Rock Prophecies

Director John Chester's documentary about legendary rock-music shutterbug Robert Knight presents an extraordinary humanistic portrait within a dramatic story structure. “I collect rock stars,” says the now 60-year-old Knight, referring to his 200,000-strong photo archive, amassed since the late 1960s. With a combination of luck and an addiction to “breaking” bands, Knight was the first to photograph everyone from Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, and Jeff Beck to more recent guitar heroes like Kenny Wayne Shepherd (of particular interest are Knight's photos of Stevie Ray Vaughan's last performance before the Texas bluesman's untimely death). Knight himself is especially quotable (“I get paid to see”), and his young-at-heart presence would be enough to carry the film alone, but family drama adds pathos to the proceedings. Knight's mother suffers from Alzheimer's, and her exorbitant healthcare expenses present him with a moral quandary. Will he have to sell off his archive of negatives (valued at around $3.5 million) to pay her medical bills? Meanwhile, Chester's reverent lens not only follows Knight as he reminisces with old friends like Slash and Beck but also trails the tireless photographer as he discovers and publicizes contemporary acts like Australia's Sick Puppies and teenage blues guitar phenom Tyler Bryant. Knight, who admits to spending his life “admiring the abilities of others,” receives the admiration he deserves in this inspiring tribute. DVD extras include audio commentary by the director, deleted scenes, an alternate ending, and a music video. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (M. Sandlin)