TORONTO -- Built around a tribute concert that took place at the Sydney Opera House in January of this year, "Leonard Cohen I'm Your Man" is an affectionate and intimate celebration of the acclaimed troubadour in stirring music and words.
Culling 13 performances from the "Came So Far for Beauty" evening, which was produced by concept album maestro Hal Willner, Australian filmmaker Lian Lunson has gracefully woven in testimonials from his musical peers, personal photos and artwork, and alternately candid and amusing self-analysis from the notoriously private man of the hour-and-a-half, himself.
While Cohen's far-reaching fan base will be pleased -- his ruminations on love and loneliness have been embraced by everybody from Diana Ross to punk rockers -- the Lions Gate release also serves as a terrific primer for the as-yet uninitiated.
Among the many musical riches are heartfelt performances of Cohen's "Chelsea Hotel #2" and "Hallelujah" by Rufus Wainwright, who's accompanied on the latter by his sister Martha and Joan Wasser; while "Suzanne" and "I'm Your Man" are done interpretive justice by Nick Cave.
There's also a beautiful rendition of "Anthem" by Perla Battala and Julie Christensen and a delightfully theatrical take on "Death of a Ladies Man" by Jarvis Cocker and Beth Orton.
And, as icing on Cohen's 70th birthday cake, the man whose low, gravelly rumble of a singing voice only grows more intriguing with age is joined by U2 for an eloquent reading of "Tower of Song" produced exclusively for the film.
The only drawback is that many of those terrific performances are subject to requisite cutaways to pertinent images or interview subjects in the interest of pacing and time, but presumably they'll be made available for enjoying uninterrupted and repeatedly on DVD.
LEONARD COHEN I'M YOUR MAN
Lions Gate Films
Credits:
Director: Lian Lunson
Producers: Lian Lunson, Mel Gibson
Executive producers: Erik Nelson, Kevin Beggs, Sandra Stern, Bruce Davey
Cinematographers: Geoff Hall, John Pirozzi, Lian Lunson, Brit Marling
Editor: Mike Cahill
Music: Leonard Cohen
Performers:
Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Bert Orton, Linda Thompson, Teddy Thompson, Jarvis Cocker, The Handsome Family, Antony, Julie Christensen, Perla Battala, Leonard Cohen and U2
Running time -- 98 minutes
MPAA rating: Not yet rated...
Culling 13 performances from the "Came So Far for Beauty" evening, which was produced by concept album maestro Hal Willner, Australian filmmaker Lian Lunson has gracefully woven in testimonials from his musical peers, personal photos and artwork, and alternately candid and amusing self-analysis from the notoriously private man of the hour-and-a-half, himself.
While Cohen's far-reaching fan base will be pleased -- his ruminations on love and loneliness have been embraced by everybody from Diana Ross to punk rockers -- the Lions Gate release also serves as a terrific primer for the as-yet uninitiated.
Among the many musical riches are heartfelt performances of Cohen's "Chelsea Hotel #2" and "Hallelujah" by Rufus Wainwright, who's accompanied on the latter by his sister Martha and Joan Wasser; while "Suzanne" and "I'm Your Man" are done interpretive justice by Nick Cave.
There's also a beautiful rendition of "Anthem" by Perla Battala and Julie Christensen and a delightfully theatrical take on "Death of a Ladies Man" by Jarvis Cocker and Beth Orton.
And, as icing on Cohen's 70th birthday cake, the man whose low, gravelly rumble of a singing voice only grows more intriguing with age is joined by U2 for an eloquent reading of "Tower of Song" produced exclusively for the film.
The only drawback is that many of those terrific performances are subject to requisite cutaways to pertinent images or interview subjects in the interest of pacing and time, but presumably they'll be made available for enjoying uninterrupted and repeatedly on DVD.
LEONARD COHEN I'M YOUR MAN
Lions Gate Films
Credits:
Director: Lian Lunson
Producers: Lian Lunson, Mel Gibson
Executive producers: Erik Nelson, Kevin Beggs, Sandra Stern, Bruce Davey
Cinematographers: Geoff Hall, John Pirozzi, Lian Lunson, Brit Marling
Editor: Mike Cahill
Music: Leonard Cohen
Performers:
Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Bert Orton, Linda Thompson, Teddy Thompson, Jarvis Cocker, The Handsome Family, Antony, Julie Christensen, Perla Battala, Leonard Cohen and U2
Running time -- 98 minutes
MPAA rating: Not yet rated...
- 9/12/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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