Rock & roll has always had cinematic appeal and a flair for visuals that go beyond funky hairdos. Think of Elvis Presley's sneer, Jimi Hendrix burning his guitar in flamboyant rainbow raiment, Pete Townshend smashing his guitar to bits, Run-DMC posing in their treasured Adidas and leathers, and Gwen Stefani's recent punkette-meets-geisha look.
The following music DVDs that have recently swelled the CL mailbag heartily traffic in carefully constructed star images, from 50 Cent's minstrel mugging to 70s glam man Marc Bolan's fey poses. These DVDs also ride the generation gap -- between Boomers versed in heritage rock and their kids and grandkids, whose musical tastes are still in flux. Look for this feature to appear at least twice quarterly, as CL's hardy music critics attempt to provide a guide out of the glut of new visual product.
Make It Funky
ALLEN TOUSSAINT & VARIOUS ARTISTS
Sony Pictures
One of this documentary's prominent musician talking heads, Bonnie Raitt, describes New Orleans' musical legacy as "history you can dance to." An apt expression, since the beleaguered Louisiana city has always been the site of infectious genres that revolutionized global culture -- vodun drumming, jazz, rock & roll, funk and swamp boogie, just to name a few. Director and Crescent City native Michael Murphy's new film, which had a brief theatrical run last month, pays tribute to his hometown's storied musical heritage. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, vodun folk would say that homeboy Murphy's directorial prescience could be ascribed to his being "two-headed." This DVD is a magnificent gift, concisely tracing the history of the New Orleans sound, from 18th century Haitian refugees' syncretic drumming in Congo Square to the 19th century genesis of jazz and beyond. The postwar explosion of rock & roll under the auspices of hitmen like interviewees Allen Toussaint and Cosimo Matassa is explored. Exogamous Nawlinze culture devotees such as Keith Richards and Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun also make appearances. The bulk of the footage fittingly keeps an emphasis on the ancestors of the multi-faceted New Orleans sound, including the relatively anonymous players for the city's famed funerals and late piano master Professor Longhair, as well as the subsequent generations of its practitioners, chief among them the large and talented Neville family. Make It Funky was an inspired project from the git-go. Now, it's a treasure that every American (and arts lover around the world) should own.
Specials: Featurettes of New Orleans culture, a hot deleted scene of a brass showdown at the Funky Butt club. (www.SonyPictures.com) Rating: *****
The Massacre
50 CENT
Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records
50 Cent, the apparently bulletproof and definitely mush-mouthed ringleader of the G-Unit, celebrates his ongoing triumph over death, niggaz and bitches. This special edition combined CD/DVD is lengthy, mayhem-replete and tedious, as each of the disc's 21 tracks has an accompanying clip. Gat porn and undulating bronze booties aside, the relentless chiaroscuro ghetto-to-studio imagery and cheesy computer animation is ultimately less visceral than cartoonish.
The DVD's minimalist-is-more aesthetic works best on the clip for "Gatman & Robbin," which features an Eminem cameo and more dynamic pop art graphics sampled from Roy Lichtenstein's 60s oeuvre. If your worldview is limited to nines, Bentleys, rims and 'hoes (with hypocritical nods to love and the Lord for good measure), this DVD's for you.
Specials: A trailer for Fitty's "Bulletproof" videogame and a movie preview for Jim Sheridan's forthcoming Get Rich or Die Tryin', which is better at reifying the rapper-as-icon than any of the videos. (www.50cent.com) Rating: * 1/2
BACK WHERE IT ALL BEGINS
DICKEY BETTS & GREAT SOUTHERN
Eagle Vision
As the Cleveland-based Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum seeks to enshrine classic rock artists, this DVD appropriately spotlights one of the greatest of the past 40 years: founding member of the Allman Brothers Band and guitar god Dickey Betts. Filmed on location at the Rock Hall on Sept. 29, 2004, the DVD captures a live performance by Betts' post-Allmans group Great Southern. This is essentially a bare-bones concert, interspersed with brief band interviews including the other ex-Brother, guitarist Dan Toler, and the young, Juilliard-trained bassist Pedro Arevalo, who looks like a Bonnaroo-spawned Jaco Pastorius in his funky threads and dreads. Southern rock diehards will enjoy such iconic tunes as the cover of "Statesboro Blues," "Blue Sky," "Ramblin' Man" and "Jessica." Betts shines best on his masterpiece "In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed," joined by his handsome look-and-play-alike son Duane.
