Wild Combination: a Portrait of Arthur Russell
by Matt Wolf
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Arthur RussellDirector: Matt Wolf
DVD: Region Code 0
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 71 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-11-18
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Plexifilm
Movie Reviews of Wild Combination: a Portrait of Arthur Russell
Movie Review: An Incredible Documentary
Summary: 5 Stars
"Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell"
An Incredible Documentary
Amos Lassen
Beginning in Oskaloosa, Iowa, "Wild Combination" tells the story of Arthur Russell, a composer of rich music that was emotionally direct. In the 1960's when he was a teen, he was obsessed with Timothy Leary, John Cage and the Beat poets. This was in direct contrast with his parents' Midwestern conventionalism. His imagination was inspired by the counter-revolutionaries and he ran away to San Francisco where he joined a Buddhist commune and met Allen Ginsberg who became his mentor and collaborator.
Arthur began to work with Phillip Glass and other composers of avant garde music at a place called The Kitchen and he became musical director in 1974. He soon discovered the underground discos and he began to produce disco recordings that became hits.
Arthur paid no mind to the established music genres and his disco music often merged with Buddhist themes. Arthur was in love with his boyfriend Tom Lee and they lived in an apartment next to Ginsberg in New York. He let his work lapse and because of this his significance was overlooked. Eventually his life was cut short by AIDS and when he died, few paid attention. Some said that "he simply vanished into his music".
His music is now being discovered and a new generation his found him. "Wild Combination" is the story of the man and his music and the film takes a serious look at the music he composed and presents a cultural history of New York in the 1970s and 80s and shows what it was to be gay and facing the worst epidemic of our history. There are rare archival footage and interviews with Russell's family and his collaborators and his music is brought to life,
The cinematography and the sound are wonderful and here is a great introduction to Arthur Russell as well of those he knew.
Summary of Wild Combination: a Portrait of Arthur Russell
This is director Matt Wolf's portrait of the seminal avant-garde composer, singer-songwriter, cellist, and disco producer Arthur Russell. Before his untimely death from AIDS in 1992, Arthur prolifically created music that spanned both pop and abstract art. Wolf incorporates rare archival footage and commentary from Arthur's family, friends, and collaborators, including Philip Glass and Allen Ginsberg, to tell this poignant story. 65 minutes of extras include rare archival footage of two full-length performances, "Soon to be Innocent Fun / Let's See" (1985) and "Calling All Kids" (1989), Allen Ginsberg:A Memorial for Arthur Russel (1992), 1970 recording of an audicassette letter sent from Arthur in San Francisco to this parents, as well as tribute performances of Russell's songs by Jens Lekman, Verity Susman from Electrelane, Joel Gibb from Hidden Cameras, and Arthur's Landing (featuring members of Modern Lovers, Joyce Bowden and Steven Hall).Documentary DVD Video
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