20 Feet from Stardom (DVD REVIEW)
20 Feet from Stardom
DVD
Review by Kam Williams
Oscar-Nominated Documentary Offers Overdue Tribute to Underpaid Backup Singers
Do the names Merry
Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Darlene Love, Claudia Lennear, Tata Vega or Lynn Mabry ring a bell? Probably not, yet you are
undoubtedly very familiar with their stellar work as backup singers for a
variety of musical icons.
For example, it’s Merry’s powerful
voice which adds a memorable touch of soul to the Rolling Stones’ classic
“Gimme Shelter” in the brief interlude where she makes the most of the
opportunity to belt out the bizarre lyrics “Rape! Murder! It’s just a shot
away!” The same can be said of Darlene who not only handled backup duties on
hundreds of hits by everyone from Elvis Presley to The Beach Boys to Tom Jones
to Sonny & Cher, but even anonymously ghost recorded the lead vocals on
such Sixties anthems as “Da Doo Ron Ron,” “He’s a Rebel” and “It’s in His
Kiss,” without getting credit or decent compensation.
Sadly, despite their amazing
talents, folks pursuing this profession generally have precious little to show
financially for their considerable contributions to the annals of rock, soul
and other genres. For most of the backups are black and female with gospel
backgrounds, and have stories to share about being underpaid, underappreciated
and/or outright exploited. In fact, Darlene confesses to having to clean houses
as a maid between gigs in order to survive at a low point in her career.
Most backup singers are frustrated
artists who spend years helping others shine while waiting for that big break
that might never come that could catapult them into the limelight. Finally,
thanks to 20 Feet from Stardom, these neglected sisters are finally getting
their props, if not the fortune and mega fame that has eluded them for so long.
Nominated for an Academy Award in
the Best Documentary category, this very entertaining and illuminating
documentary includes testimonials by the likes of Sting, Springsteen, Bette
Midler, Sheryl Crow
and other greats freely paying tribute. A reverential retrospective
representing the first tip of the cap to backups I can remember since the late
Lou Reed warbled “And the colored girls go!” on his gritty ditty “Walk on the
Wild Side.”
Excellent
(4 stars)
Rated PG-13
for profanity and sexuality
Running time: 91
minutes
Distributor: Anchor Bay
/ Radius-TWC
Blu-ray Extras:
Deleted scenes; Q&A with Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer and director
Morgan Neville; and a short film entitled “The Buddy System.”
To see a trailer for 20 Feet from Stardom, visit:
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