Tuesday, March 26, 2013
BROKEN DOWN
Today's film was the documentary
Phil Ochs: There But For Fortune (2010)
Sad story of a great troubadour. A political activist in song. At one time a peer of Dylan. Dylan did personal songs. Ochs did the political. They were rivals. Personally and publicly.
I loved Phil Ochs singing and followed him until he got incoherent.
They say he was a victim of his own success but he really died of alcoholism and manic depressive disease.
They often try to make something other than this out of such a situation. To his credit, Kenneth Bowser who wrote and directed does not take this bait. He calls it as it was.
Och's breakdown was public. He was irrepressible.
The film is well done. A lot of singing. I had forgotten his beautiful voice and guitar virtuosity. He wrote all his own songs and could reel them off effortlessly. And handsome as sin.
I am glad that I saw it. A 3 out of Netflix5. Reviewing the past.
Labels: films
