“There are singers then there is Aretha. She towers above the rest. Others are good, but Aretha is great. She’s my only sure-enough sister.”— Ray Charles
Aretha Franklin Concert Review
The more I hear Aretha Franklin sing, the more I look for her songs. The more I hear about her, the more I want to know. Have you read any Aretha Franklin concert reviews that mention her greatest hits? You discover none of them discuss her jazz songs. Why is that?
Recordings that uniformly come up are “Amazing Grace,” “Think,” “Respect,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “Chain of Fools,” “Baby I Love You,” “I Never Loved a Man,” and “The House That Jack Built.”
If you google “jazz music,” Franklin’s jazz showcase appears. Now is your chance to hear a gifted and talented jazz singer. As you listen to her voice, she sings riveting jazz band music, lifting the whole arrangement onto a soul quest.
It might sound corny, but Franklin is the ultimate singer who sang anything and sang better than anybody.
Aretha Franklin is Soul
Most agree that Aretha Franklin is the “Queen of Soul.” She undeniably is the singer of the American pop culture. She epitomizes the soul as the central part of her gospel label. She brings a rhythm to each rendition. It’s like a new soul waking up each time someone hears her songs.
Jazz Festival USA
A few jazz fans fail to see her as the main attraction at jazz festivals. Nevermore wrong, Aretha Franklin is a talented jazz singer and performed jazz renditions throughout her career. She even performed at the White House for jazz night.
“Being a singer is a natural gift. It means I’m using to the highest degree possible the gift that God gave me to use. I’m happy with that.”— Aretha Franklin
Franklin Performing at the Kennedy Center Honors
Close Family Ties
Franklin hailed from a house of a gospel minister, Reverend C.L. Franklin. During the 1950s, Aretha and her sisters Carolyn and Erma sang in their father’s church. All three earned recording contacts.
Franklin Sing Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace is a documentary about Franklin recording her “Amazing Grace” in a South Los Angeles church. The event took place in 1972 in a packed church.
Gospel Label
Aretha Franklin began her first recordings at the age of 14. Gospel artist in her own right and just a gospel-folk tale, Motown approached her, and she signed with the budding recording label. Contrary to that story, John Hammond, who is legendary as a talent scout, signed her with Columbia and started her recording career.
Jazz Music Songs
After discovering Motown’s fabricated story, I continued my research and learned that Franklin had started singing Jazz while recording at Columbia. In the early 1960s, she recorded some R&B hits while earning a Top Forty single “Rock-a-bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody.”
For all that, while at Columbia, Franklin tried developing her niche or style as a recording artist. Several of her recordings included uptown Jazz. Her Columbia CD “Jazz to Soul” shares some renditions of her jazz potential with songs like “Less Cross,” “Walk on By,” and “Skylark.”
Jazz Wealth
Although speculation about Franklin’s aspirations to sing Jazz gradually died down at Columbia, as things go, when focusing on popular material and production. She dreamt of experimenting with her vocal talents even more in the jazz genre.
Luckily, I found a small number of upbeat recordings by Columbia on various LPs. She lifts her voice, singing jazzy renditions with undeniable passion.
“Music does a lot of things for a lot of people. It’s transporting, for sure. It can take you right back, years back, to the very moment certain things happened in your life. It’s uplifting, it’s encouraging, it’s strengthening.”— Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin Greatest Hits
Aretha Franklin split with Columbia and made a lasting and profitable impression at Atlantic Records. Her vocal talent not only brought success to Atlantic Records but also enabled her to cross over from soul and R&B to pop without a hitch. She arrived in black music at a time that propelled her to fame, appealing to all levels of society.
Newport Jazz Festival
Prevailing, she vocalized her best at popular Jazz festivals around the world. Some notable ones are Toronto, Newport, and Montreux, Switzerland.
During her Golden Years before she passed away, I liked listening to her rendition of “Brand New Me,” the opener for the Newport Jazz Festival 2008, which is truly a gift from the Heavens. I strongly recommend you take the time and listen to her belt this song out. It is like Jazz in the garden. Listening and looking too, you meet the one and only “Queen of Soul.”
