‘A BLAST FROM THE PAST’
Starring: Muhammad Ali, James Brown, Don King, Lloyd Price, The Spinners, Bill Withers, B.B. King, Yomo Toro, Celia Cruz, George Plimpton, Stokely Carmichael, Miriam Makeba, Sister Sledge, and The Crusaders
Directed by: Jeffrey Levy-Hinte
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some thematic elements and brief strong language
Genre: Documentary/Concert Film
By John Delia
This documentary has soul, sounds and sovereignty on its side and cashes in on all three. Focusing in on Zaire and its people Soul Power provides some blasts from the past.
In 1974, the most celebrated American R&B acts of the time came together with the most renowned musical groups in Africa for a 12-hour, three-night long concert held in Kinshasa, Zaire. The dream-child of Hugh Masekela and Stewart Levine, this music festival became a reality when they convinced boxing promoter Don King to combine the event with “The Rumble in the Jungle,” the epic fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, previously chronicled in the Academy Award-winning documentary When We Were Kings.
I liked the performances by James Brown, BB King, Bill Withers and Celia Cruz. Actually there was not enough of Brown and I would have liked to see another song by Withers. The talented musicians not only provided a great concert for the people, but also commented on how they enjoyed doing it.
The film is the musician’s personal story of how they wanted to visit Africa from which their roots were born. Footage of each of the legends as they made the trip, set up for their performances and took the stage enhances the experience of the documentary. Even though some 30 years have past since the event, the film rebirths their astounding talent to entertain.
It is amazing that the whole film was crafted from additional footage that was shot in making the documentary When We Were Kings. The film was
ultimately edited down from over 125 hours worth of footage. Lensed primarily by celebrated cinematographers Albert Maysles, Paul Goldsmith, Kevin Keating and Roderick Young, Soul Power finally provides today’s audience the opportunity to experience this historic musical event in all of its magnificent, filmed glory.
FINAL ANALYSIS: Soul Power is a blast from the past and more. (4 of 5 Palm Trees)