Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Crowe pays homage to Elton John, Leon Russell
|
Edition:
U.S.
Article
Comments (0)
Follow Reuters
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
YouTube
Read
Roadside clue becomes focus of Holly Bobo search
1:09pm EDT
Iran says it has detected second cyber attack
5:55am EDT
Five women brutally murdered in Mexico beach resort
23 Apr 2011
REFILE-GLOBAL MARKETS-Silver slide boosts dollar, drags on oil
1:31pm EDT
"Water for Elephants" a lost opportunity
8:19am EDT
Discussed
134
Texas governor calls for prayers for rain
133
Obama sees no magic bullet to push down gas prices
64
U.S. sends drones to Libya as battle rages for Misrata
Watched
NATO jets bomb Gaddafi compound
6:27am EDT
Gunfire and tanks in Syria
Sun, Apr 24 2011
Chernobyl Legacy
6:24am EDT
Crowe pays homage to Elton John, Leon Russell
Tweet
Share this
By David Rooney
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - At the end of Cameron Crowe's moving and eloquently simple documentary, "The Union," Elton John sings "You're never too old to hold somebody."
That lyric is entirely appropriate for a film that is one...
Email
Print
Related News
Paul Simon takes graying fans on world tour
11:44am EDT
Stefano Langone never wanted to win "American Idol"
Fri, Apr 22 2011
Exclusive: Apple to beat Google on cloud music: sources
Thu, Apr 21 2011
Elton John opens Tribeca festival with "The Union"
Thu, Apr 21 2011
Foo Fighters earn first No. 1 album in U.S.
Wed, Apr 20 2011
Analysis & Opinion
Dum Maaro Dum: Wayward, but worth a watch
Tech wrap: Apple beats Google to the music cloud
Related Topics
Entertainment »
Fashion »
Film »
Sir Elton John attends opening night premiere of ''The Union'' during the 10th annual Tribeca Film Festival in New York April 20, 2011.
Credit: Reuters/Lucas Jackson
By David Rooney
Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:47am EDT
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - At the end of Cameron Crowe's moving and eloquently simple documentary, "The Union," Elton John sings "You're never too old to hold somebody."
That lyric is entirely appropriate for a film that is one warm, extended embrace from the music legend to his idol, Leon Russell.
This chronicle of the making of John and Russell's 2010 Universal album of the same name is also a valentine from a filmmaker for whom music has always been an indispensable element of his movies. Reinforcing that connection, John began his live performance following the Tribeca Film Festival's opening-night screening with "Tiny Dancer," a song used to stirring effect in Crowe's 2000 feature, "Almost Famous."
The most visible directorial touch here is the split-screen employed to show the two musicians on opposite sides of a studio, or to juxtapose present-day images of them with their 1970s high style. Otherwise, Crowe's work is anything but intrusive. You get the sense he counts himself lucky just to be in the same room while these guys work. That congenial tone might make "The Union" a little reverential for non-fans, but it should find an eager audience of devotees on TV and DVD.
John toured with Russell back in the '70s, but the two had not seen each other in 38 years when they met again in Los Angeles to begin work on the album. John conceived the project as a tribute to a piano man and songwriter who was a major influence on him; his aim was to recapture the sound of Russell's vintage releases.
Produced by T-Bone Burnett, the result was listed by Rolling Stone among the top five albums of last year. It merges the expansive flavors of Russell's music -- combining rock 'n' roll, gospel, soul, blues, country -- with enveloping narratives and soaring sounds that evoke the golden years of John's songwriting collaboration with Bernie Taupin, another contributor to this album.
A 2011 inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Russell had drifted into semi-obscurity before the album was made. At times he shows the watchful timidity of a hermit lured back into society. When John attempts to high-five him soon after their reunion, he says, "I don't know how to do that. That's some kind of sports thing, isn't it?" There's also a dry, self-effacing quality to his humor, and a notable lack of ego.
While his outfits might be less outre, Russell hasn't significantly altered his look in the four decades since he was heading Joe Cocker's band on the "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" tour. But while his curtain of hair, epic beard, spectacles and occasional top hat back then gave him the air of an intimidating hippie wizard, he's now a more benign, white-maned figure, accurately described by John as looking like God.
Both artists purveyed different brands of flamboyance back in their hey-days, illustrated by some fun archival footage. Seeing John in his red hot pants or Donald Duck costume never gets old. Crowe provides a brisk account of the incredible sweep of Russell's influence in a montage of hit songs from the '60s and '70s on which he played as a session musician.
While there's no attempt to create artificial tension in what's basically a love letter, the film acknowledges an interruption in the creative process as Russell underwent emergency brain surgery. His gradual recovery appears to be fueled by the music, peaking when some soulful backup singers enter the studio and start shoop-shooping, which has Russell stroking his beard with pleasure.
