fredshuster

Terrific, consistently entertaining doc, especially good because -- for once -- these colorful media creations are seemingly telling the truth. Very welcome is the perspective of ex (and first) manager Ginger Canzoneri, booking agent Miles Copeland, and founding bassist Margot Olavarria, who was jettisoned early because she didn't want to follow the yellow brick road to pop success. Thankfully, ubiquitous rock doc dummies -- Grohl and Rollins -- are not included, although a Rolling Stone writer nobody has ever heard of is given screen time. The band is expected to launch its annual farewell tour next year.

I enjoyed the film -- a 1968 scared-straight, after-school ditty with some ridiculous elements. But it also includes some really good songs -- songs that could've come from the pen of Love's Arthur Lee. I'm writing this today because Jim Weatherly -- who wrote those songs -- done died a few days ago. His best-known song is "Midnight Train to Georgia", recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips, but the couple that are here are memorable, too. When I first saw this film about six or seven years ago on TCM and noticed the songs, I emailed Weatherly and we talked about the tunes. That wouldn't have happened with John Williams.

I loved this episode and my favorite moments are during the scenes where Flint and Jerry hit a gritty dime-a-dance joint up some stairs off the wrong end of Times Square (I'm guessing it's the rundown area where Tony Curtis has his office in "Sweet Smell of Success"). Anyway, as Flint and Jerry pay an admission fee, you hear a band leader introduce a "Bossa nova." And the obviously real-life combo in this equally genuine cheapo-cheapo dance joint is just fantastic. They may be playing a generic number, but they have this Blue Note horn sound and some very effective percussion, partly played by the guitarist who never touches his six-string on the number. He's the musician who, at the end of the scene, as the main characters are leaving the joint, looks up at the camera and smiles. Just great!