Lightning in a Bottle (2004)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Antoine Fuqua

Release Date:

5 August 2004 (Germany)

Genre:

Documentary | Music

Tagline:

A one night history of the blues

Plot:

Antoine Fuqua's documentary on the blues, shot at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Aerosmith	...	Themselves
Gregg Allman	...	Himself
James Blood Ulmer	...	Himself
Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown	...	Himself
Ruth Brown	...	Herself
Solomon Burke	...	Himself
Natalie Cole	...	Herself
Shemekia Copeland	...	Herself
Bill Cosby	...	Himself
Robert Cray	...	Himself
Chuck D.	...	Himself
Dr. John	...	Himself
Honeyboy Edwards	...	Himself
John Fogerty	...	Himself
Macy Gray	...	Herself
Buddy Guy	...	Himself
John Hammond	...	Himself
Levon Helm	...	Himself
India.Arie	...	Herself
David Johansen	...	Himself
Larry Johnson	...	Himself
Angélique Kidjo	...	Herself
B.B. King	...	Himself
Chris Thomas King	...	Himself
Alison Krauss	...	Herself
Lazy Lester	...	Himself
Keb' Mo'	...	Himself
Mic Nuggette	...	Himself
Odetta	...	Herself
Bonnie Raitt	...	Herself
Vernon Reid	...	Himself
Mavis Staples	...	Herself
Hubert Sumlin	...	Himself
Jimmie Vaughan	...	Himself
Kim Wilson	...	Himself

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.

Runtime:

103 min | Argentina:108 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente) | Canada:110 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR | Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:PG-13 | Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Radio City Music Hall - 1260 6th Avenue, Rockefeller Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Vulcan Productions

Quotes:

B.B. King: [referring to a crowd that booed him once after his name was announced] At first, they didn't care nothin' about the blues. They didn't know nothin' about me. The reason they booed 'cause it was blues. When they said "blues", hey, it's like being black twice.

Listen to the Music

Yeah, the director totally blows. There's way too much facial work and not enough musician work as this brand of music demands. Its a great DVD to put on and cook, read, or dance to but way too frustrating to watch. Every chance to show guitar wizardry, magical interplay, or joyous group activity is squandered with MTV style ADHD spastic fast-cuts and illogical camera movement. Shame, damn shame. Also, don't expect to learn everything there is to know about the blues in one 2 hour DVD, even if they seem to suggest it's what they're attempting. As a record of ONE particular BLUES STUNT, its OK. A TRUE blues event is a dive bar, a buzzing PA system, a dancing drunk grandmother, and unbelievably honest music.