Nick Fraser is a British documentary producer. He devoted 17 years at the BBC to creating and running the international documentary series Storyville, which showcased documentaries from around the world. He said, “The best documentaries are independent. They don’t exist to serve interests, philanthropic or otherwise.”
I agree with Frazer because most documentaries I’ve seen today are slanted to suit a particular vested-interest group connected to the filmmaker, who twists the facts.
The following documentaries may not be factual, but I found their production value high because they got me thinking and expanding my intellect.
1. “Pavarotti: Genius Is Forever”
Oscar-winner Ron Howard takes viewers on a journey through the life and times of Luciano Pavarotti, the opera singer who brought opera to millions worldwide. The trailer explores Pavarotti’s legend and voice. Wherever the man went, and he sang and made history. Howard’s movie is intimate with interviews and sacred footage.
2. “Kusama: Infinity”
The movie is a visual introduction to one of the world’s most talented artists. Heather Lenz takes us on an extraordinary, truthful, emotional journey with Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s six-decade career. She left Japan, arrived in New York City, and developed her artistic signature. She persevered and has created artwork ranging from painting and sculpture to installation art.
3. “Love, Gilda”
Director Lisa D’Apolito spins a sad story based on Gilda’s journals, recordings, and scrapbooks. Despite D’Apolito’s demoralizing content, Love, Gilda captured my attention from the very beginning.
The documentary shows Gilda growing up and becoming an Emmy winner. I found that worth watching. The younger versions of the original Saturday Night Live cast sparked my interest because Bill Murray was as handsome as Chevy Chase. Gilda’s talent shone through.
4. “Jay Myself”
Jay Maisel lived in “The Bank” for 48 years. The renowned photographer reluctantly moved from the 35,000-square-foot building in New York City. But the documentary is about his life and shows many photos taken by Maisel, a gifted photographer. Photographers or artists should find this movie fascinating.
5. “Rebound”
The documentaryReboundfollows the lives of three wheelchair basketball players. They undergo hardships and never give up. They are gifted athletes who mainstream sports have yet to recognize.
6. “The Landing”
The Landing is a parody of documentaries because they are no longer about capturing the truth. They are propaganda similar to Hitler’s Triumph of the Will.
It’s a fake documentary about one of the Apollo missions going wrong, and NASA covered it up.
The Landing received awards as Best Director 2017 Boston Sci-Film Festival – Best Thriller 2017 Burbank International Film Festival, and Best Feature 2017 Escape Velocity, Washington, D.C.
7. “I Am Big Bird”
The documentary is a treasure of clips and anecdotes about the Muppets creator and super-talented Jim Henson. Openly, a great friend of Caroll Spinney’s, seeing Henson is touching. The documentary shares footage and memories of working with Henson. A poignant scene unfolds in an overcrowded cathedral at Henson’s funeral, where Big Bird sings “It’s Not Easy Being Green.”
8. “Science Fair”
Award-winning documentary directors Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster present Science Fair. The documentary won the audience award at Sundance and SXSW 2018.
The movie trailer is fun to watch because I understand why Science Fairs are worthwhile experiences for intelligent kids.
9. “Perfect”
Directed by Jeremie Battaglia, Perfect is an award-winning documentary. The movie focuses on the Canadian synchronized swimming team.
The story goes beyond the beauty and shows the challenging journey to secure the qualifying spot as the team for the Rio Olympics 2016. The movie won the Best Documentary at the Winter Film Awards.
10. “Pick of the Litter”
My family lived near the guide dog training facility in San Rafael when I was just a toddler. My mother told me I loved the guide dogs. They put a smile on my face, and I wanted to see them all the time.
With that, Pick of the Litter received several accolades for being a documentary that tells the truth or offers an insight into what it takes for a cute, cuddly puppy to become a guide dog for the blind.
Dana Nachman and Don Hardy directed the movie that follows a litter of puppies from birth, as they begin their journey and develop into guide dogs for the blind.
Nachman wrote the screenplay, covering two years of the dogs’ training, culminating in their most rewarding responsibility: protecting their blind masters from harm.
Watching the documentary trailer gives you a good idea of what these dogs go through. Not every dog becomes a guide dog. However, you will cheer for them as they try their best. We can only wish they develop into the pick of the litter.
