Devoted fans will definitely appreciate this biographical tribute to Montreal-born poet, singer, and songwriter Leonard Cohen (who remains a cult figure, though his own spiritual searching led him to abandon show business years ago), but even the uninitiated are likely to find it fairly captivating. The tribute comes in the form of a Sydney, Australia concert of Cohen's songs performed by a roster of artists dominated by Rufus Wainwright, but also includies Nick Cave, Antony Hegarty, Jarvis Cocker, and Kate and Anna McGarrigle (excerpts of interviews with the performers, as well as others such as Bono, are also included). Interwoven through these musical highlights are nicely illustrated and quite revealing reminiscences from Cohen himself, an exceptionally articulate and self-deprecating fellow, and the film ends with him taking the stage at a small club—backed by U2—to lend his growling baritone to “Tower of Song,” an apt signature piece. Although somewhat uneven and hardly innovative, filmmaker Lian Lunson's Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man boasts solid performances—especially Wainwright's (whom Cohen singles out for praise), Antony's near-possessed turn, and Cohen's big finale—as well as a welcome willingness on the part of the songwriter to talk about his life. A winning introduction to a fascinating man and his music, this is recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary with filmmaker Lian Lunson, four additional musical performances (“Tower of Song” by Martha Wainwright, “Bird on a Wire” by Perla Batalla, “Famous Blue Raincoat” by The Handsome Family, and “Tonight Will Be Fine” by Teddy Thompson), “A Conversation with Leonard Cohen” (4 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a fine documentary.] (F. Swietek)[Blu-ray Review—Feb. 7, 2017—Lionsgate, 103 min., PG-13, $14.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2005's Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man features a solid transfer and a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Extras are identical to the previous release, including audio commentary with filmmaker Lian Lunson, four additional musical performances (“Tower of Song” by Martha Wainwright, “Bird on a Wire” by Perla Batalla, “Famous Blue Raincoat” by The Handsome Family, and “Tonight Will Be Fine” by Teddy Thompson), “A Conversation with Leonard Cohen” (4 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid biographical tribute makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray.]
Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man
Lionsgate, 103 min., PG-13, DVD: $27.99, Nov. 14 Volume 21, Issue 6
Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man
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