The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #93000 Message #1783904
Posted By: michaelr
14-Jul-06 - 09:00 PM
Thread Name: Review: New Gram Parsons film
Subject: Review: New Gram Parsons film
Just out on DVD (on Rhino in the US): the German/British coproduction "Fallen Angel", a film by German film maker Gandulf Hennig. This is a must-see for all fans of West Coast country rock (or, as Parsons called it, Cosmic American Music) in general and GP in particular.
It features in-depth interviews with Chris Hillman, Bernie Leadon, Emmylou Harris, Chris Ethridge, as well as members of GP's family and his widow. Also present is the dubious Phil Kaufman, immortalized in the ludicrous recent feature "Grand Theft Parsons".
The film includes a healthy dose of the man's music and many TV and film clips I'd never seen before. It is very informative about GP's background and upbringing, and quite even-handed in its treatment of his drug and alcohol abuse and the circumstances of his death, partial cremation, and final burial.
It also makes the point that the story of Gram Parsons really is a Tennessee Williams-like Southern Gothic tragedy. Highly recommended.
Cheers,
Michael