11. “Whitney”
The poster for the documentary Whitney says “all the answers,” but I disagree. Whitney Houston’s talent leaped no bounds yet, like a Shakespeare tragedy. Her life was a roller coaster ride.
Watch the movie trailer, and you will see poignant moments that are almost too hard to watch. If only Houston made better decisions. Her voice, music, and talent would still be with us today.
12. Fahrenheit 11/9
I worked with Michael Moore on Bowling for Columbine. He and his crew came to my hometown and designated me the driver, craft services (he loves chocolate), and all-around production assistant. I can honestly say he is a nice guy. He is a professional who knows his vision and gets it. With that, I had no idea I was working on an Academy Award movie.
Fahrenheit 11/9 is another documentary by Michael Moore, and I recommend you study his style to see how he conveys his message. That is what he does with all his documentaries. He gets his message across by making his movie provocative, thought-provoking, and funny. It focuses on the 2016 United States presidential election. He takes a stab at the subsequent presidency of Donald Trump.
13. “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”
Mr. Fred Rogers told kids they were special, unlike anyone else in the whole world, each unique. I remember when my daughter watched his show, and he played a video about how crayons are made. We both learned something new.
Directed by Morgan Neville, who won an Oscar for the documentary 20 Feet from Stardom, it follows Rogers’s life and work. The movie explained how he is known as America’s cherished neighbor.
The documentary follows a man who wore zip-up cardigans and lived in the land of make-believe. In watching this movie, I discovered something unique about him. Sure, he played a big part in educational TV and was an ultimate genius. He influenced so many lives that there is more about the man worth finding out.
I watched the trailer, and tears formed in my eyes. Mr.Rogers was such an inspiration to the world.
14. “Maria by Callas”
If you are a lover of opera or a fan, you will enjoy this documentary about the life of Maria Callas. She led a life read in headlines. The media played along with her tumultuous life, reporting the conflicts and scandals that plagued her life.
She dominated the opera scene as the world’s greatest opera singer ever to live. Regardless, her career failed to last a long time, with an early death by a heart attack. Posthumously, her story scandalized the newspapers with conflict over her trust.
15. “Amazing Grace”
Waiting 40 years for the technology to advance enough to sync the music with the footage, Amazing Grace finally arrived in the movie theaters and is now available on disc or streaming. Directed by the late Sydney Pollack and finished by Alan Elliot, Aretha Franklin sings with the New Bethel Baptist Church choir, recording her live “Amazing Grace” album in 1972.
Watch the trailer and get a glimpse of a young Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones.
16. “Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins”
The documentary tells the story of a woman who evolved with the times over the decades she spent as a journalist. She not only changed physically but also spiritually. She had the passion and a definite purpose in life that took its toll. Even though her message resonates with me, we need to vote and hold firmly to what we consider substantially important. Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins is a movie you want to see to understand the history and a mortal woman’s ability to tell the truth and shame the devil.
17. “Roadrunner”
Morgan Neville brings us Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, a documentary about Chef, provocateur, adventurer and writer. Neville also brought us Won’t You Be My Neighbor?and other worthy documentaries.
Neville creates an intimate portrait of a man who became a cultural icon. His extensive research includes interviews and an unflinching look at Bourdain’s thunderous presence and his indelible influence on the world.
Documentary Best
The list of documentaries stands considerably varied by subject and genre. I hope you get a chance to watch one or more of them. All in all, I am impressed with the documentarians. These movies are not for the light-hearted or for those who strictly want entertainment. They expand your mind and show you a world you’ve most likely never seen until now.
Danny Way jumps the Great Wall of China with a skateboard. This article tells you how he did it.
Danny Way in front of the Great Wall of China
Great Wall of China Skateboard History
Most visitors seldom skateboard the ancient tourist attraction, let alone jump across it.
Let’s take a look at the Great Wall of China. It is unique as a structure and is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. For 4,500 miles, the ancient Wall meanders through the mountain ranges of China with more miles than the distance from New York to California. It is wide enough for two cars to drive on it – 25 feet tall and 25 – 30 feet wide.
The Ming Dynasty rebuilt the Great Wall from the many small walls that multiple Chinese emperors had constructed. The dynasty also developed elaborate battlements, cannons, and watchtowers to protect the people.
