Review of A Poem Is a Naked Person (1974) by Mj F — 11 Jun 2016
Commissioned and supposedly shelved by Leon Russell when he felt the finished product showcased writer/director Les Blank's own talents as a film maker instead of its intended purpose of reviving the career of Russell himself.
That may have been a mistake on Russell's part, because the supremely gifted Blank not only captures the raw, raucous energy of his live shows, but exposes the audience to Russell's home state of Oklahoma in ways that give insight into how his distinctive sound emerged.
Juxtaposing clips of musical giants Willie Nelson and George Jones alongside interviews and fascinating footage of the local citizenry and bandmates, Blank coaxes a kind of magic from his material that ultimately makes a more interesting and profound statement about Leon Russell than his music alone ever could.
This review of A Poem Is a Naked Person (1974) was written by Mj F on 11 Jun 2016.
A Poem Is a Naked Person has generally received positive reviews.
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