Phil Ochs - There But For Fortune (film)

Subject: PHIL OCHS - There But For Fortune (film)
From: Rog Peek
Date: 11 Dec 10 - 01:42 PM

Phil Ochs: There But For Fortune is a new film by acclaimed filmmaker Kenneth Bowser (Easy Riders, Raging Bulls & Live From New York, SNL in the 70s) about one of the most iconic folk music heroes and political agitators in American history.

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Not before time!   Can't wait to see it, although not without some apprehension.

Rog

Subject: RE: PHIL OCHS - There But For Fortune (film)
From: GUEST,Doug Saum
Date: 11 Dec 10 - 02:19 PM

The first Phil song I heard, "The Crucifixion" came over the airwaves in the night over the forbidden "underground" FM radio show to my room when I was an adolescent in 1965 or 66. From that point he has been a guiding light in my musical, political, and ethical evolution. I'm thrilled that others of this generation may have a chance to see him at work. Like Eagle Scout Michael Moore, Phil Ochs believed that an American citizen has great responsibility to make sure things work out justly, a lesson some popular American media are intent on burying. (Are you listening Rupert Murdoch?)

Doug Saum (American)

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs - There But For Fortune (film)
From: bobad
Date: 28 Dec 10 - 08:12 AM

Phil Ochs: The Movie

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs - There But For Fortune (film)
From: GUEST,bflat
Date: 28 Dec 10 - 06:46 PM

Thanks bobad for the link, finally many will become familiar with his oeuvre and impact.

Ellen

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs - There But For Fortune (film)
From: Creede
Date: 28 Dec 10 - 07:44 PM

My first encounter with Phil Ochs was on a Sunday afternoon sometime around 1967 when our little local AM station suddenly erupted with the ragtime piano intro to "Outside Of A Small Circle Of Friends." I loved it. Eventually I made my way to the Pleasures Of The Harbor album, then All The News That's Fit To Sing, and all too soon (and all too sadly) the post-mortem retrospectives.

That radio station was amazing. In some ways it was a typical pop station of its time, playing its share of 1910 Fruitgum Company and the Lemon Pipers and other similar fare, but every so often when they thought no one in authority was paying attention they'd run the full versions of "Small Circle of Friends" or the Animals ' "Sky Pilot" or similar subversive fare. Not bad for a 1000-watt AM station in the middle of the Columbia River desert country.

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs - There But For Fortune (film)
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 28 Dec 10 - 08:25 PM

Tracing the Arc of a Tragic Folk Singer, Bob Baker, NY Times, December 22, 2010

Will definitely keep an eye out for this one.

~ Becky in Long Beach

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs - There But For Fortune (film)
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 06:14 PM

Part of the soundtrack of my life from the late '60s through the '70s.

I sang "Changes" over and over (mostly in my head) as my first husband and I moved our earthly possessions into our first apartment. (That song was also the incentive to learn to play an F-chord on the guitar.)

Linn

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs - There But For Fortune (film)
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 12:01 AM

MANY times on this forum I have quoted Ochs. I'm really glad that there should be a film on him, the most under rated, under exposed and overlooked folk writer/poet/singer of his time! I sincerely hope that the film does not exaggerate one way or another his political views! Though he wrote and performed profound protest songs, in his folk song repertoire, and as prolific as he was, I think he would shudder at the thought of what the protest movement turned into...and at the co-optation of the political left, bastardizing it, instead of what he was pointing out. Unfortunately, the non-thinking groupies to the movement, have drowned out the real voices, and the real reasons, and have sought to replace it, with the agendas of political party nonsense. I guarantee he would have spoken against that as well!!...as he DID, in pointing out the hypocrisy of those phonies!!!

I am looking forward to the movie!!! ..and if they caught the true spirit of what he was saying, this should be an eye opener, to a lot of the so-called 'left(?)' lightweights!..and maybe even to the 'right(?)' as well!!!!

GfS

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs - There But For Fortune (film)
From: freda underhill
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 07:34 AM

I look forward to seeing this when it gets to Sydney!

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs - There But For Fortune (film)
From: DonMeixner
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 10:06 AM

I agree with GfS. I never had a good sense of Phil's personal politics and I doubt he'd have had the impact on me he had if I did.
It seemed that Phil felt his job was to expose the obvious and force the unaware to see it. And at the same time he'd write songs like Changes, Celia, When I'm Gone, Power and Glory....... What a deep well to be ignored by so many for so long.

Don

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs - There But For Fortune (film)
From: GUEST,Doug Saum
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 12:45 PM

Phil's politics are complicated (he declared the Viet Nam war over before Mr. Lennon's "War is over if you want it" campaign). The north star of his thought, as Don and GFS hint at, is an abiding and serious regard for promoting justice while appreciating beauty. He stressed his American patriotism (note the gravemarker he designed for himself on the cover of REHEARSALS FOR RETIREMENT). His tragedy is that his innocence and voice (literally) were choked by an America more pragmatic than revolutionary. One thing is certain, even if he would disapprove of anarchist rioting and the like on the one hand and corporate greed and its fatal consequences on the other, the greater sin of apathy and self-satisfaction would still be seen as the greatest impediment to achieving justice ("Love me I'm a Liberal," "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends," etc.).

Doug Saum

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs - There But For Fortune (film)
From: oldhippie
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 01:35 PM

Saw the film last evening, and it is an excellent documentary. I hope it eventually finds its way onto DVD. The impact of Phil's music is strengthened by the fact so many of the songs are still relevant, unfortunately.

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs - There But For Fortune (film)
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 01:56 PM

Review: Phil Ochs Documentary for 2011, another thread with more information about the film.

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs - There But For Fortune (film)
From: michaelr
Date: 29 Mar 11 - 03:32 PM

I'm getting really frustrated with the Mudcat search. I was trying to find this thread, but neither "Phil Ochs movie" nor "There but for Fortune" brought it up. I had to set the forum back to 7 days and read through all the thread titles to find it. Something's not working here.

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs - There But For Fortune (film)
From: Mark Ross
Date: 29 Sep 11 - 11:24 AM

Having known Phil back then, the movie was a little disturbing. But you could have knocked me down with a feather when I saw some of the last footage of Phil on an underground TV show playing my guitar!

Mark Ross