They used limestone, bricks, and tiles, and ancient records indicate that over 300,000 soldiers and 500,000 commoners worked on the Great Wall of China. They never saw the future or imagined a young, talented skateboarder would be gliding and careening down the center of the Wall.
“To a certain extent, I’m not trying to evolve out of this world of physical pain into a world of mental stress and anguish. But I do have a bit of the business bug. I’m aware I have to try to mediate it to a certain point so I don’t become soaked down to the point where it’s hard to escape.” Danny Way
The location of the Great Wall of China is outlined in red.
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is wide enough for two cars to drive on it—25 feet tall and 25 to 30 feet wide.
Danny Way: Skater of the Year Twice
Daniel Way is from Portland, Oregon, and was born in 1974. He won Thrasher magazine’s “Skater of the Year” award twice.
He thinks outside the box when it comes to skateboarding stunts. Watching him skateboard is priceless. He is a talent worth watching to understand skateboarding.
“Obviously, it’s not in my nature to walk away from something, but there’s got to be a fine line of what is possible and what’s so . . . dangerous that you gotta go, ‘OK, that’s all that’s possible, here.” Danny Way
What is a Professional Skateboarder?
Being a pro skateboarder takes a strong soul to conquer the board —from frequenting local skate parks to winning regional competitions and, eventually, taking on national and international competitions, including product endorsements and wild video shots. Being on a skateboard means performing tricks like flip, daydream flip, plasma spin, sex change, gingersnap, and at least 100 other tricks.
Skateboarding Tricks and Stunts
I wrote a piece on the top skateboard movies, focusing on the intriguing grit and audacity as these brave souls perform on their boards.
Living on the Edge
Like Danny Way, a few others are bold and defy gravity, like the rock climber Alex Honnold, who climbed El Capitan at Yosemite without a rope, which became an Oscar-winning documentary. Or the inspirational story of the parachutist who broke the record in free-falling.
Waiting for Lightningfollows skateboarder Danny Way, known for performing over-the-top feats, similarly with a parachute. Most skateboarders call him a visionary for his extraordinary achievements and performances throughout his career. Samuel Goldwyn Films released the film on Blu-ray, DVD, or online streaming.
Danny Way Skateboards Jumps Wall of China
Interviews with Top Skateboarders
The documentary explores the amount of abuse the body can sustain. It touches on how passionately one must accept challenges that defy survival. Danny Way has proven himself to be an incredibly talented skateboarder and the sport’s top innovator.
The documentary features incredible skateboarding tricks and stunts, along with interviews with the best in the sport. We hear from big players like Travis Pastrana, Laird Hamilton, Rodney Mullen, Mat Hoffman, Ken Block, and Tony Hawk, to name a few.
The story begins with an inspirational account of visionary skateboarder Danny Way, following the journey of a young boy from a broken home in Southern California. He has a deep passion for skateboarding, which has brought him fame and a lifetime of accomplishments.
“That was the scariest … thing I’ve ever done in my life. I’m lucky I’m alive.” Danny White
China’s Great Wall Master by Inspiration
Way’s drive is an inspiration. He has no limits to what he can do. The documentary showcases his creations as they are captured on screen. To jump China’s Great Wall on a skateboard, we see the ramp of Herculean and dangerous proportions.
Overall, I highly recommend this documentary. The video below gives you a glimpse of someone who could pull off such feats.
Danny May is Skateboarder #5 with his Great Wall Jump
Based on Peter Wohlleben’s bestselling book of the same name and directed by Jorg Adolph, The Hidden Life of Trees, introduces you to a unique idea. The documentary immerses you into understanding how trees are sentient creatures. Despite being rooted to the ground with the inability to flee from danger, these living forces branch off and live to infinity as an unbeatable force. The movie shows how trees release chemicals into their cells to discourage predators, such as deer and insects. In fact, trees disperse chemical signals into the atmosphere to warn other species — prepare for the threat.
Together with scientists, and dedicated persons, the movie disabuses the idea that planting trees compensates for cutting down trees.
A renowned forester and writer Peter Wohlleben guides us through his most precious ideas and understanding of how trees work in this enlightening documentary. Presenting ecological, biological and academic expertise with matter-of-fact honestly, Peter inspires us to see the forest for the trees.
Traveling through Germany, Poland, Sweden and Vancouver, Peter discusses, debates, and explains the unique process of life, death and regeneration he has observed in the woodland and the fantastic scientific mechanisms behind these wonders. We are too often blissfully unaware.
Thanks to Peter and his bestseller, we are more aware of this valuable life force that aids our planet’s survival. After watching Adolph’s documentary, you’ll never walk into the woods the same again.
The Hidde Life of Trees will profoundly change believers’ understanding of forests. That trees can communicate with each other through a complicated system with the ability to feel. The old trees care for the young ones by providing nutrition.
Wohlleben charmingly takes us through the woods and shows us how the trees cooperate and communicate with nearby species. Sheltering and nurturing young offspring trees, they partner with other species in the forest like fungi — a synergy of survival.
Gratefully, Jan Haft’s camera work illustrates the fantastic process of life, death, and regeneration Peter has observed in the woodland for decades. Haft’s camera work is a wonder. The result is an immersive and eye-opening look at the scientific mechanisms behind these wonders of nature.
Thank you, We Are Movie Geeks and IMDB, for information about the documentary.
Being raised by a single parent of three children, I didn’t watch Sesame Street. Instead, I watched soap operas because our babysitter insisted, “they were more entertaining.” Dark Shadows was one of her favorites and mine, too.
Dark Shadows was an unlikely daytime hit TV show. It even became a cultural touchstone for generations of viewers as the only gothic soap opera. Some say it still casts spells on new and old fans.
Jonathan Frid, who played the tormented vampire Barnabas Collins, is profiled in a biographical film, Dark Shadows and Beyond – The Jonathan Frid Story. The documentary is currently streaming on digital platforms and is available on DVD and Blu-ray.
The documentary shines a positive light on Jonathan Frid, which is refreshing compared to other documentaries of late. The 102-minute movie covers the Canadian-born star’s fascinating life and career as a Shakespearean actor — on stage with Katharine Hepburn and poignant advice from Sir Laurence Olivier.
If you are looking for a scandalous past or real skeleton in Frid’s closet, you’ll find none of that in this detailed story of the man beneath the vampire’s cloak. The documentary explores his personal and professional struggles, artistic triumphs and rises to fame shared through personal letters to his mother read by fellow soap star Ian Buchanan.
We also hear from Frid’s friends, family and colleagues, who offer a fresh view of the soap opera legend. We hear from veteran talk show host and Yale Drama School classmate David Cavett, actresses Marion Ross and Christine Pickles. Even the co-stars of Dark Shadows share a positive portrait, including David Selby, Lara Parker, Marie Wallace, Nancy Barrett, James Strom, and Kathryn Leigh Scott.
Frid’s story is about a dedicated actor who is passionate about his craft. He was well-liked by many, mentioning his generosity and kindness.
In archival interviews, Frid found the Barnabas role fulfilling because of time shifts in the storyline. He jumped back in time before he was a vampire, which showed the complexities of the character most soaps could never fathom. It was as if he was playing a dozen roles. Despite the circumstances Barnabas encountered, Frid knew being a vampire meant he was never just a vampire. He was a tragic character who felt deep emotions — including guilt. Intricacies only an actor with well-refined acting skills would perceive or understand, resulting in a sensational character and an enormous fan base.
The DVD or Blu-ray comes with rare performance footage, such as archival material from Frid’s private collections, which are gems. Also included is a PBS TV discussion with Frid, promotional pieces with the actor, Frid reading an excerpt of Washington Irving’s classic tale The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Best of Barnabas, a compilation video.
As producer Mary O’Leary says, “Jonathan’s years on Dark Shadows have been well covered in print interviews. To gain insight, I chose to interview people who were close to him, ranging from his years at Yale to his work in regional theater to those involved in his one-man shows, which he toured across the country in his later years.”
Any fan of Dark Shadows will appreciate this well-thought-out documentary of a professional actor. He hit his mark on a unique and yet dissimilar soap opera on American TV.
Thank you HiTechGlitz.com for the additional information.
