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davequ
Reviews
Crossfire Hurricane (2012)
If you're a Stones fan, you can't miss it
gregwetherall (above) has done an excellent and spot-on job so I'll keep this brief -
as a 15-year rock musician (so I actually get "the wobble bit" - though I'm not quite sure I buy all of it) who grew up with the Rolling Stones, while this isn't anywhere near perfect (likely impossible)
"Crossfire Hurricane" is still very entertaining and a must for any Stones fan. Some of the remixed live tracks are astoundingly preserved and sound great, though imo some of the interview comments need to be tweaked up a bit (though my hearing is shot, so maybe that's me)
Some quick cuts from "Cocksucker Blues" interspersed just at the right moments of some of the live tracks; Keith as usual brutally honest in his comments about drugs, Brian, songwriting, etc - and there's some stuff in Crossfire Hurricane I've never seen before. (no spoilers here) - even Charlie speaks up now & then. The best and worst of Brian is brutally portrayed as well.
All in all, a job well done and definitely worth seeing. I've DVR'd it, seen it twice so far, and likely will watch it again. Play it loud through your sound system.
Lenny (1974)
Really a good film - but not Lenny
As a fan of Lenny Bruce since first seeing him on Steve Allen's TV comedy series sometime around 1959, never the less this quick review is NOT a long sycophantic tribute to Lenny himself - just a quick comment on the film.
Very good screenplay, excellent b&w photography & direction, and some really good-to-outstanding acting by all the players, including Dustin Hoffman in the title role.
That being said, I'm tempted to paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen in his vice presidential debate with Dan Quail: in other words, despite Dustin Hoffman's considerable acting talent - he's no Lenny Bruce.
Lenny Bruce was a lot of things: satirist, social critic, con man, drug addict, entertainer, etc - but above all he was incredibly funny.
Sadly, Dustin Hoffman in this film, is rarely if ever funny. His timing and delivery is so slow and unprofessional compared to Lenny's, I almost cringe these days whenever I try to watch this film, especially during the on-stage comedy segments.
This is not a knock on Hoffman, and I am a big Dustin Hoffman fan. In fairness, if you've ever seen any of Lenny's short films, it's fair to say when it comes to acting, Lenny was certainly no Dustin Hoffman either. And in additional fairness to Mr. Hoffman, maybe Fosse directed him to deliver his comedy lines at this "un-Lenny-like" almost deliberate tempo (unlikely IMO - someone as talented, independent and downright headstrong as Hoffman probably would have worn Fosse down if this was the case).
And I still recommend the film highly and have watched it many times. It's a damn good film - well acted, well-written, and photographed & edited so beautifully.
Want to see and hear the REAL Lenny Bruce, not in sad decline like some of the 1965 Basin Street West SF videos on the internet, but in Lenny's prime?
Try to get your hands on a copy of or somehow manage to view the excellent and maybe-NEVER-to-be-released (music copyright issues?) documentary by Robert Weide: "Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth"
and you'll see what I mean.
Lenny may have been a lot of the things portrayed in Fosse's treatment, but most of all, like the last line and unlike Hoffman's on-stage portrayal in this film,
Lenny was "just so damn funny."
Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth (1998)
The best I've seen so far
As a serious lifelong Lenny Bruce fan (I'm actually old enough to remember seeing him "live" on Steve Allen) I don't think there is any treatment, film or documentary that comes close to Mr. Weide's labor of love "Swear to Tell the Truth."
That includes Fosse & Dustin Hoffman's famous collaborative work on the film "Lenny." See this documentary, then go back and watch the film "Lenny" and you will see what I mean. The film "Lenny" is well intentioned and well done, but it can't carry the jock of Weide's "Swear to Tell the Truth."
"Swear to Tell the Truth" is the first work I've seen that correctly shows in detail and explains THE REAL REASONs why Lenny Bruce was hunted and persecuted by the authorities all the way to his eventual death. It wasn't "dirty words" in his act: the true cause of his persecution was his ruthless-yet-funny satires of the Catholic Church (I am catholic btw) and (initially) a major blunder on Bruce's part - when he blew the whistle publicly on a bribe he was offered to get out of a minor drug bust. Bruce is actually shown doing both on film in the documentary.
Weide really did his research and homework (supposedly 12 years worth). There are scenes and interviews with Lenny, his family, and close friends of Lenny's that even I have never seen before.
If it's so great, WHERE CAN I SEE IT? you ask:
Here is the BAD NEWS: This documentary as of the date of this post, will likely NEVER become available on DVD. I personally contacted Mr. Weide's Whyaduck Production company to find out why (a duck).
The reason?
According to Whyaduck, there are copyright hassles / issues with the excellent jazz soundtrack (includes early Miles Davis and others). I was told due to these unresolved licensing squabbles (translated "greed" imo), we may never see the release on DVD of this excellent film. What a shame. Luckily I taped it (VHS) and I still go back and watch it all the time: never bored, always fascinated and finding new treats with each viewing.
Luckily it was a 1998 Oscar nominee for Best Documentary, so it is sometimes (rarely) still shown on cable. Your best bet is to search for it occasionally on your PBS, Sundance, or HBO listings. Per Mr. Weide, it costs ~ 4 times as much to show it on regular cable (HBO / Sundance) due to commercial licensing fees, as opposed to PBS.
Thank you Mr. Weide for this excellent documentary, and I share your frustration. Greed is keeping this work of art from the public.
Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001)
Forget what you read and just see it
Disregard what you read (including here) and just see the film. If you love comedy, fast pace, good visuals, Paris, and feel-good "up" endings, you will rave about "Amelie". If you are the antithesis to all the above, see it anyway. Still a well-done film and worth the time and expense. I think half the negative responses to this film are a reaction to it being a little overrated (on 11/21/02 it is 17th of all time on imdb - c'mon people, this is NOT Citizen Kane). Bottom line: not the greatest film ever made, but certainly one of the better ones made in the last 3 years. See it.