Nonureva Really Surprised!

Lancoor A very feeble attempt at affirmatie action

Jonah Abbott There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Wyatt There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

jotix100 Directors Chris Hegedes and D.A. Pennebaker's documentary, while not clarifying more about the musicians, evoke a bygone era and the glorious music these artists we see in the film gave us.We owe a great debt of gratitude to the talented performers showcased in the film. They gave the American public, and the world at large, some of the best songs of the 20th century. Their stories are presented for their fans to cherish. We remember how great these artists were. These performers take us back to many hours of pure entertainment they gave to their adoring fans and how generous they were with their enormous talent.We see in the movie giants of the popular music such as William Bell, Jerry Butler, The Chi-Lites, Isaac Hayes, Sam Moore, Ann Peebles, Wilson Pickett, Mary Wilson, Carla Thomas. among others.Their stories and recollections are captured in the documentary. This is a film to cherish by all popular music lovers.

ojaiguy this is the music that shaped my teenage years. this is the music that taught me and showed me real emotion. i used to see some of these performers at the Apollo theater in Harlem- i was one of the few white cats who wandered up there. i cant remember another music documentary where the performers are more willing to hang their hearts and souls on their sleeves. and they are well past their performing prime, but not past their soul and their talent. please don't try and use standard movie ideas to dissect this movie. it is as heartful, soulful as human as you will ever see "performers" let us into their life. if you love this music, if you truly love this music, if you understand that this music was the bridge that took early "rock" (Bill Haley, Elvis) and gave it a fullness and a depth and a sophistication that laid the ground for everything to follow, see it IMMEDIATELY

lmitrani Fans of soul music of the sixties and seventies will thank Miramax Films for bringing this work to the screen. Mogul Harvey Weinstein, who amasses a number of Oscars each year, including Chicago for 2002 Best Picture, could have made a lot more money with other films. I suspect he loves this music as much as I do, and he appears briefly in the movie.Legends Jerry Butler, Wilson Pickett, Sam Moore of Sam & Dave, Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Isaac Hayes, the Chilites (all original members) and Carla Thomas are seen as they are now in their early sixties. This picture was made in 1999, and Rufus Thomas, who appears in the film, passed away in 2001 at 84. They perform their vintage hit songs, are interviewed, and reminisce about their early days with Stax Records, Motown's competitor. All are doing well, although they've gained weight. Jerry Butler, the Iceman, sings his classics: the title song and For Your Precious Love. We learn he returned to college in his fifties, and is now a Commissioner in Chicago. Hayes (Shaft) and Butler retain their strong, rich voices. We're also treated to a cameo archive of Otis Redding.This film reminds me of its close relative, Standing in the Shadow of Motown. That work is richer in exploring the lives of cast members, and elicits from them more heartfelt emotions of what it was like socially, politically and musically to grow up in Detroit in the 1960s. The locale here is Memphis. That movie, however, focuses less on the hit singers, but on the outstanding back-up band, the Funk Brothers. This show features more songs by original artists, but shorter versions of each, whereas Standing includes younger performers doing the complete soundtrack of just a few Motown classics like Heat Wave. Each picture powerfully recreates that wonderful era of soul music in our own salad days.If there's a film maker who wants to complete the trilogy, he could focus next on the Philadelphia sound of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Billy Paul, Archie Bell and the Drells, MFSB, the O'Jays, Stylistics, Three Degrees, Lou Rawls, etc. I'm waiting eagerly.

priscilla-hopkins Seeing all these familiar faces and hearing all of those familiar tunes was a trip back to an exciting time in American music. The most difficult part of watching this movie was to control the urge to sing along and to keep my fingers from snapping and my hands from applauding. Several others in the audience couldn't fight those urges!