“… but there is another side to Audrey that is relatively unexplored. Audrey suffered great tragedy and trauma in her life, but she was always able to transform this into something better, and more beautiful,” says Helen Coan, director of the documentary Audrey: More Than an Icon.
Audrey Hepburn playing golf and holding a parasol, circa 1955
As a definitive feature documentary on Audrey Hepburn, the film is about the star, fashion icon and humanitarian. Coan uses re-enactments, genuine footage, recorded testimonies, and Audrey Hepburn herself on film and recordings.
The story begins with a recording of Audrey, then winning her first Academy Award at age 24. Coan telling the story of Audrey’s family and her experience during WW II — in Holland — one of the worse Nazi-occupied countries.
From there the movie tells Audrey Hepburn’s story through the eyes of those who are in the film industry, close friends, grandchildren of photographers, and fashion designers. You’re drawn into a well-made movie with cuts to a ballerina dancing on stage as a symbol of Audrey’s desire to become a ballet dancer.
Audrey performing during her childhood years.
Wayne McGregor crafted the film dance sequences. McGregor is a multi-award-winning British choreographer and director. Three dancers play Audrey in various stages of her life are Francesca Hayward, principal dancer in the Royal Ballet, plays ‘Hollywood era Audrey’, at the height of her fame. Alessandra Ferri, one of 13 dancers ever to receive the title of ‘prima ballerina assoluta,’ plays Audrey in her later years. The documentary introduces Keira Moore as ‘Young Audrey.’ Moore audition as part of the process at various ballet schools. Composer Alex Somers wrote the movie’s original score, inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood composers who scored Audrey’s films.
As Coan skillfully cuts in Audrey’s recordings, as a voiceover, industry footage, and home movies, the viewer meets the magical icon based on how Coan weaves the story, which emphasizes her hardship.
Audrey with her son Sean Hepburn Ferrer
She had three marriages, and her last marriage seems to be a success.
In 1980, Audrey meets Robert Wolders. Brought together at a dinner party, Robert is overcoming the recent death of his wife, and Audrey is trapped in an unhappy marriage. This shared feeling of disillusionment with life and love bonds the two together, as well as their harrowing shared experiences of Nazi-occupied Holland in World War II. As Robert explained, “We met at a time when we each had gone through trials, but we knew exactly what we wanted — togetherness.”
Audrey with Robert
Audrey and Robert’s life is relatively simple, and they detach themselves from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Together they live in the foothills of the Alps, away from the glare of the paparazzi as much as possible, and begin a life of service, dedicating more and more of their time to UNICEF.
In the years that follow, Audrey’s commitment to UNICEF results in her retiring from acting, and she spends the last years of her life dedicated to helping and campaigning on behalf of children living in developing countries, from Bangladesh to Somalia.
Audrey and Robert
Her life coming full circle, Audrey, often with Robert by her side, makes many UNICEF field trips, visiting and drawing attention to life-saving initiatives, from projects providing drinking water in Guatemala, orphanages in Ethiopia, training programs for women in Venezuela, polio vaccine projects. They appointed Audrey as Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF.
Three years later, Audrey, having experienced severe abdominal pain, is diagnosed with a rare form of appendix cancer and told she has only three months to live.
“Such a valuable human being” is the only thing Robert can say.
No one has matched her unrelenting work with UNICEF. When she passed away, it’s told with endearment. She seemed at peace and content with her life.
The documentary covers her entire life, including marriages, her children, and her association with UNICEF. Coan’s portrait may feel conflicting with the display of vulnerability and strength, “… whose complexities, insecurities, challenges and intricacies made her a force of nature whose presence is still felt worldwide today,” concludes Coan.
Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Bandseems likeis an open heart confession that’s admonishing, and sometimes humorous story of Robertson’s young life and the making of one of the most enduring groups in the history of popular music—The Band.
The film is a poignant story of Robertson’s journey, overcoming adversity and finding friendship alongside the four other men who would become his brothers in music, together making their mark on music history.
One of the bright spots in the movie is the blends of rare archival footage, photography, iconic songs, and interviews with Robertson’s friends and collaborators, including Martin Scorsese, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, and others.
The storytelling began in 2011 when the legendary guitarist, songwriter, composer, and producer Robbie Robertson pulled up his bootstraps with a put pen to paper began telling his story. The story about his life written over five years.