Specials: Just as Dickey Betts has avoided flashiness throughout his career, this -- his first-ever DVD -- isn't flashy and doesn't have any fancy extras. There's an on-site interview conducted by an invisible WCPN radio DJ, wherein Betts explores several topics of his backstory, including an admission about the inspiration for "Elizabeth Reed." A live CD from the same date is also included. (www.eaglerockent.com) Rating: ***
LIVE AT WOODSTOCK
JIMI HENDRIX
Universal Music
All you need to hear are three words: Hendrix at Woodstock. Yeah, we all remember the amped, feedback-laden reinterpretation of the "Star Spangled Banner" that was featured in the Woodstock film. And there have been other truncated versions of the man's appearance at that iconic event. This is the 2-CD set of Hendrix's complete performance at the festival. The first disc is the high-quality footage from the official documentarians. The second disc, "A Second Look," is the same concert from a different angle, and in black-and-white, filmed by a guy who snuck onto the stage and set up his camera. The best thing about the second disc is that it contains the only known filmed version of Hendrix's fiery rendition of "Hear My Train A Comin'." He was backed by Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell, old army buddy Billy Cox on bass, plus rhythm guitarist Larry Lee and two percussionists, Juma Sultan and Jerry Velez.
Specials: Interviews with Billy Cox, Mitch Mitchell, Juma Sultan and others. Second disc includes a Harlem press conference and engineer Eddie Kramer reminiscing about manning the soundboards through the chaos of Woodstock. (www.jimihendrix.com) Rating: ****
Soul Seduction Supreme
BOBBY WOMACK
Cherry Red Films
Singer/songwriter Bobby Womack has been dubbed a "Soul Forrest Gump" due to his legendary career: teen member of doo-wop group the Valentinos, mentee of the late Sam Cooke, rebound husband of Cooke's widow, prime collaborator on Sly Stone's seminal LP There's A Riot Goin' On, composer of cult favorite soundtrack Across 110th Street (1972), and the (misogynistic) Quiet Storm perennial "If You Think You're Lonely Now." Outside of the rock-snob dictionary, many might not be aware that Womack authored the Rolling Stones' first UK No. 1 single, "It's All Over Now" (mercifully included here), and that he's also a great guitarist and fine interpreter of a diverse range of pop material, from Sinatra to Neil Diamond and the Mamas & the Papas. Before London's Town & Country club crowd, this late-80s footage shows the self-claimed "Poet" entertaining with some covers and a slew of his earlier tunes, including 1962's "Looking For a Love" and a showstopper version of the country-soul paean to Womack's murdered brother, "Harry Hippie." But the quality of the film is bad, so don't expect MTV-style movement.
Specials: None, but the between-song offstage insight into the hardships of a touring musician would be priceless for today's wannabe rock stars. (www.cherryred.co.uk) Rating: ** 1/2
THE ANGER MANAGEMENT TOUR
Eminem
Aftermath Records
Let's get one thing straight: With the right marketing blitz, a cat making armpit noises can be turned into a rock or rap hero. File Eminem under "marketing success." The shady character from Detroit has never stirred much originality, but has managed plenty of controversy to fuel da hype. But raggin' on your mama or ex-wife is an easy way out of the real deal. To his credit, Em stirs up a couple of funky booty shakers in this concert recorded in his hometown. After that, he might as well call it "The Moola Management Tour."
Specials: Backstage banter, long walks under the arena to the stage and freestyle, courtesy of his back up rhymin' posse. (www.aftermathmusic.com) Rating: **
LIVE AT THE FILlMORE
Ozomatli
Concord Records
LA's Ozomatli are completely unpretentious, able to leap into the audience for an impromptu jam session and mix Latino genres with hip-hop, world music and jazz. Ozomatli ooze music out of every pore with soulful abandon, whether making party songs or singing introspective tunes like "(Who Discovered) America." The activist group knows how to become one with the audience. Live at the Fillmore is a CD/DVD combo featuring tracks from their Grammy-winning Street Signs album as well as other Ozo classics. The DVD looks great and features extra songs not on the CD.
Specials: Hangin' on the bus, mingling with the audience, an acoustic performance for a morning radio show and a photo gallery. (www.concordrecords.com) Rating: ****
THE GREATER WRONG OF THE RIGHT
Skinny Puppy
SPV
Canada's Skinny Puppy helped birth the industrial music revolution that later influenced Nine Inch Nails and others. Their abrasive mix of loops, programming, buzzsaw guitars and percussion is danceable, but can also sub as soundtracks for horror or sci-fi flicks. This DVD features tech-savvy footage of concerts recorded in Toronto and Montreal in 2004, with politically-charged images shown on a screen and bloody theatrics courtesy of frontman Ogre.
Specials: A blistering antiwar segment called "Information Warfare" plus archival footage of "Too Dark Park," "Last Rights" and a 1986 European tour. (www.skinnypuppy.com) Rating: ****
BORN TO BOOGIE
Marc Bolan and T. Rex
Sanctuary
Born to Boogie is a CD/DVD combo that highlights the Ringo Starr-directed film from 1972 and a full-length T. Rex concert from the same year. In the live setting, Bolan peels off the ambient textures of his studio recordings and cuts loose with a primal rock & roll show. Both Starr and Elton John offer their musical touches to the film. Bolan was a multi-faceted musician and yet another bona fide rock star that died too young. The film itself is sometimes surreal to the point of silliness, but the music still stands up.
Specials: Extras include a Bolan documentary presented by his son Rolan, and the two full concerts from which the film was assembled. (www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com) Rating: ***