Bob Neuwirth Movies
- 2006
The American folk music revival of the 1950s and '60s is a well-known and laboriously discussed historical phenomenon, yet few realize that one man virtually prompted that genre explosion all by himself. Throughout the 1930s and '40s, music aficionado Harry Smith collected untold numbers of folk recordings on 78s, and assembled one of the most massive private libraries of its kind in recent history. In fact, Smith's reputation as a collector spread across the country and reached the preservationists at the Folkways label, who convinced Smith to let them compile and mass-issue a best-of compilation from his library. So began the folk boom, which quickly gave rise to such acts as the Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul and Mary, Bob Dylan, and Joan Baez. In the film The Old Weird America: Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music, documentarist Rani Singh -- who worked as Smith's personal assistant, from 1989 until his death in 1991 -- chronicles the pioneer, his life story, and his little-known accomplishments. The film also features extracts from a concert in which contemporary artists including Nick Cave, Elvis Costello, and Beth Orton interpret old folk ballads from Smith's collection. Hal Wilner (Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man) staged the performance segments. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
For their film O Brother, Where Art Thou?, set in the American South during the 1930s, filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen collaborated with musician, songwriter, and producer T-Bone Burnett to compile a score that reflected the rich variety of musical influences of the rural South during the Depression. Burnett brought together a veritable who's who of American roots music for the project, and while the film was a moderate success, the soundtrack album to O Brother, Where Art Thou? was a surprise hit, topping the country charts for several weeks and helping to open the ears of a new audience to the beauty and rough-hewn poetry of bluegrass, traditional country, rural blues, and gospel music. Shortly before the film's release, Burnett assembled many of the artists who appeared on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack for a special concert at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium (the original home of the Grand Ole Opry) to benefit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum; the evening was filmed, and Down From the Mountain documents this very special night of music that celebrates America's musical past as it points to the future. Performers include Emmylou Harris, Dr. Ralph Stanley, Alison Krauss, the Cox Family, the Fairfield Four, the Whites, Chris Thomas King, and Gillian Welch. Holly Hunter, one of the stars of O Brother, makes a cameo appearance, as does noted country music enthusiast Billy Bob Thornton. Songwriter, musician, and historian John Hartford served as master of ceremonies for the concert (and the film); sadly, he died after a long bout with cancer less than two weeks before Down From the Mountain premiered in New York and Nashville in June 2001. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Hartford, Ralph Stantley, (more)
- 1997
- R
Set in the Seattle "grunge music" scene of the early 1990s, this comedy-drama tackles serious issues of sexual politics and identity, representing a departure for director Kristine Peterson, previously relegated to such low-brow horror and thriller genre fare as Critters (1991) and Kickboxer 5 (1994). The leaders of the all-girl punk band No Exit are Shelly (Molly Gross) and Suzy (Marisa Ryan), who are also involved in a passionate sexual relationship and living together. While Suzy is a lesbian and feminist activist, Shelly is more conflicted and is led on missions to get revenge on a right-wing radio talk show host and the man who once raped Shelly. After bumping into him at a show, Shelly becomes enamored once again of her ex-boyfriend Jimmy (Jason Bortz), the publisher of an alternative comic 'zine mulling over an offer to become a corporate sell-out with a job at Microsoft. As No Exit is about to land a recording contract, the meltdown of Shelly and Suzy's love affair threatens the band's future. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- 1978
- R
Bob Dylan made this concert film that chronicles a 1975/1976 performance of his Rolling Thunder Revue. In between songs he, his wife Sara Dylan, along with Joan Baez, Allen Ginsberg, and other counterculture figures perform philosophically based improvisational pieces. During the skits, Dylan plays the ambiguous Renaldo, while Ronnie Hawkins and Ronee Blakely play Dylan and his wife. Songs include "Isis, I Want You," "It Ain't Me Babe," "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," "Hurricane," "Romance in Durango," "One Too Many Mornings," "One More Cup of Coffee," "Sara," "Patty's Gone to Laredo," "Just Like a Woman," "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall," "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowland," "When I Paint My Masterpiece," (Bob Dylan), "Chestnut Mare" (Roger McGuinn), "Diamonds and Rust" (Joan Baez), "Suzanne" (Leonard Cohen), "Need a New Sun Rising" (Ronee Blakely), "Salt Pork West Virginia" (Jack Elliott), "Kaddish" (Allen Ginsberg), "Cucurrucucu Paloma" (Tomas Mendez), and "Time of the Preacher" (Willie Nelson). ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bob Dylan, Sara Dylan, (more)
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