His 2016 memoir and New York Times bestseller Testimony chronicle the period from his upbringing on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario to his wild years touring with music giants Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan to his role in the formation of one of the most revered and influential groups of the 20th century—The Band.
Robbie Robertson
“A lot of stories had mounted up over the years, and it reached a point where they were too heavy for me to carry around,” Robertson says. “The only way I could get some relief was to set some of them free. Several authors had contacted me about writing my story over the years, but each time we’d hit a certain point where things just didn’t ring true to me. It sounded like somebody else was trying to impersonate my voice, so I ended up writing every word of it myself.”
The memoir captured the attention of filmmakers. “After it was published, a couple of people approached me and said they were interested in making a documentary based on the book, but I wanted to wait until I found someone who just sounded real to me,” Robertson explains.
After careful consideration, Robertson chose to option film rights to his book to the experienced Toronto-based film and television production company White Pine Pictures. “We were honored that Robbie put his trust in us,” says Raymont. It was the beginning of a wonderful adventure.”
Daniel Roher came on board as the director with three short documentaries under his belt. “We were impressed with Daniel’s passion, determination and extraordinary chutzpah” says Raymont, “Nothing was going to stop him.”
“Daniel had already made several documentaries that people felt were really good,” says Robertson, “and when they asked him what he wanted to do next, he said he wanted to make a documentary from my book.”
Roher grew up loving their music. “The first time I heard them was through my parents, and I was instantly hooked,” he says. “Their incredible musicianship grabbed me, and they just seemed like the coolest guys in any room they set foot in. So, when Robbie’s book was published, I immediately knew it would make a phenomenal documentary.”
By his admission, Roher’s interest in developing the material became an obsession as time went on. “I told anyone who would listen that this was my dream project,” he says. “The truth is, I would’ve begged, cried, or stolen to direct this movie.”
Robertson says he saw something of himself in Roher. “When I first started playing music I went against all the odds and broke down walls to make it work. I got that same feeling from Daniel. He knew he had to make this work.”
Roher recalls, “At one point Robbie said, ‘You know, kid, one of my closest friends is Martin Scorsese, so why should you be the one to make this movie?’ And I just laid it all out for him,” Roher recalls. “I told him about my deep appreciation of where he came from, and I explained that I’ve spent time in indigenous communities across Ontario, and know what it’s like when the instruments come out after a long day of work and the music starts playing.”
Above all else, Roher reminded Robertson that his book’s story was about a highly ambitious young man who bucks the odds to make his mark on the world. “Thankfully, my pitch resonated with him, because he said, ‘Okay, kid, let’s make trouble together.’ That’s when my life changed.”
Movie includes Halle Berry, Tiffany Haddish, Jon Bon Jovi, Rebecca Gayheart-Dane, Sanaa Lathan.
Directed by a survivor of the homeless as a youth, Rotimi Rainwater presents a blunt obligatory look at the harsh realities of homelessness in the documentary Lost in America. The story is poignant, showcasing the heart-wrenching truth of youth homelessness that, according to production notes, affects over millions of youth each year across America.
The movie is a raw, unedited look at the various faces of youth homelessness, following Rainwater’s six-year journey as he gets up-close and personal with over 30 homeless youth in over 15 cities across the country. Shining his light in the dark shadows highlights the brutal perspective of the constant challenges of the homeless youth.
The documentary shows startling truth about why so many young adults do not have a place to call home. Vacillating from human trafficking, family rejection, domestic violence, abuse and failures of the foster care system, each of the 30 participants tell their harrowing stories, painting an authentic, dark portrait of their homeless journey—it’s an eye-opener.
Simultaneously, the documentary highlights the efforts made to combat this issue. Lost in America includes interviews with homeless youth organizations and prominent political figures.
The documentary features some major Hollywood talent that includes Halle Berry, Tiffany Haddish, Jon Bon Jovi, Rebecca Gayheart-Dane, Sanaa Lathan, and many more.
The movie lacks popcorn entertainment. It is a film that everyone must watch, but not by themselves, with family and friends or educational or social betterment groups with discussions held afterward. Lost in America will be available on DVD and is streaming at select cable providers.
