Thunder Soul

This is without a doubt one of the best films of the 2010 Seattle International Film Festival. I have never experienced such an intense range of emotions while watching a film as I experienced while watching this one. From nearly the moment it began, I could feel tears leaking from the corners of my eyes, coursing down my cheeks. Tears of pleasure. Tears of joy. Tears of awe. Tears of sadness and hope and inspiration and sheer delight. I have never been moved by a film as I was moved by this one. It documents the rise and fall of an infamous High School Stage Band and their reunion 30 years later to honor their teacher. But it is about so much more than just that. It is a film about the power of one man, one teacher, to touch the lives of his students in ways that go beyond measure. It is a film about standing up in the face of all odds and coming out on top. It is a film about breaking standards, beliefs, and the norm, a film about being the best that you are, putting your heart and soul into what you are doing, and the magic that that sort of energy and power creates. It is a film that is uplifting, inspiring, amazing, exciting, and joyous. It is a film filled with incredible music, incredible people, and more love, courage, and soul than I have ever experienced in my life... until now.

This film is about the Kashmere (High School) Stage Band which was popular in the 1970s (and again in the 1990s). It was led by a man named Conrad Johnson until 1978 when the school failed to continue funding the highly successful endeavor. Now, 30 years later, his band comes back together for the sake of the aging band leader who changed their lives.

With Civil Rights and Black Power movements in full force, Kashmere's member overcame racial prejudice and economic/social problems to become one of the greatest funk bands - not just high school bands - in the history of music. This film is an amazing look at the drive which makes people overcome circumstances which seem unfair. If you do not smile at least once during this movie, you probably lack a soul...so you probably should not be watching a movie called Thunder Soul! Amazing film - any music fan should go watch this NOW.

This highly entertaining, deeply moving documentary has it all:

* hot funk music (by a remarkable high school band)

* inspiration (seeing what a difference one teacher can make in their community and in their students' lives)

* social commentary (showing the society those students grew up in and the world they live in now);

* love (going both ways between the teacher and his students)

I'm not much of a cryer, but before this film ended, I was weeping uncontrollably, and the other people in the auto repair waiting room were edging away from me. That's the kind of power this film has.

Whenever someone asks me to recommend a lesser-known movie, Thunder Soul is the first one I think of. If you have a heart, it will be touched by this terrific film.