I was apprehensive about seeing Shadows of Motown. I was such a huge fan of the music (I'm convinced to this day that John Belushi and I were the only two white men who could do the Temptation Walk) that the thought of someone other than the original singers performing seemed like a bad idea.
What a surprise! Even though I didn't know most of the singers (like the Kevin Kline character in the "other" Motown movie - "The Big Chill" - I'm convinced no good music has been created since the '60s), I was overcome with emotion. I saw the movie at the Apollo in Harlem. To give you an idea of the audience's reaction to the film, they actually cheered at the Funk Brothers and Joan Osborne's treatment of "What Become of the Broken Hearted." I had never seen anything like it at a motion picture. It was like witnessing an amazing concert (which comprises a significant part of the film).
This project was obviously a labor of love for Slutsky. Apparently, he had been trying to make this movie for the past 16 years. The Funks were extremely entertaining with their stories. I know I wasn't the only one misty-eyed over realizing that at long last they're getting the respect they long deserved. It's like a real-life Rocky.
One last note - I saw the film with my college-aged children. They knew all the performers, but little of the Motown story. We've been talking about the movie ever since we saw it. I cannot imagine a better documentary come Oscar time.
What a surprise! Even though I didn't know most of the singers (like the Kevin Kline character in the "other" Motown movie - "The Big Chill" - I'm convinced no good music has been created since the '60s), I was overcome with emotion. I saw the movie at the Apollo in Harlem. To give you an idea of the audience's reaction to the film, they actually cheered at the Funk Brothers and Joan Osborne's treatment of "What Become of the Broken Hearted." I had never seen anything like it at a motion picture. It was like witnessing an amazing concert (which comprises a significant part of the film).
This project was obviously a labor of love for Slutsky. Apparently, he had been trying to make this movie for the past 16 years. The Funks were extremely entertaining with their stories. I know I wasn't the only one misty-eyed over realizing that at long last they're getting the respect they long deserved. It's like a real-life Rocky.
One last note - I saw the film with my college-aged children. They knew all the performers, but little of the Motown story. We've been talking about the movie ever since we saw it. I cannot imagine a better documentary come Oscar time.