First of all, the documentary is not one. It is called a mockumentary. Directed by Eric Notarnicola, who is passionate about cinema and documentary, the filming happened on location in the San Bernardino and the Los Angeles area. The production team used a mix of non-actors and actors, creating documentary techniques to fake the experience of an actual story unwinding in real-time. The actors improvised each situation, allowing their characters and the story to unfold naturally. The style worked. It was funny and kept me entertained throughout.
The story starts with Tim Heidecker in the final month of his campaign for district attorney. He is an underdog facing an uphill battle that evolves into a delusional, crazy study of Tim’s true motivations and controversial past, unraveling his candidacy.
The movie gets more interesting at this point because Tim has taken on the popular incumbent, Vincent Rosetti, also known in Tim’s mind as “Rosetti the Rat.” Rosetti found Tim and his inexperienced campaign manager, outmatched, low on funds, connections, and experience. Tim doesn’t even have enough signatures to run. He tries hitting the streets as a last-ditch effort to connect to the voters and promises to wipe out all the crime in San Bernardino, but with no avail, he doesn’t win over the community.
His campaign grows by word of mouth, and former friends of Tim warn the public with stories about bad business deals, strained friendships, and a failed court case in which he ended up accused of murder.
He is only days away from the election, and the campaign is free falling. He needs to confront the obvious of pursuing is a delusional dream. The clip below says it all about Tim and his unsuccessful pursuit for office.
Written, directed, and co-produced Janice Engel, the documentary Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins tells the story of media firebrand Molly Ivins. A tall woman of six feet and full of Texas trouble, which took on the Good Old Boy corruption wherever she found it.
Director Janice Engel
Her razor-sharp wit left both sides of the aisle laughing, and craving ink in her columns. She knew the Bill of Rights was in peril and said: “Polarizing people is a good way to win an election and a good way to wreck a country.” Molly’s words have proved prescient. Now it’s up to us to raise hell. In her home state, the 2019 SXSW Festival awarded the documentary “Audience Award Winner.”
Engel first heard about Ivins over six years ago, “My soon-to-be producing partner, James Egan, told me to go see this one-woman play Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins starring Kathleen Turner. So, I did, the last week it was running in LA. I was knocked out by who Molly Ivins was, how she spoke and who she so brilliantly skewered. Both James and I could not believe there had never been anything done on Molly Ivins, so we jumped in full throttle, and here we are six-plus years later.”
Molly Ivins
A well-formulated documentary offers a view of a strong woman in a man’s world. She worked hard and bit hard at what she thought was unfair. Engel explains how she came to know this remarkable woman, “I also discovered on a much more personal level that both Molly and I shared a similar trajectory: a deep distrust of patriarchal authority and a need to stand up for the underdog. Her politics are my politics, and as her pal, Kaye Northcott so aptly says, ‘Molly hated anyone who would basically kick a cripple.’ Me too! Her rallying cry to ‘Raise Hell, that… this our deal, this is our country …that those people up in your state capitols, up in Washington, they’re just the people we’ve hired to drive the bus for a while,’ resonates deeply. She said, ‘If you don’t vote, you can’t bitch, that’s in article 27…’ Ya think! That alone cemented our kinship and my overwhelming passion to share her story.”
The movie tells the story of a woman who changed through decades of working as a journalist – not only physically but spiritually. She worked hard, laughed hard, but I could tell her passion or mission in life had taken its toll. But still, her message resonates with me. We need to vote and hold our position in what we believe. As Engle stated, “I am grateful to be able to share Molly Ivins with her ‘beloveds’ but even more important, introducing to a hungry public who needs her humor, brilliance, and prescience. Molly Ivins challenges all of us to take personal responsibility for political and social issues that impact our lives. RAISE HELL: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins is a lightning rod to get involved in grassroots projects, local and national politics, and voter registration. If we want change, it starts with us.”
I couldn’t agree more. I highly recommend you see this movie about a strong, smart, and fascinating woman, who communicated what we all think about politics. Though I can’t entirely agree with all of her philosophy, I do agree with her passion.
“As we continue her fight, let’s all remember her understanding of what works against the Powers-That-Be,” states Engle.
“The best way to get the sons of bitches is to make people laugh at them.” – Molly Ivins
