Comments on: It’s Always A Struggle http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2009/03/04/wattstax/ Film reviews and commentary tonight, before I forget tomorrow Wed, 23 May 2012 23:29:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: twinspan http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2009/03/04/wattstax/comment-page-1/#comment-72533 twinspan Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:08:46 +0000 http://thisdistractedglobe.com/?p=4475#comment-72533 Great article about a great movie. For anyone who feels Wattstax was not just great but unique, they should check out "Our Latin Thing", made the year before Wattstax by Leon Gast (of "When We Were Kings" fame) documenting the concert of the Fania All-Stars. Not only does it unite all the great artists from one label (practically every single singer and musician involved in the birth of salsa), not only does it show the culture and life in neighbourhoods that gave birth to the music (the barrio of Spanish Harlem), but also these great artists are *together*. Wattstax had a great artist come on, do a couple of numbers, and go off. Then afterwards, another. The concert of the Fania All-Stars in Our Latin Thing had greats like Ray Barretto, Cheo Feliciano, Larry Harlow, Willie Colón, Hector Lavoe ad infinitum all performing *together*, on stage at the same time: riffing off each other, inspiring each other, and outdoing each other. An article about it here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/arts/music/fania-all-stars-return-in-our-latin-thing-dvd.html Getting back on topic, Wattstax is definitely an event movie: clear your schedule, get round some friends into great music, press play and have a great time! Great article about a great movie.

For anyone who feels Wattstax was not just great but unique, they should check out “Our Latin Thing”, made the year before Wattstax by Leon Gast (of “When We Were Kings” fame) documenting the concert of the Fania All-Stars. Not only does it unite all the great artists from one label (practically every single singer and musician involved in the birth of salsa), not only does it show the culture and life in neighbourhoods that gave birth to the music (the barrio of Spanish Harlem), but also these great artists are *together*.

Wattstax had a great artist come on, do a couple of numbers, and go off. Then afterwards, another. The concert of the Fania All-Stars in Our Latin Thing had greats like Ray Barretto, Cheo Feliciano, Larry Harlow, Willie Colón, Hector Lavoe ad infinitum all performing *together*, on stage at the same time: riffing off each other, inspiring each other, and outdoing each other.

An article about it here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/arts/music/fania-all-stars-return-in-our-latin-thing-dvd.html

Getting back on topic, Wattstax is definitely an event movie: clear your schedule, get round some friends into great music, press play and have a great time!

]]> By: Joe Valdez http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2009/03/04/wattstax/comment-page-1/#comment-6929 Joe Valdez Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:17:10 +0000 http://thisdistractedglobe.com/?p=4475#comment-6929 <strong>Scott</strong>: Let me thank you for not only stopping by, but helping restore this film and getting it re-released. If not for the intervention of Fantasy, <em>Wattstax</em> might have stayed buried in a vault somewhere. Music lovers, film lovers and people who need to know their history are all better off for being able to see <em>Wattstax</em>, whether in high-def or even analog video. Much respect to your fine efforts, sir. <strong>Kimberly</strong>: Martin Scorsese may be the best director ever to make a concert film (<em>The Last Waltz</em>), but <em>Wattstax</em> is the superior movie. Instead of worshiping the musicians, it explores what the music means to the lives of the every day people in the community and is a much more powerful document as a result. Thanks for commenting! Scott: Let me thank you for not only stopping by, but helping restore this film and getting it re-released. If not for the intervention of Fantasy, Wattstax might have stayed buried in a vault somewhere. Music lovers, film lovers and people who need to know their history are all better off for being able to see Wattstax, whether in high-def or even analog video. Much respect to your fine efforts, sir.

Kimberly: Martin Scorsese may be the best director ever to make a concert film (The Last Waltz), but Wattstax is the superior movie. Instead of worshiping the musicians, it explores what the music means to the lives of the every day people in the community and is a much more powerful document as a result. Thanks for commenting!

]]> By: Kimberly http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2009/03/04/wattstax/comment-page-1/#comment-6927 Kimberly Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:35:09 +0000 http://thisdistractedglobe.com/?p=4475#comment-6927 This is such a great, great film and I enjoyed your write-up! As I've mentioned over at my own blog and at Cinedelica, I think Wattstax is easily one of the greatest concert films ever made. Maybe even THE best due to the way it examines the culture around the music. This is such a great, great film and I enjoyed your write-up! As I’ve mentioned over at my own blog and at Cinedelica, I think Wattstax is easily one of the greatest concert films ever made. Maybe even THE best due to the way it examines the culture around the music.

]]> By: Scott Roberts http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2009/03/04/wattstax/comment-page-1/#comment-6928 Scott Roberts Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:30:35 +0000 http://thisdistractedglobe.com/?p=4475#comment-6928 Joe, My name is Scott Roberts---I'm one of the people you quoted in your review. Nice review; you did a fantastic job pulling together materials from a variety of sources (a few of which I provided some of the copy) and making it all sound fresh and new. When Warners transferred the picture from film to video, along with a letterboxed version for analog broadcast release, we made a high-def 16x9 master for future BluRay DVD and high-def broadcast release. I hope sometime over the next few years the title gets released in high-def. It looks better in high-def than it does in 35mmm projected film. Wattstax is a unique film experience. Thanks for bringing it to your readers attention! Scott Joe,

My name is Scott Roberts—I’m one of the people you quoted in your review.

Nice review; you did a fantastic job pulling together materials from a variety of sources (a few of which I provided some of the copy) and making it all sound fresh and new.

When Warners transferred the picture from film to video, along with a letterboxed version for analog broadcast release, we made a high-def 16×9 master for future BluRay DVD and high-def broadcast release. I hope sometime over the next few years the title gets released in high-def. It looks better in high-def than it does in 35mmm projected film.

Wattstax is a unique film experience. Thanks for bringing it to your readers attention!

Scott

]]>