Paragraph Reviews 2/18/11 – Film By Faye – Guest Post from Emily Williams
This go-around is a very special Paragraph Reviews from my dear Hollywood-intern sister Emily, who exclusively screened and reviewed three documentaries for Culture Greyhound.
Burning Down The House: The Story of CBGB
A documentary on the life of CBGB, this film speaks also of the culture at the time and the passion people have for music of their generation. Like most musical documentaries, the impact is not as strong unless you are familiar with the music. However, everyone can relate to what a father figure the club owner, Hilly Krystal, was, and how he impacted the lives of teens in New York for over thirty years. The film itself is well organized, with plenty of footage. Band performances, interviews with New York citizens, and band interviews all help piece together the history of the club. Interviews with the employees and Hilly himself tell the story of exactly what the club was about and what it went through to try and stay open. By the end, I had goose bumps watching Patti Smith start crying at the end of her set the last night CBGB was open. It is a real-life underdog story, and it represents one of the most important times in music history.
Grade: A-
