Review of Red White And Blues

Introduction

This is one of seven films that comprise the complete: `Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: A Musical Journey`. It was an interesting concept. Scorsese initiated and curated the project, and indeed directed one of the movies. But he also gave six other Directors a set of DV-Cams, a limited budget for archive material and post-production - and carte blanche to go discover the blues for themselves. "Our goal was never to produce a definitive work on the blues. It was to create highly personal and impressionistic films," states Martin Scorsese. Released here and in the US as either individual movies, or as a deluxe box set comprising all 7 DVD`s that each include the movie and a variety of compelling extras. There`s been a lot of interest in these releases since they first aired in the USA (on PBS - the channel for culture-vultures) in 2003 and between them they contain a veritable treasure trove of information, passion and atmosphere that will thrill blues fans.

Director Mike Figgis (Internal Affairs, Stormy Monday (featuring plastic jazz impostor, Sting), Leaving Las Vegas) contributes to the series with an overview of British Blues from the 1950`s, `60`s and seventies. It`s essentially a sea of talking heads from those who were there, (a little bit like those `Do you remember 1973` programmes on Channel 4) reflecting sycophantically on their glory-years whilst occasionally paying nodding tribute to their source, the real Blues boys from the delta. It`s slightly queasy viewing from the start, with a group of aging British musicians gathered together for dreadfully serious and high-browed musical homage`s to their heroes. It kicks off in Abbey Road studios in 2002, with Tom Jones going through the motions with Jeff Beck. Worse still is the second tune from a tiresome Van Morrison who is clearly enraptured with his own clichéd rendition of an old blues standard. All the appreciative nods and self-conscious posturing from the collective group of musicians is particularly nauseating and in stark contrast to the few archive clips of acts like Big Bill Broonzy, Booker T and the MG`s, and the wonderful Sister Rosetta Thorpe from 1957 who just let loose and go.

Certainly Figgis has covered a lot of ground here. Interviews include such British luminaries as John Mayall, Eric Clapton (who both come off rather well), Mick Fleetwood, Albert Lee, Chris Farlowe, Bert Jansch, Steve Winwood, Georgie Fame, Lonnie Donegan, Ramblin` Jack Elliot, and Jeff Beck. There are some interesting moments as we get a kind of oral history of the Blues explosion of the mid-60`s, but it`s all shrouded with a po-faced reverence and air of great importance that you just don`t seem to get from the American contingency. BB King makes a welcome appearance here and pays tribute to the British interest in the Blues that really revived, not only his, but a whole host of nearly forgotten blues men`s careers in the early to mid-60`s, including Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, and T-Bone walker.
There`s archive footage amongst the uninspiring contemporary blues jams, and these feature The Rolling Stones, Cream, John Lennon and Alexis Corner, and for ardent fans these may prove to be quite a treat.

Just as the programme is about to end, we get a rendition of a blues classic from Lulu who sounds bug-all like Bessie Smith or Ella Fitzgerald (despite going through the motions), but actually sounds like …well, Lulu. All the notes are in the right place, all the posturing just so - but in the final analysis, like most of the contenders on this disc, it just doesn`t feel like the real McCoy. Because it isn`t. This disc may represent those who had most commercial success with the blues but, with perhaps the exception of enthusiasts Mayall, Fame and Clapton, it just doesn`t seem to wash. Too contrived, too calculated (check out that rolled up cigarette hanging just so out of the mouth of the piano player in the studio sessions), and too dull to be the real deal.

Video

Perfectly acceptable and pristine DVD transfer from digital video source, and occasional archive footage of (understandably) variable quality.

Audio

Choice of Surround or standard Dolby, and both do a reasonable job. I found the title music on the Director`s commentary to be extraordinarily loud compared to the same on the standard track, though someone got to the faders before the programme proper.

Features

Well, it`s a feature packed disc. But not all features are created equal. First up is a laughable `Director`s Commentary`. The film is nothing but talking heads and music! It`s incredibly irritating to get alternate interviews whispered into your ear as you try to listen to and watch the movie. It`s also killingly dull, like a really bad cricket commentary. "Who`s that on the drums?" "I don`t know - but they`re all like people we`d know, you know, because they`ve been around such a long time". I kid you not - and all in that irritating mid-Atlantic accent that ends every sentence with the intonation of a question. Avoid!

Other features include: songs from the film, uninterrupted with commentary and talking head interjections, which is a nice touch.

There are some `Bonus Performances`, which include Lulu singing `Cry me a river` (give me a break!), and some tedious blues jams. Worst still is Mike Figgis (yes- the Director) playing piano in a very mediocre way. Christ - the ego`s of the man! And on that subject we get a really irritating interview with Figgis who hardly talks about the movie at all, but does a kind of `me, me me` thing that is very bad show! `I did this - I first heard the blues - I first learnt to play the piano when - I first played trumpet with…etc`. I don`t mean to be cruel Mike but frankly who gives a .!?!

Also included are Director`s filmography and Biography - all text.

Conclusion

Mike Figgis has chosen to cover British Blues for his contribution to the Scorsese curated `Blues journey` project which comprises seven films by seven different Directors. This is essentially a stream of talking-head interviews with its main protagonists, filmed during 2002, as well as a number of contrived musical jams with the same. Archive footage is used sparingly and the story plays more like a radio programme, relying on interviewee commentary exclusively throughout. For me, British Blues never seemed as exciting as the American variety. The intense and reverent seriousness that many of these interviews seem to convey seems to be half of the problem. The collaborations here seem contrived and postured and the film does little, in terms of shooting and cutting, to shake some action. Check out the all-together better disc - Richard Pearce`s `Road to Memphis`. No comparison!