Leon Russell Movies
- 2005
- Add One Bright Shining Moment: The Forgotten Summer of George McGovern to QueueAdd One Bright Shining Moment: The Forgotten Summer of George McGovern to top of Queue
In the spring and summer of 1972, George McGovern, a Democratic senator from South Dakota, achieved the seemingly impossible. Backed by a motley collection of Prairie populists, old-school liberals, and young people disenchanted with the war in Vietnam, McGovern overwhelmed longtime party favorites such as Hubert Humphrey and Edmund Muskie to win the Democratic nomination for the presidency of the United States. However, McGovern's triumph proved to be short-lived; after his initial running mate, Thomas Eagleton, was revealed to have a history of mental illness, the McGovern campaign went into a tailspin from which it would never recover, with the incumbent Richard Nixon winning the 1972 election by a landslide. However, McGovern's campaign is still remembered by many as one of the last examples of a candidate truly triumphing through the will of the people rather than working the party political machine, and given the scandalous downfall of Nixon following his re-election, many have wondered what America would be like today if McGovern, once described by Robert F. Kennedy as "the most decent man in the Senate," had won. One Bright Shining Moment: The Forgotten Summer of George McGovern is a documentary which looks back at the McGovern campaign and explores what went right, what went wrong, and what was McGovern's true legacy. The film includes interviews with Howard Zinn, Gloria Steinem, Gary Hart, Frank Mankiewicz, Warren Beatty, Gore Vidal, Ron Kovic, and McGovern himself. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 2005
- Add Willie Nelson and Friends: Live and Kickin' to QueueAdd Willie Nelson and Friends: Live and Kickin' to top of Queue
The man they call "The Red-Headed Stranger", Willie Nelson performs his several songs along with an eclectic lineup of musical guests in this concert release from Universal Music. Willie Nelson and Friends: Live and Kickin' features "Homeward Bound" with Paul Simon, "Me and Bobby McGee" with Sheryl Crow and Kris Kristofferson, "I'll Never Smoke Weed with Willie Again" with Toby Keith and Scott Emerick, and many others. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- 1998
- Add Edgar Winter: Live on Stage - Featuring Leon Russell to QueueAdd Edgar Winter: Live on Stage - Featuring Leon Russell to top of Queue
This video captures the great saxophonist Edgar Winter performing a 1988 concert in Tennessee. Joined by friend Leon Russell, Winter and his band blow through close to a dozen classics like "Frankenstein", "Free Ride", and "Back to the Island". ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 1983
This comical video features the cast of the original Saturday Night Live and the quietly riotous Bob and Ray. Also featured is Willie Nelson who croons three tunes. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1980
- Add Leon Russell and The New Grass Revival to QueueAdd Leon Russell and The New Grass Revival to top of Queue
Musician extraordinaire Leon Russell teams up with the groundbreaking Bluegrass band The New Grass Revival on this concert film. They combine to perform over a dozen songs including "One More Love Song," "Wild Horses," "Jambalaya," and "Jumpin' Jack Flash." The DVD release of this concert includes additional audio tracks, and biographies of the artists. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 1979
- R
When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? has been presented often as a stage play by amateur theatrical groups. Evangelist-turned-actor Marjoe Gortner plays Teddy, a cracked Vietnam vet who holds the denizens of a Texas roadside diner hostage at gunpoint. Candy Clark plays Cheryl, his zoned-out hippie girlfriend. After nearly two hours of tension, Gortner is overpowered and things return to normal. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Candy Clark, Marjoe Gortner, (more)
- 1979
- Add J.J. Cale: In Session at the Paradise Studios to QueueAdd J.J. Cale: In Session at the Paradise Studios to top of Queue
Blues guitarist, songwriter, and singer JJ Cale is captured in a 1979 studio session, accompanied by keyboardist Leon Russell. The man performs close to two-dozen songs including "Cocaine," "After Midnight," "Same Ole Blues," "Don't Cry Sister," "Hands Off Her," and "Roll On." The DVD release of the show contains a discography, a biography, and bonus songs. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.J. Cale
- 1976
This 1976 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Dyan Cannon and features musical guest Leon Russell. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dyan Cannon, Leon Russell, (more)
The third remake of the 1932 drama What Price Hollywood?, this adaptation of A Star Is Born moved the story into the mid-1970's and changed the milieu from the movie business to pop music. John Norman Howard (Kris Kristofferson) is a rock star whose career has peaked; he is numbed by booze and cocaine, his music has lost its edge, and his performances have become painfully haphazard. One night, after a concert, he stumbles into a club where he sees a singing group fronted by Esther Hoffman (Barbra Streisand). John likes what he hears and loves what he sees; he tries picking her up, but soon realizes if he wants to see her, he'll have to ask her out on an actual date. He does, and before long the two become involved, although Esther has trouble with John's rock star lifestyle. One night, a typically burned-out John lets Esther sing a few songs at one of his shows; before long she's the talk of the record business. While Esther's star begins to rise, John's continues to sink, and while she desperately tries get John to clean up and focus on his music, it may be too late to save him. The song "Evergreen" earned this film an Academy Award for Best Song; the credits contain the amusing notice, "Ms. Streisand's Clothes from ... Her Closet." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbra Streisand, Kris Kristofferson, (more)
- 1972
Organized by George Harrison after close friend Ravi Shankar alerted him to the plight of refugees seeking independence from Pakistan, this 1971 concert offers performances by both Harrison and Shankar in addition to featuring such legendary recording artists as Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and Ringo Starr. Songs performed in this Madison Square Garden mega-concert include "Blowin' in the Wind", &Here Comes the Sun" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1971
- Add Joe Cocker: Mad Dogs and Englishmen to QueueAdd Joe Cocker: Mad Dogs and Englishmen to top of Queue
This movie is about Joe Cocker's 1970 U.S. tour which began in Detroit and ended in San Bernardino California. The bulk of the film is concert footage with studies of backstage life, life on the road, and a brief interview with a hard-core groupie. Joe Cocker is also a featured performer in the movie of the concert Woodstock, which came out at about the same time as this movie. His hoarse singing style, especially in rock ballads, closely resembles that of Rod Stewart, but his curious spastic gestures and un-selfconscious earnestness as a performer are uniquely his own. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
