"MC5 -True Testimonial" Documentary Cleared for Release?
Surreal, tell me that I'm dreaming ...
"Seven years after the highly regarded MC5: A True Testimonial film was withdrawn from release, the embattled documentary that captures the volatile 1960s music scene in Detroit through the story of 1960s rockers the MC5 might see a commercial release after all."
"The completed film has been in legal limbo for about seven years, almost as long as they spent making it. But it appears they can see light at the end of the tunnel... one financial hurdle between MC5: A True Testimonial and its long-delayed release: the filmmakers have to pay Warner/Chappell for sync licenses for the MC5 songs they're using in the movie."
http://tinyurl.com/ChicagoReader-TrueTestimonial
Who'd a thunk? Hard to imagine after all this time but definitely hope this happens.
re: "MC5 -True Testimonial" Documentary Cleared for Release?
Writer Fred Mills has posted an interesting take on the MC5 - True Testimonial situation at the Blurt mag site. His comment on the Detroit vibe's a riot ...
"...it won't come as a surprise to anyone when I suggest that legal battles tend to bring out the worst in everyone, particularly when the underlying elements are so drenched in aesthetic/artistic, and therefore emotional, terms. The other reason is because after a certain point it seemed like no matter what I reported on the story, I found myself sucked into its shitstorm: it was almost like each of my correspondents expected me to take his or her side, and when I refused to surrender what I thought was genuine objectivity, I would be rewarded with angry emails and obscenity-laced late night answering machine messages wanting to rip me for something I'd written online or in print, or even said to someone. Hell, I'd never even set foot in Detroit, but the experience made me fearful that I'd get my ass kicked if I ever did."
The statement included afterwards indicates all the legal BS has finally been sorted and resolved. Though that process seemed to about match the time it took to produce the documentary itself.
Crazy ...
pictures
re: "MC5 -True Testimonial" Documentary Cleared for Release?
Less than two days left on the MC5 - A True Testimonial Kickstarter campaign to release the MC5 film, there's been a significant amount of money raised but they're not home free yet.
Hope the filmmakers find enough angels in their corner to put them over the top, would be a shame to see this extraordinary and very real historical documentary of late Sixties Detroit lost as we 'gain' a similarly funded Robocop statue.
But, this IS Detroit and stranger things have happened. Guess we'll find out Tuesday morning...
PS: Interesting interview with the filmmakers here:
HIGH FIVE: Detroit’s visionary MC5 receive a film tribute that aims to rewrite rock history by Steffie Nelson
Attachment 9676
pictures
re: "MC5 -True Testimonial" Documentary Cleared for Release?
Suppose I should have posted the 'A' side of that postcard ...
Attachment 9677
