Echoes of a World: The Story of the Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society

Informative and Entertaining. Some wonderful Recent and Vintage Interviews with most of the members of the Band and fellow Travelers.

Lot's of nice Commentary from other Great Songwriters like XTC's Andy Partridge, along with Opinions by some pedestrian-at-best Songwriters.

The odd contrivance is the "Pretending" that Actor Danny Horn is sporadically Ray. Danny shows-up on occasion to "Perform" as Ray Davies, "Saying" things that I can only assume are Quotes from Ray published in Print formats. The so-called Dramatic "Acting" was terribly annoying to me, and my Wife, who is not a Kinks aficionado (but LOVES Village Green), thought Horn was actually someone in the Band, or at the very least someone with a clue... I had to tell her he was an Actor, who for some reason is pretending to be Mr. Davies. Very odd convention, to say the least.

I assume Ray thought this was groovy because the last "Acting" Attempt by Horn cross-blends into the Real Ray... and walks away. Fitting, in more ways than I assume intended.

Village Green is one of the most Fantastic Albums of All-Time. This Doc is a fitting Tribute to a Master Songwriter who sculpted one of the most Enduringly Glorious Albums of the Ages (except for the asinine and silly Horn nonsense - No offense to Danny).

Lovely, simple and well done, just like the album itself, "The Kinks: Echoes of a World" is a moving and inspiring documentary on Rock legend The Kinks greatest album, "The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society". Released in the turbulent and vastly changing year of 1968 The Kinks' masterpiece flew in the face of trends and celebrated the past in profoundly memorable and inspiring songcraft. Greeted with indifference the album was a flop in both Britain and America but has grown in stature and influence and has since been regarded as one of the greatest Rock albums of all time.

Kicking off to the origins of the group's loud and trailblazing career the documentary features footage of the band's live performances from the time. The highlight of the doc are the interviews and they're a treat. The interviews of the band members and musical luminaries like Noel Gallagher, Graham Coxon, Natalie Merchant, Graham "Suggs" McPherson, Andy Partridge, Paul Weller and others on the deep impact the music had on them are stirring and inspiring. The film goes track by track on the discussion of some of those great songs and there's an added treat of seeing the art work of some of those interviewed on particular songs shown. A few snags surface. Not all of the songs are discussed which is a shame on an "all killer, no filler" album like this. It's quite a void not to have Billie Joe Armstrong interviewed as he's one of the stars very much influenced by The Kinks and has ripped them off considerably to the top of the charts and into the banks. The unknown actor who plays a young Ray Davies at the time and who looks nothing like him is a real tack-on that defines the term "misstep".

One of the finest Rock documentaries, "The Kinks: Echoes of a World" is a celebration on Ray Davies' artistry and the power of art to change lives and actually make life worth living. After this go give "The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society" a listen and immerse and lose yourself into a world of musical paradise and bliss the likes you'll rarely come across in this life. "Yes people often change, but memories of people can remain".

A very nice documentary about one of the finest albums in pop music.