By Phoebe Hart. This documentary on the neglected 70s funk band consisting of West Indian Londoners is beautifully shot and edited, with an infectious energy….” Getting It Back: The Story of Cymande charts the comeback of influential funksters, Cymande. The band were a seminal influence on generations of musical artists […]
From the Experimental to the Mainstream – The Needle and the Lens
A Book Review by Jonathan Monovich. An astute study of notable ‘needle drops’ and the progression of the practice over the last sixty years.” While music is an integral part of film history, Nate Patrin’s study commences with the pop music of Scorpio Rising (1963). This decision is deliberate as […]
The Maestro and His Movie Majesty: Ennio (2021)
By Jeremy Carr. A reverent and vivid film about a man whose music has become inseparable from the movies he scored…” With Ennio, his 2021 documentary about legendary composer Ennio Morricone (and now in theatrical release in the U.S.), director Giuseppe Tornatore has fashioned one of the most compelling and […]
The Constant Collaborator: Giuseppe Tornatore on Ennio and Working with Morricone
By Ali Moosavi. He was someone that just had this constant flow, this constant rhythm of work….” The music of no other film composer is as recognizable worldwide as that of Ennio Morricone. Just whistle the first few bars of the opening themes for A Fistful of Dollars, A Few […]
She Has Overcome: Joan Baez I Am a Noise
By Elias Savada. A lovely curtain call, offering time for Joan to frame how she ultimately crushed her life-long demons. It’s a heartbreaking journey into the horrifying past and a heartwarming walk into a future of forgiveness.” I always envisioned this legendary folk musician and activist as the Baby Boomer […]
Music to Film Streaming: An Interview with Carl Chery on the Hulu Docuseries RapCaviar Presents
By Jonathan Monovich. A lot of times you see shows that reference hip-hop, and it doesn’t feel like it’s made by people that live/breathe it. That was what I was thinking about during the making of RapCaviar Presents and was something that was constantly top of mind. We set out […]
Don’t Call Her Old: Omara
By Anees Aref. A loosely structured film veering back and forth between the past and present….It’s filled with nostalgia and sentiment, though as we hang around Omara we find she is interested in neither [and] focused on the present….” Omara Portuondo, the Grand Dame of the Riviera, aka the Grand […]
Miss Sharon Jones!: Success and Other Crises
By Kate Hearst. Renewed interest in black female singers sparked the release last year of two documentaries focused on voices of the Civil Rights movement: What Happened, Miss Simone? about the late soul singer and activist Nina Simone, and Mavis! featuring gospel singer Mavis Staples and the Staple Singers. In […]