04-20-2014, 11:49 AM
A good documentary with filmic flaws.
It's the story of Rodriguez, a man who released two albums in the US to universal silence. but inexcplicably, they became the biggest records ever in South Africa. They were songs that helped bolster the Anti-Apartheid movement, especially after they were banned. The people in South Africa wanted to know more about the artist, who was bigger to them than Elvis, but had heard that he had committed suicide on stage.
Many of Rodriguez's contemporaries compared him favorably to Dylan, but he remained a mystery.
I liked it. The songs are very reminiscent of that singer songwriter time. They reminded me of a grittier Harry Chapin.
But I have quibbles, mainly about the integrity of the doc itself. In one scene, a producer goes hunting for old photos of Rodriguez. He only goes to one drawer and only opens one folder and miraculously they are there. Surprise. Good thing the lighting was all set up over that one drawer. Good thing there was only binder in the drawer and it flopped open to the necessary folder.
Towards the end, there are all these walking shots of Rodriguez out in the snow. He's an old man and slips a lot in the icy conditions. In the Behind the Scenes featurette, the director talks about how he wants Rodriguez to move about the city like a ghost, so he does all these tracking shots. Was it necessary to make this old man do all this walking? Hmm?
Other than quirky directorial flushes, it was a really good mystery documentary.
It's the story of Rodriguez, a man who released two albums in the US to universal silence. but inexcplicably, they became the biggest records ever in South Africa. They were songs that helped bolster the Anti-Apartheid movement, especially after they were banned. The people in South Africa wanted to know more about the artist, who was bigger to them than Elvis, but had heard that he had committed suicide on stage.
Many of Rodriguez's contemporaries compared him favorably to Dylan, but he remained a mystery.
I liked it. The songs are very reminiscent of that singer songwriter time. They reminded me of a grittier Harry Chapin.
But I have quibbles, mainly about the integrity of the doc itself. In one scene, a producer goes hunting for old photos of Rodriguez. He only goes to one drawer and only opens one folder and miraculously they are there. Surprise. Good thing the lighting was all set up over that one drawer. Good thing there was only binder in the drawer and it flopped open to the necessary folder.
Towards the end, there are all these walking shots of Rodriguez out in the snow. He's an old man and slips a lot in the icy conditions. In the Behind the Scenes featurette, the director talks about how he wants Rodriguez to move about the city like a ghost, so he does all these tracking shots. Was it necessary to make this old man do all this walking? Hmm?
Other than quirky directorial flushes, it was a really good mystery documentary.
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit
