Anyone who has compiled a list of nicknames as long as James Brown's--Soul Brother Number One, the Godfather of Soul, Mr. Please Please Please, the Father of Hip-Hop, and so on--must be doing something right, and the Hardest Working Man in Show Business (see, there's another one) has been doing it to death for about 50 years now. A superb documentary detailing Brown's life and life's work--warts and all--James Brown: Soul Survivor features very entertaining interviews (with old pal Al Sharpton, former music director Fred Wesley, and others, as well as lots of conversation with the Original Disco Man himself), decent re-enactment footage, film clips, and excerpts from his autobiography (read by Clarke Peters). Brown rose above his checkered upbringing (deserted by his mother, often left alone by his working dad, sent to prison for stealing at the age of 16), drawing on his church roots to develop an inimitable musical style based on intense, funky rhythms and raw soul. Yes, there's plenty of great music here, presented in DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1, and stereo, but the film also conveys a sense of Brown's shrewd business acumen and huge influence (not just musically, but also as a civil rights leader and a man who was indefatigably proud of being black). Yeah, the last 15 years or so have had their grim moments, what with Brown's bizarre run-ins with the law and the government (he was back in prison in the late ‘80s), various personal problems, and so on. But James Brown, Mr. Superbad himself, is still here, and for that we can all offer up a hearty “Owww! Good God, y'all!” The DVD also includes five songs from a galvanizing recent performance at the House of Blues. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: C, P. (S. Graham)
James Brown: Soul Survivor
(2003) 90 min. DVD: $14.98. Universal Music & Video (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. Volume 19, Issue 4
James Brown: Soul Survivor
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