By Lindsey Bahr, AP Film Writer
In the summer of 1969, the same summer as Woodstock, some of the biggest musical acts of the time, like Stevie Wonder, B.B. King, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Mahalia Jackson and the Fifth Dimension all performed in New York's Mount Morris Park.
Woodstock was immortalized. The Harlem Cultural Festival forgotten. But the event is given new light in the must-see documentary " Summer of Soul (…Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)."
Over the course six weekends, some 300,000 people would pass through what is now Marcus Garvey Park to watch the marquee names on the schedule, with the Black Panthers providing security. The brainchild of a born promoter, Tony Lawrence, the free summer concert series was sponsored by Maxwell Coffee and covered by the local news. General Foods even had the foresight to commission someone to film the festival, hiring television veteran Hal Tulchin for the task. The money was so short, they faced the stage west to save on lighting.
By the end, Tulchin, who died in 2017, had amassed some 40 hours of footage of the performances, the massive crowds, the political speeches and the comedy acts. After some failed efforts to sell or do something with it, even with its new nickname "Black Woodstock," it sat in a basement, largely unseen, for five decades — that is until Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson dusted it off and made out of it a strong contender for the best documentary of the year.
In " Summer of Soul," Questlove pulls off an extraordinary feat turning these endless hours of footage into not just an exciting concert film, but an elegant and essential historical document of a particularly fraught and powerful moment in history. It is sometimes celebratory, sometimes critical and never less than utterly engaging. And although it's Questlove's first film, you'd never know it.
It is extraordinary how much information and music is packed into these two hours. The film delves into the various musical styles of the moment, how some artists like Stevie Wonder and David Ruffin were evolving, the diversity of Harlem itself, the Puerto Rican influence (with commentary from Lin-Manuel Miranda), the divisions in the community (including an emotional Marilyn McCoo talking about the criticisms that the Fifth Dimension had a "white sound") as well as the local and national sociopolitical context. And somehow nothing feels like it's getting the short shrift.
Questlove and editor Joshua L. Pearson also know when to feature a full performance as opposed to just clips for ultimate impact. There's a reason Nina Simone and "Backlash Blues" is saved for last.
And though the performances are riveting — standouts include Mahalia Jackson and Mavis Staples belting out "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" and the Edwin Hawkins Singers' "O Happy Day" — it's the shots of the all-ages crowd that makes this film come alive, with the vibrant fashions, the incredible faces, the excitement, the boredom and the humanity of it all packed into every frame.
The question of why this seminal event could be so underknown hovers over every frame. There is an answer provided at the very end, but just be warned: It's not a satisfying one. If there is any quibble with "Summer of Soul," it's that this wasn't interrogated more. But the film perhaps is smarter to not dwell on that fact. Instead, it's correcting the wrong and giving this festival its long overdue moment in the sun.
"Summer of Soul," which is playing theatrically from Searchlight Pictures and will stream on Hulu in the U.S. Friday, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for "some disturbing images, smoking and brief drug material." Running time: 117 minutes. Four stars out of four.
Apple, WWF, CeraVe, Sydney Opera House Among Those Having A Grand Time At CICLOPE
An awards ceremony last night (10/10) capped three days of CICLOPE in Berlin, marked by talks by notable speakers, collaborative Craft Sessions, and attendees making global connections.
Drawing nearly 1,700 entries, culled down to 370 finalists across 18 different countries, the competition saw judges award seven Grand Prix winners, 45 Gold, 51 Silver and 61 Bronze trophies.
Grand Prix winners were:
--Appleโs โFlockโ directed by Ivan Zacharias of SMUGGLER for TBWAMedia Arts Lab, Los Angeles.
--WWFโs โUp In Smokeโ directed by Yannis Konstantinidi via production company NOMINT.
--A$AP Rockyโs โTailor Swifโ from directors Vania & Muggia of production company Iconoclast.
--Spotifyโs โSpreadbeatsโ directed by Maldita via production house The Youth for FCB NY.
--CeraVeโs โMichael CeraVeโ from directorial duo Tim & Eric via production company PRETTYBIRD for WPP Onefluence team, led by Ogilvy PR North America.
--Sydney Opera Houseโs โPlayit Safeโ directed by Kim Gehrig via Revolver x Somesuch for agency The Monkeys.
--Gucciโs โWho is Sabato De Sarno? A Gucci Storyโ directed by Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman via Moxie Pictures.
Special Awards--Yearโs Best
CICLOPE Special Awards went to:
Production Company of the Year: SMUGGLER
Director of the Year: Ivan Zacharias
Editing Company of the Year: Work Editorial
VFX Company of the Year: Electric Theatre Collective
Animation Company of the Year: Untold Studios
Sound Company of the Year: Barking Owl
Music Company of the Year: String & Tins
Agency of the Year: TBWAMedia Arts Lab
Brand of the Year:... Read More