| August 12th, 2004 04:30 PM |
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| CS |
Film Review: 'Gram Parsons: Fallen Angel'
Thu Aug 12, 2004 01:21 AM ET
By Sheri Linden
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Thirty-one years after his much-mythologized fatal OD in a desert motel room, Gram Parsons is shaking off the gilded shroud of legend to step into the spotlight and claim his musical legacy.
The country-rock visionary was the subject of two recent SoCal tribute concerts headlined by compadre Keith Richards. And this impressively researched documentary, which has aired on the BBC and opens Los Angeles' Don't Knock the Rock festival Thursday night, should stand for quite some time as Parsons' definitive film bio. It also serves as palate-cleansing antidote to the misguided indie feature "Grand Theft Parsons," a semi-fictionalized look at the strange post-death trip that ended with a partial cremation in the singer-songwriter's beloved Joshua Tree National Monument.
At a time when country music was decidedly unfashionable, the Florida-raised Parsons brought a passion for the genre to the burgeoning California rock scene. After seeing Elvis live, the teenage trust-fund rebel wanted only to make "cosmic American music." He left his booze-addled, citrus-empire family and found his place in Los Angeles' late-'60s heyday of the Troubadour and the Strip.
During his brief membership in the Byrds, Parsons made his mark with the Nashville-recorded album "Sweetheart of the Rodeo." The effect of his friendship with the Rolling Stones, Richards especially, is evident in the country-flavored tracks on "Exile on Main Street." The Flying Burrito Brothers, Parsons' post-Byrds venture, released a gorgeous rendition of "Wild Horses" before the Stones' version came out.
Richards is among the many musicians offering reminiscences in "Fallen Angel." Fellow Byrd and Burrito Brother Chris Hillman is forthcoming about his admiration for Parsons' genius and frustration with his drug-fueled unreliability. Emmylou Harris, whose work with Parsons on his posthumously released "Grievous Angel" represents one of the most inspired vocal pairings ever recorded, shares her bemusement over the hard-drinking Parsons' lack of focus and preparation on their first tour together.
But resourceful director Gandulf Hennig ventures beyond the obvious talking heads, drawing emotional testimony from not only Parsons' wife and the girlfriend who was with him when he died, but friends of the family and bandmates from the young musician's prep-school days -- who attest to his unblinking self-confidence and sense of style even as a teen.
The only voice missing from the documentary is Parsons'. There's ample performance footage but, other than excerpts from a letter, no direct quotes. Still, the concise narration written by Hennig and musician/journalist Sid Griffin (the Long Ryders) is a definite asset, and there's a grounded, shimmering power to the film's multivoiced interpretation of Parsons' short life and still-vital music.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
© Reuters 2004. All Rights Reserved. |
| August 12th, 2004 05:02 PM |
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| Martha |
I'm looking forward to seeing this film...eventually (I live in the sticks!).
Thanks for posting the review CS!
;-) |
| August 12th, 2004 05:12 PM |
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| Gazza |
It's a really excellent documentary.
The BBC also broadcast a documentary on Emmylou Harris a little while back, which also featured an interview with Keith, which I hope you'll also get to see over there as it was equally as excellent. Contained quite a bit of footage of her with Parsons that wasnt on the documentary about HIM, which I found strange. |
| August 13th, 2004 04:09 AM |
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| Diedre |
It is a great documentary. It was circulated on another Stones board a month or so ago. Hopefully, it will be released officially on DVD so more people can see it.
It's really a sad story, though. Wasted potential is the phrase that came to mind, and not just that he died young. It's nice that he has a place in Stones history, but that time spent hanging with Keith was really wasted time. He should have been doing his own music. Though one wonders what became of the music he was doing with Keith, and how much of it was original and how much was ever taped. |
| August 13th, 2004 05:57 AM |
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| Jumping Jack |
It was treed on Shidoobee just after the shows. Anyone who wants a copy could contact one of the branches and see if they will do a B&P for you. It is in wide circulation. |
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