Eclectic mix of music documentaries
Screened at SXSW, these six films rock
Music is so prevalent at South by Southwest it’s even a big part of the film festival part of the annual Texas extravaganza.
Each year there’s a full lineup of music documentaries at the SXSW film festival. Here are six that truly rocked. Look for most of these films to get a theatrical release and/ or come out on DVD/ Blu- ray or cable soon.
Go to www. mercury news. com/ movies to read full- length reviews of all these films and to see trailers.
“A Poem Is a Naked n Person”: It was long considered a near- mythical entity, mainly because so few people had actually seen it. The documentary about singer- songwriter Leon Russell — filmed during a peak period ( 19721974) in the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s career — never received an official theatrical release. Yet some of the lucky folks who managed to see the film claimed that it was absolutely amazing.
We’re thankful “A Poem Is a Naked Person” has finally been freed from film purgatory, undergoing the full digital restoration process and receiving a world premiere — some 40 years after the original film’s intended release date — at SXSW.
JIM HARRINGTON
“Made in Japan”: n Tomi Fujiyama was in her early 20s when she first performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in 1964. A half- century later, she wants the chance to repeat the greatest moment of her career.
“Made in Japan” follows Fujiyama — known as Japan’s first female country music star — on her quest to play the Opry for the second time. It traces her journey from the Land of the Rising Sun to Music City, underscoring at each step just how much country music means to this vocalist- guitarist.
The film works for so many reasons, but none more significantly than Fujiyama’s passion. She’s absolutely driven to make her return to the Opry stage, and it’s pretty much impossible not to root for her to succeed.
“Sir Doug and the n Genuine Texas Cosmic Groove”: Followers of Doug Sahm are a passionate lot. Sure, many music fans — at least those living outside of Texas — are probably not all that familiar with this San Antonio singer- songwriter, who died in 1999 at the age of 58. Yet, there are some who hold up the multitalented, incredibly versatile Sahm as one of the most significant artists of the 20th century.
One of those true believers is Joe Nick Patoski, the Texas music scholar who directed this new Sahm biopic. The documentary is an insightful look at a very complex man, who frequently flirted with, but never captured, big- time fame during his nearly half- century of making music with British Invasion- inspired rockers The Sir Douglas Quintet, Tex- Mex band The Texas Tornados and other acts.
“Theory of Obscurity: n A Film About The Residents”: The Bay Area art- rock act has somehow gotten away with embracing absolute anonymity during its 40- year- plus career, with the band members refusing to show their faces in public, give out their real names or be interviewed by the press.
The Residents’ story is as much about mystery as it is music, which is one of the reasons why there is ample intrigue around San Jose director Don Hardy’s documentary.
The film is revealing — but not too revealing. You won’t learn the names of the band members or any other fact that would sabotage The Residents’ mighty mythology. Instead, the focus is on one of the guiding principles behind the band — the belief that artists do their best work before they’re famous — and the struggle to stay true to that principle.
“Dominguinhos”: n It’s a moving tribute to the great accordionist- vocalistcomposer, who contributed so much to the music of his native Brazil during his 60- plus- year career.
The documentary tenderly traces Dominguinhos’ path from childhood to music legend. Yet the focus is more on family than fame, more about the love of the music than the spoils of success. The film