Having seen "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" recently put me in the mood for film retrospectives of recent black music to see how it has stood up, how it has influenced the wider culture of the western world and what the original artists are doing now. Similar to "Shadows" this film mixes live performances from the artists today with talking heads – although here there are fewer set interviews and more recollections captured on the move as it were. This helps make the film feel a lot livelier and engaging because it doesn't come over as being rehearsed or set in a studio but rather being personal and just like talking to these people, as natural as being with them in person.Although the film doesn't manage to convey a real time line or history to help the unfamiliar, it does provide a fan's excitable view of the scene – hence the film is best when just chilling out with the artists. To some this may be a missed opportunity because it could have easily been longer and more interesting, but as it is it does still work as a bit of reminiscing as opposed to actually recording the people and the songs for posterity as more of a documentary – no matter what Hegedus' aim, the film just doesn't manage to do that well at all. In fact Hegedus is a bit of a problem generally – his narration is gradually dropped and just as well as he has a whiney little voice and doesn't add anything of value; having him kicking around on screen is a distraction as well and it shows he was perhaps a bit too distracted as a fan to be able to do the job of producer/director effectively.The performances are strong and the artists involved are older but still funny and entertaining in differing ways. As a "fan's" film, we are not allowed to really look too closely at any of them and anything even slightly negative is mostly glossed over in a rather annoying fashion – although I can see why, after all, the film wasn't aiming for documentary so much as it just capturing the people and recent performances. Overall this is an enjoyable film thanks to the people and the performances; it may not have the depth and detail that I would have liked it to have had in regards capturing the times of Stax and looking at the life of the artists after the success, but it doesn't try to do this and is still enjoyable for what it does do and will be enjoyed by fans of the music and the performers.

Fans of soul music of the sixties and seventies will thank Miramax Films for bringing this work to the screen. Mogul Harvey Weinstein, who amasses a number of Oscars each year, including Chicago for 2002 Best Picture, could have made a lot more money with other films. I suspect he loves this music as much as I do, and he appears briefly in the movie.Legends Jerry Butler, Wilson Pickett, Sam Moore of Sam & Dave, Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Isaac Hayes, the Chilites (all original members) and Carla Thomas are seen as they are now in their early sixties. This picture was made in 1999, and Rufus Thomas, who appears in the film, passed away in 2001 at 84. They perform their vintage hit songs, are interviewed, and reminisce about their early days with Stax Records, Motown's competitor. All are doing well, although they've gained weight. Jerry Butler, the Iceman, sings his classics: the title song and For Your Precious Love. We learn he returned to college in his fifties, and is now a Commissioner in Chicago. Hayes (Shaft) and Butler retain their strong, rich voices. We're also treated to a cameo archive of Otis Redding.This film reminds me of its close relative, Standing in the Shadow of Motown. That work is richer in exploring the lives of cast members, and elicits from them more heartfelt emotions of what it was like socially, politically and musically to grow up in Detroit in the 1960s. The locale here is Memphis. That movie, however, focuses less on the hit singers, but on the outstanding back-up band, the Funk Brothers. This show features more songs by original artists, but shorter versions of each, whereas Standing includes younger performers doing the complete soundtrack of just a few Motown classics like Heat Wave. Each picture powerfully recreates that wonderful era of soul music in our own salad days.If there's a film maker who wants to complete the trilogy, he could focus next on the Philadelphia sound of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Billy Paul, Archie Bell and the Drells, MFSB, the O'Jays, Stylistics, Three Degrees, Lou Rawls, etc. I'm waiting eagerly.

ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE (2003) *** Featuring: William Bell,Jerry Butler, The Chi-Lites, Isaac Hayes, Sam Moore, Ann Peebles, Wilson Pickett, Sir Mack Rice, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, Mary Wilson. Entertaining documentary by vets Chris Hegedus and D.A. Pennebaker focusing on the pioneering r&b, soul & pop singers and musicians of Stax records among others thru interviews interspersed with the still on-fire performers in action on stage and in concert. Note: the film is dedicated to Rufus Thomas who passed away shortly prior to the film's release.

It was sort of interesting, and at times entertaining, to hear the stories of these very successful singers.Interestingly enough, not being too familiar with this kind of music, and not having heard much of it before, I wasn't actually all that impressed with their voices...too rough for my taste. But their musicianship was evident, and it was educational to find out more about this style of music.However, the film itself didn't really hold my attention or draw me in. It was sort of like watching home videos of people I don't know, in not-particularly-interesting contexts. Furthermore, they never really developed on the theme suggested by the title. By comparison, "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" is a similar film with more coherence.The worst part, by far, however, was the filming itself. Much of it was shot with hand-held cameras and no attempt at steadiness. The result shook and made the audience queasy. Luckily, they were too busy closing their eyes to listen to the music to notice.