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Post by scousette on Sept 13, 2010 18:13:29 GMT -5
This BBC-produced documentary is playing some of the art house cinemas. I saw it Friday night and recommend it.
The title refers to Spector's comparisons to himself with da Vinci. Get beyond that and sit back and enjoy great footage of the Ronettes, Darlene Love, the Crystals, the Righteous Brothers, and John Lennon as they perform songs produced by Spector.
He's been known for years as an eccentric recluse, but this film reveals a witty, fascinating artist. He does a hilarious, but inaccurate, impression of Lennon. This is great entertainment.
Entwined in the narrative are scenes from his first murder trial. Sometimes his songs are ironically connected to these courtoom scenes. But this film isn't about his guilt or innocence as much as it is about Spector the enigma.
Go see this if you have the chance.
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lowbasso
A Hard Day's Knight
Posts: 2,776
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Post by lowbasso on Sept 13, 2010 22:40:32 GMT -5
This BBC-produced documentary is playing some of the art house cinemas. I saw it Friday night and recommend it. The title refers to Spector's comparisons to himself with da Vinci. Get beyond that and sit back and enjoy great footage of the Ronettes, Darlene Love, the Crystals, the Righteous Brothers, and John Lennon as they perform songs produced by Spector. He's been known for years as an eccentric recluse, but this film reveals a witty, fascinating artist. He does a hilarious, but inaccurate, impression of Lennon. This is great entertainment. Entwined in the narrative are scenes from his first murder trial. Sometimes his songs are ironically connected to these courtoom scenes. But this film isn't about his guilt or innocence as much as it is about Spector the enigma. Go see this if you have the chance. The man beat his first wife Ronnie, and treated her like dirt. He belongs in either prison or Bellevue Mental Hospital. I would have no interest in anything about him.
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Post by Steve Marinucci on Sept 13, 2010 23:19:46 GMT -5
This BBC-produced documentary is playing some of the art house cinemas. I saw it Friday night and recommend it. The title refers to Spector's comparisons to himself with da Vinci. Get beyond that and sit back and enjoy great footage of the Ronettes, Darlene Love, the Crystals, the Righteous Brothers, and John Lennon as they perform songs produced by Spector. He's been known for years as an eccentric recluse, but this film reveals a witty, fascinating artist. He does a hilarious, but inaccurate, impression of Lennon. This is great entertainment. Entwined in the narrative are scenes from his first murder trial. Sometimes his songs are ironically connected to these courtoom scenes. But this film isn't about his guilt or innocence as much as it is about Spector the enigma. Go see this if you have the chance. The man beat his first wife Ronnie, and treated her like dirt. He belongs in either prison or Bellevue Mental Hospital. I would have no interest in anything about him. Despite his faults, he created some great music. Not everyone, even the Beatles, were perfect. Cynthia has said John Lennon had a very nasty side, too. But we don't dismiss his work. Why do the same with Spector's? Besides, he is in jail now. Chuck Berry spent time in jail. A lot of musicians did. Again, does one dismiss all of them?
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Post by sayne on Sept 13, 2010 23:53:03 GMT -5
The man beat his first wife Ronnie, and treated her like dirt. He belongs in either prison or Bellevue Mental Hospital. I would have no interest in anything about him. Despite his faults, he created some great music. Not everyone, even the Beatles, were perfect. Cynthia has said John Lennon had a very nasty side, too. But we don't dismiss his work. Why do the same with Spector's? Besides, he is in jail now. Chuck Berry spent time in jail. A lot of musicians did. Again, does one dismiss all of them? Not intending to argue, but this sentiment always brings out two philosophically differing views. If it's the work the matters, then one would have no problem buying and owning an album by Charles Manson. Would people go to an art museum showing the works of Hitler? Not saying there is a right or wrong to this issue, but I know I sure wouldn't see a movie with Mel Gibson or a football game with Michael Vick. Sometimes it IS hard to separate the person from the work.
