this was my first documentary and might be my only for this festival. i normally try to hit up as many crazy docs as possible. i love them and they have the hardest time finding distribution.
i wouldn't have watched this film had it come out last year. i hadn't fallen in love with paul simon's graceland album yet. i have grown to love it over the last 6 months and whole bunch. so naturally i wanted to see this film about the making of the album.
the film came together rather fast because paul simon and several people chose to commemorate the 25 anniversary. he planned a show in south africa with all the original artists that worked on the album and then a documentary was set in motion to capture the magic.
the film not only focuses on the anniversary and reunion, it completely covers the immense amount of controversy, i didn't know even existed. mr. simon chose to travel to south africa to record with african musicians during apartheid and a untied nations boycott of any collaboration to happen between african artists and anyone else in the world. this of course caused all sorts of protests, bomb threats, and negative impact on the part of paul simon.
the way the album was made was a huge departure from the way things were done back them, simple the recording, mixing, lyrics writing, was all done step by step and not together.
fun fact: paul simon has his own mixer do the sound for the film and it is awesome!
the amount of archival footage from the original recordings and live shows is astounding and a treasure to see.
it took a while but everything in the end worked out and the album remains one of the most loved still to this day. if you're a fan of the album, ladysmith black mambazo, or political artists affairs, this is the documentary for you!
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