Cracks In Sidewalks

The other night I was taken to the Film Forum in NYC to see Julian Schnabel’s movie of Lou Reed’s “Berlin” performance that took place in 2006 at Brooklyn’s St. Anne’s Warehouse.  This might come at the tail end of the films screening at least in NY, but one way or another for Lou Reed fans if you have not seen this film, it is one you cannot miss!   For those unfamiliar with “Berlin” it is music from an album Mr. Reed released in 1973 and music he had not touched since.

The stories he tells in “Berlin” are very dark, but no one really thinks of Lou Reed as a light kind of guy.  But his telling of these stories is so compelling, intimate, and personal that one is drawn to each word that leaves his lips.  Julian Schnabel, the films director and director of such films as “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”, “Before Night Falls” and “Basquiat”, creates a juxtaposition of difficult heart breaking songs told in the concert and sets these stories/songs against a backdrop of soft images and fabrics, and beautiful soft women, in particular French actress Emmanuelle Seigner who portrays the character Caroline, which both lightens the blow of the lyrics while making them dig deeper at the same time.  I wondered during the movie, how can something so biting and sad be so upbeat, while at other times I found myself moved to the point of tears because it was so sad and beautiful yet so raw.

I don’t want to talk about each song and performance individually. The music written by Lou Reed, produced by music producers Bob Ezrin and Hal Wilner, lead by bandleader Steve Hunter and an A list of other fabulous players and vocalists was stellar; the contrast of such hardness being chorused by a choir of cherub young fresh female faces (Brooklyn Youth Chorus) made the music all that more poignant; but for me it was the feeling I got from “Berlin” as a whole piece.  How I moved in emotion from one song to the next with the help of a great storyteller, great band, the direction of Julian Schnabel, and the cinematography of the wonderful Ellen Kuras (“Heart of Gold”,“Eternal Sunshine”, “Coffee and Cigarettes”).   I realized once again in watching this, this is what Itunes and music lovers including myself miss today; something complete and whole, told not just through one song, but a complete work of ten songs.  Something that truly moves you from one place to another then brings you back and moves you once again.  I know this is not a typical movie review, but I am not a movie reviewer, I am an artist, and an individual who was fortunate enough to have someone take me to this movie so I could sit for 80 or 90 minutes and watch one complete work of brilliance!

In NYC, “Berlin” is playing at the Film Forum through August 5th, for those of you outside of NYC check your local listings and if you get a chance, GO!  If you don’t get to see it on a big screen, which I think makes the movie that much more personal, rent it or buy it on DVD when it is released, and to Lou Reed and Julian Schnabel one big fan of the movie thanks you.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 4th, 2008 at 6:36 am and is filed under Daily Crack. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.