Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Marley (2012)

Marley (2012)
Marley (2012)
Genre: Documentary | Biography
Director: Kevin MacDonald
Language: English
Duration: 144 min.
Rating: 7.7
Summary:
A documentary on the life, music, and legacy of Bob Marley.
Marley is a biographical documentary directed by Scottish filmmaker Kevin MacDonald. It premiered in the Berlinale Special section of the 2012 Berlin International Film Festival.

Following up last year's experimental Ridley Scott produced Life in a Day, MacDonald returns with a more traditional documentary. Despite being the producers' third choice (both Martin Scorsese and Jonathan Demme were previously attached to the film), he manages to give us a remarkably full and detailed portrait of the Jamaican legend, with a wonderful sense of storytelling and pacing that will keep even casual fans of Bob Marley engaged through the entire two and a half hour running time.

Covering Marley's life from his birth in the tiny village of Nine Mile, his early beginnings growing up in Trenchtown, his rise to stardom, all the way to his death in 1981, the film includes interviews with a well rounded assortment of friends, former band-mates, and family members, thankfully lacking any filler speculation from so-called experts. All mixed in with an incredible amount of archival clips and photos, old and new, fluidly edited by Dan Glendenning, as well as some rare and previously unheard tracks.

MacDonald strikes a decent balance between Marley's music and his personal life. There's maybe not as much concert footage as I would have liked to see, but there are plenty of interesting anecdotes and candid moments that almost make up for it. One powerful emotional moment that stands out for me is the filmed reaction of his half sister, and another of a distant family member as they listen to one of Bob's songs.

It's a thorough examination and a compelling tribute to a cultural icon. A must see for fans of Marley, though perhaps a little bit overlong for those who aren't. Still, I think MacDonald does a good job here to try and please all potential viewers.
Bonjour Tristesse
Marley (2012)

Marley (2012)

Marley (2012)

Marley (2012)

Marley (2012)

Marley (2012)

Marley (2012)

Marley (2012)

14 comments:

FrontRoomCinema said...

I agree it was a very long doc. I had to do it in two sittings as time was short!!


But it was still a great watch and the OST is now in my Spotify playlist!!

Michaël Parent said...

I wanted to catch it. The buzz around it brought the man back into fashion lately. Many magazines about music showcased specials about Marley. Goos piece BT.

pturner1010 said...

Just a casual fan right here but really looking forward to this. MacDonald is a great doc-director and Marley's a fascinating subject!

AJaye2009 said...

I'm a casual fan myself - but how can one resist? Great write up.

d_4 said...

Not sure I'll forgive myself for missing this one when it was at the theaters, but I know I'll be giving it a watch soon. Been waiting to for ooph.. too long.

stevens1 said...

This has been the year of docs so far for me - Marley surprised me in how inspirational I found it, reminding us what an important figure he really was.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Yep a great watch, and those songs have been stuck in my head for days now.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Thanks Michaël, there's nothing shocking or groundbreaking about it, but it's still definitely worth seeking out.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

He does do a comprehensive job, and he has a great way of keeping things moving along, but I'm not sure if he was the best choice for a music docu though.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Thanks AJaye. Do check it out.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

I know you'll love this.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Yeah that part surprised me too. I mean I always knew all about him, but hearing and seeing those closest to him talk about him was an eye opener.

Diana said...

I've been seeing a lot of documentaries recently and I have developed quite a love for it, so I will definitely check this out, as well!

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Which docs have you enjoyed the most?

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