The tenderness John shows his collaborator is clearly genuine. Watching him overcome by emotion as Russell, not long out of hospital, sits at the piano and performs the gravelly hymn "In the Hands of Angels" for the first time, John seems less a music giant than a man acknowledging an enormous debt of gratitude.
Famous faces stop by during the writing and recording process: Booker T. Jones plays on one track, Brian Wilson sings harmonies, Stevie Nicks drops in and recalls opening for Russell with Lindsey Buckingham a few years before they formed Fleetwood Mac. But the film is above all a gesture from one musician to another, a heartfelt testament to the rewards of collaboration, and for John, an act of humble fandom.
"The Union" is dedicated to Reginald Dwight and Claude Russell Bridges, the birth names of its two subjects. That choice is fitting for a portrait that looks beyond the fame of either artist to provide intimate access to them as they return to their roots.
Entertainment
Fashion
Film
Tweet this
Share this
Link this
Digg this
Email
Reprints
We welcome comments that advance the story directly or with relevant tangential information. We try to block comments that use offensive language, all capital letters or appear to be spam, and we review comments frequently to ensure they meet our standards. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters.
Comments (0)
Be the first to comment on reuters.com.
Add yours using the box above.
Social Stream (What's this?)
© Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters
Editorial Editions:
Africa
Arabic
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
China
France
Germany
India
Italy
Japan
Latin America
Mexico
Russia
Spain
United Kingdom
United States
Reuters
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Help
Journalism Handbook
Archive
Site Index
Video Index
Reader Feedback
Mobile
Newsletters
RSS
Podcasts
Widgets
Your View
Analyst Research
Thomson Reuters
Copyright
Disclaimer
Privacy
Professional Products
Professional Products Support
Financial Products
About Thomson Reuters
Careers
Online Products
Acquisitions Monthly
Buyouts
Venture Capital Journal
International Financing Review
Project Finance International
PEhub.com
PE Week
FindLaw
Super Lawyers Attorney Rating Service
Reuters on Facebook
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.
Other News on Tuesday, 26 April 2011 Residents tell grim story of assault on Syrian city
|
Mauritanian police use teargas to break up protest
|
Nintendo to launch new Wii in 2012 as profit slips
|
Yahoo buys TV check-in company IntoNow
|
Barnes & Noble improves Nook Color to take on iPad
|
BlackBerry firm seeks security balance in Russia
|
Analysis: On Cloud 2: making fans of customers on social media
|
Leaked Guantanamo files reveal detainee details: report
|
China to punish Baidu for illegal music downloads
|
Samsung, Sony JV to cut capital as Sony struggles with TV loss
|
Iran says it has detected second cyber attack
|
U.S. surpasses UK in online coverage of Will and Kate
|
Cowell wants Paula Abdul, Cheryl Cole for 'X Factor'
|
Crowe pays homage to Elton John, Leon Russell
|
Broadway expands its stage with movie theater shows
|
Prince's 17 remaining L.A. shows cloaked in mystery
|
Some 500 arrested in Syria crackdown: rights group
|
Ukraine marks Chernobyl anniversary, eyes Fukushima
|
U.S. charges Pakistanis in 2008 Mumbai attack plot
|
Strong quake hits Central Java, no tsunami: agency
|
Two bombs hit Pakistan navy buses in Karachi, 4 dead
|
U.N. chief says can't order probe into Sri Lanka war
|
Thai, Cambodia troops clash close to Preah Vihear temple
|
Sony unveils its first tablet computers to take on
|
Nintendo CEO: alliances with other firms may be needed
|
Oracle replaces CFO as Safra Catz gets the job again
|
Amazon betting on cloud computing, sacrificing some profit
|
U.S. surpasses UK in online coverage of Will and Kate
|
Lindsay Lohan to appear on Tonight Show
|
Cowell wants Paula Abdul, Cheryl Cole for 'X Factor'
|
Crowe pays homage to Elton John, Leon Russell
|
Broadway expands its stage with movie theater shows
|
Egyptian film hopes to be liberated by revolution
|
Water for Elephants a lost opportunity
|
Prince's 17 remaining L.A. shows cloaked in mystery
|
Yemen deal may be done within week: officials
|
U.S. and Britain to step up pressure on Gaddafi
|
Iran wants Shourd to return from U.S. for trial
|
Afghan justice minister says mass jail escape had inside help
|
Pakistan defends spy agency ISI, rejects criticism
|
Thai and Cambodian troops exchange fire near ancient temple
|
Rebuilding Japan's disaster-hit towns may take a decade
|
Egypt adjourns trial of former interior minister
|
Is Europe ready to put its data in the clouds?
|
China internet market should not be treated differently: Exec
|
EA's COO leaves for Zynga
|
Plagiarism hunters plague German politicians
|
Facebook, YouTube the new battlegrounds in Singapore elections
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights