Israel Kamakawiwo'ole: IZ - The Man Behind The Music  (2004)

Theatrical Release Information:
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole: IZ - The Man Behind The Music

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole was the most popular and critically acclaimed Hawaiian of his generation. First earning well-deserved local recognition as a member of the group Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau (with his brother Skippy Kamakawiwo'ole), "Iz," as he was known to his friends and fans, struck out on his own in 1990 with his first solo album, Ka'ano'i, and began gaining an international reputation for his smooth, sweet voice with his albums Facing Future and E ala E; however, just as Kamakawiwo'ole seemed poised to become a breakout star, the gentle giant of Hawaiian music (at one point, his weight ballooned to 750 pounds) died in 1997 at the age of 38. The documentary Israel Kamakawiwo'ole: IZ - The Man Behind the Music explores the career of this multifaceted artist, as well as his private life as a family man, including rare concert footage and a music video for his radio hit "Over the Rainbow." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide