Gram Parsons - Fallen Angel
by Gandulf Hennig
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Gretchen Parsons Carpenter, Pamela Des Barres, Peter BuckDirector: Gandulf Hennig
Brand: WEA DVD
Cinematographer: Boris Becker
Producer: Gandulf Hennig
Writer: Gandulf Hennig
Producer: Alfred Holighaus
Producer: Mark Cooper
Producer: Mark Hagen
Writer: Sid Griffin
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 90 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-06-20
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Rhino / Wea
Movie Reviews of Gram Parsons - Fallen Angel
Movie Review: Apallingly Uninformed "Pro" Reviewer - Amazon Gimme a Break!
Summary: 5 Stars
As another customer has warned below, do not be misled by the professional Amazon reviewer's comments above. I'm pretty sure that it's the majority consensus among music critics and fans that know Parsons' music, that Parsons was not likely to have run out of gas after the first few albums he made. His immense talent was just maturing when he died, and it's almost certain that he would have continued to make at least a few more tremendous albums. As for the product review calling his life story a "Southern Gothic saga", that just makes me ill. Here's a pretty good definition of "Southern Gothic" literature from Wikipedia: "Southern Gothic authors commonly use deeply flawed, grotesque characters for greater narrative range and more opportunities to highlight unpleasant aspects of Southern culture, without being too literal or appearing to be overly moralistic." I don't know of any fans or critics that know Parsons work and the story of his life that could associate terms like "grotesque", or even "deeply flawed" with Parsons. Sure he led a hard-drinking rock star life, but was this "Southern Gothic", i.e. "grotesque" and "deeply flawed"? I thinks that's a load of bunk. They're just sensationalizing something that happened after he was already dead (cremated in the desert) and trying to cash in on this one relatively insignificant event, since it may hold some lurid appeal to some demographic. Parsons work was rich in melodicism, profoundly poetic, and deep with feeling. Certainly, he took the pleasures of the bottle too far like so many other great creative talents. Not a minor point, but not something that rises (or descends) to the level of "gothic" or "grotesque". My advice: if you have an interest in Parsons, start with his music (a great intro: "Sacred Hearts & Fallen Angels: The Gram Parsons Anthology"), read a bit about his life, then watch the movie. But whatever you do, before you form an opinion about Gram Parsons, definitely consult more knowledgeable critics than the one Amazon hired.
Summary of Gram Parsons - Fallen Angel
This definitive biography chronicles a Southern Gothic saga and is a fascinating look at "the Grievous Angel" and the heartbreakingly beautiful music he created. Dispelling myths that have grown to surround Gram, Fallen Angel shows us the essence of his artistry; it is a truly revealing account of his life and ongoing influence. Fallen Angel features music from Gram Parsons' groundbreaking career with The International Submarine Band, The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, as well as his highly acclaimed solo albums. Featured interviews include Peter Buck, James Burton, Emmylou Harris, Chris Hillman, Phil Kaufman, Bernie Leadon, Avis Bartkus Parsons III, Gretchen Parsons Carpenter, Diane Parsons, Polly Parsons, Keith Richards, Dwight Yoakam, and more.Cynics have suggested that death is a shrewd career move for some artists, and when it comes to singer-songwriter Gram Parsons, whose life, work, and demise are chronicled in Fallen Angel, they may be right. Although undeniably talented, Parsons never had a hit and made just six albums, and only one of them (the Flying Burrito Brothers' The Gilded Palace of Sin) is a bona fide classic. That's one reviewer's opinion, anyway. Yet three decades after he died (in 1975, at age 26), Parsons is revered as a country rock pioneer, a significant influence on Keith Richards and the Rolling Stones, and a colossal talent who never got his due. While that may all be true, what's beyond dispute (and it's confirmed by the great majority of those interviewed in director Gandulf Henning's documentary) is that Parsons was a screw-up, a drunk and drug abuser who squandered his opportunities and dug himself an early grave, even by rock star standards. It wasn't all his fault. Any kid with a family background like his (his father committed suicide and his mother died from the ravages of alcoholism. possibly with the assistance of her second husband, Parsons' stepfather, who was a big drinker himself) is bound to have, shall we say, issues; Parsons was also well off financially, a fact that many interviewees (most notably Chris Hillman, who played with him in the Byrds and the Burritos) suggest might have attributed to his lack of driving ambition. Richards, duet partner Emmylou Harris, and other former bandmates are on hand to tell the tale, along with his widow, various surviving relatives, and close friends and associates. There's lots of Parsons' music on the soundtrack, as well as excerpts from a couple of Burritos promo films and some interesting footage of him singing with Harris. In the end, the film's most haunting moments concern the events that followed Parsons' death, when road manager Phil Kaufman commandeered (stole, actually) his casket and drove it to California's Joshua Tree National Monument, where he set it on fire, apparently according to the singer's wishes. Now that is the stuff of legend. --Sam Graham
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