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Post by Steve Marinucci on Sept 14, 2010 0:28:15 GMT -5
Despite his faults, he created some great music. Not everyone, even the Beatles, were perfect. Cynthia has said John Lennon had a very nasty side, too. But we don't dismiss his work. Why do the same with Spector's? Besides, he is in jail now. Chuck Berry spent time in jail. A lot of musicians did. Again, does one dismiss all of them? Not intending to argue, but this sentiment always brings out two philosophically differing views. If it's the work the matters, then one would have no problem buying and owning an album by Charles Manson. Would people go to an art museum showing the works of Hitler? Not saying there is a right or wrong to this issue, but I know I sure wouldn't see a movie with Mel Gibson or a football game with Michael Vick. Sometimes it IS hard to separate the person from the work. True. I guess the point is I won't dismiss Phil's work. I've enjoyed it too much.
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Post by Joe Karlosi on Sept 14, 2010 5:08:24 GMT -5
Not intending to argue, but this sentiment always brings out two philosophically differing views. If it's the work the matters, then one would have no problem buying and owning an album by Charles Manson. Would people go to an art museum showing the works of Hitler? Not saying there is a right or wrong to this issue, but I know I sure wouldn't see a movie with Mel Gibson or a football game with Michael Vick. Sometimes it IS hard to separate the person from the work. It can be sometimes. But I like some of Phil Spector's work, so I'll continue to listen to it and enjoy it. I'm not going to deny myself that pleasure because Phil had his own personal demons (as many great artists did). And I like some stuff to do with Mel Gibson. I would certainly still go to see a movie either directed by or starring Mel, if I was interested in the subject (I didn't see his film APOCALYPTO simply because it wasn't for me). I think it's a bit of a stretch comparing Phil and Mel to Hitler. And I guess if Charles Manson's album was as good as a Beatles' record, then I might consider owning it. But that's so bizarre, so I don't know.
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Post by John S. Damm on Sept 14, 2010 7:51:30 GMT -5
I can still enjoy Spector's music and be appalled and condemn his killing that actress in his home. I certainly don't begrudge though those who can't or won't separate the man from certain crimes. That is our right of association or non-association.
I recently faced this moral dilemma with Roman Polanski's Ghost Writer because I think the man is a child rapist who should be put away no matter how much money he gave the then teenage rape victim. Criminal cases are The People versus the defendant, not the victim versus the accused.
I ended up watching the movie and greatly enjoyed it. I did skip all the bonus material though which was Hollywood coming to Polanski's defense without mentioning his horrible crime, saying how great he was, how important he is to film, etc. I feel the same for Spector: enjoy much of his music which was much earlier in his life but still think he was a creep at best and now a murderer.
I like much of the music Spector produced in the early 1960's. His Christmas album is still a favorite of mine. I am torn on his work with The Beatles, John Lennon(he was brilliant on "Instant Karma") and George Harrison(I hate what he did to ATMP overall).
I would watch this film if it was readily available to me which for me means Netflix. Thanks scousette for the heads-up as I hadn't otherwise heard of it.
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lowbasso
A Hard Day's Knight
Posts: 2,776
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Post by lowbasso on Sept 14, 2010 11:58:34 GMT -5
The man beat his first wife Ronnie, and treated her like dirt. He belongs in either prison or Bellevue Mental Hospital. I would have no interest in anything about him. Despite his faults, he created some great music. Not everyone, even the Beatles, were perfect. Cynthia has said John Lennon had a very nasty side, too. But we don't dismiss his work. Why do the same with Spector's? Besides, he is in jail now. Chuck Berry spent time in jail. A lot of musicians did. Again, does one dismiss all of them? I guess I just draw the line at wife-beating, and murder. I don't think John Lennon or Chuck Berry suffered from those accusations. When Ronnie Spector spoke at a recent NJ Beatlefest about how she was treated during her time married to Phil, it was pretty nauseating to hear what he did to her.
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Post by scousette on Sept 15, 2010 11:33:38 GMT -5
I don't deny that Spector was violent toward Ronnie and that he was convicted of the murder of Lana Clarkson. I wrestled with whether I wanted to see this movie, as my opinion of Spector as a person has certainly gone into the toilet as a result of the revelations about his personal life over the years.
Once I learned that this film was about Spector and his music, not about his criminal activity, I decided to see it, and I'm glad I did. I can understand the views of those who don't want to see it, though.
I still stand by my recommendation of this documentary.
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