Plas Johnson) is the house band. All of these performers are at the top of their game. Probably the most talked about part of this film is James Brown's performance. This is appropriate as his pure energy and stage presence is incredible. He gives one everything they could want from a concert experience and it is impossible not to get caught up in the energy of it all. Keith Richards would later state that following James Brown was the worst mistake they ever made. It is worth saying that despite this famous statement, The Rolling Stones are fantastic here, giving us pure blues influenced rock nd roll at its best. Speaking of pure rock and roll energy and showmanship, Chuck Berry is just as much fun as anyone could hope from one of the founders of rock and roll. The Beach Boys have never sounded as great as they do here and it is proof that they were much more than the simple gimmick band they could have been. Their melodies and harmonies are simply beautiful and the songs were never as simple as they sounded at first listen. They are beautifully and perfectly put together in a way only true masters could do. Leslie Gore is someone who I have honestly not given much thought to before watching this movie, but after seeing her performance here, I fully understand and appreciate her appeal. She is a great vocalist and a fine stage presence. 

The music doesn't date at all but other parts of this movie do. The presence of Go-Go dancers in almost every performance kind of just looks silly today. The stage antics of Jan and Dean are to be honest kind of annoying. However compared to just how great the music these are minor complaints.

The director is Steve Binder, who rock and roll fans may know for directing Elvis' 1968 Comeback Special and this movie is every bit as great. He also directed The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978), but let us not hold that against him as this movie is fantastic.

-Michael J. Ruhland     

Summer Concert Series: Keith Richards: Under the Influence (2015)

If you are looking for a documentary that will give you deep insight into Keith Richard's personal life, than this is far from the film for you. This movie is in many ways the equivalent of hanging out with Keith and talking about music. Keith spends little time talking about the Rolling Stones or his solo work, instead focusing on his love and devotion to the blues, country music, reggae and early rock and roll. If you are a fan of the music he is talking about, there is little no insight here, but he discuses this music with such a passion that it is fun listening to him talk about it.  When someone is passionate about an artform, whether that is music, film, books, etc. because they enjoy talking about it so much that you enjoy listening to it. It doesn't matter if you know everything they are saying it is still fun to just hear their passion. Director Morgan Neville understands this and simply lets Keith talk and adds little else to the table. The result is a movie that is honestly not that cinematic or informative but is still a lot of fun.

This being a movie completely and utterly about music, naturally the songs are a huge reason to watch. Keeping with the theme of this film, most of what he plays are covers, but really good and heartfelt covers. Two that stood out to me as his brief version Merle Haggard's Sing Me Back Home and the lovely closing version of Leadbelly's Goodnight Irene. There are no extended guitar solos here or real rocking out. Keith keeps his musical offerings here on the acoustic side, but partly because of this it has the close intimacy that he and so many us love about the blues and country music. There is a laid back but still soulful feeling to his renditions of these classic songs. For a movie about one of The Rolling Stones, there is little sex, drugs or rock and roll here. But there is plenty of music and isn't the music why people became fans of Keith Richards in the first place?

-Michael J. Ruhland

Summer Concert Series: ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band From Texas (2019)

ZZ Top is often a band whose look and eccentric style have often over shadowed their actual musician ship. However after watching this documentary, it is hard not to feel that this is unjustified. These men are extremely talented musicians and they have put out some really good music. The music is always the focus of this documentary, which is perfect for ZZ Top. As the film discusses, the band always kept their private lives private, preferring to let their music speak for itself. As the movie brings up this is why the band's eccentric look works for them, it makes them feel as if they were somehow something bigger than life, while helping obscure who these people are. While of course listening to the members of the band talk about their music, will give us a look into their personalities, little else is given away about who these people are offstage. We find out a little about Dusty's childhood as well as Frank's marriage and drug addiction, but nothing else. From this film alone, you don't even know if Dusty or Billy ever married or had children and this is fine with me. Mystery only helps to make musicians so appealing (this may be part of why I'm a Bob Dylan fan) and do we really need to know anything about ZZ Top besides that they are really cool guys with beards (well except for the one whose last name is beard) who play a mixture of the blues and rock and roll? Once you get down to this, it is clear speaking about the music is the best way to make a ZZ Top documentary. This movie does give us a lot of insight into the music as well as where the eccentric style of the band came from. It also gives us some dang fine music and listening to them perform songs like La Grange, Brown Sugar and Blue Jean Blues show the band has lost none of their talent for performing these songs, and hold up just as well as clips of older performances of ZZ Top songs like I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide.

This documentary only follows the band up to their 1983 album, Eliminator. While this may disappoint some fans, I feel it is a wise thing to do. Too many documentaries try to fit too long of careers into too short of a time. To be fair there are still times the movie feels rushed but it is never distractingly so.

I definitely recommend it to both fans of the band and newcomers.

-Michael J. Ruhland