Summer Of Soul Photo by Fox Searchlight PicturesWoodstock is a well-known event. People who were there made sure of this. The 1970 concert film Woodstock won an Academy Award in Best Documentary Feature. It was also added to the National Film Registry. There was another musical event that took place in 1969, which reflected the cultural revolution and shaped it. The Harlem Cultural Festival was also captured on film and attracted many of the most prominent names in music at that time. The Harlem Cultural Festival was largely forgotten until recently, when archival footage was recut into the concert film Summer Of Soul (Or When The Revolution Could not Be Televised).AdvertisementReviews and Reviews Summer Of Soul (Or when The Revolution Couldn't Be Televised). A- A- Summer Of Soul Runtime 117 min Rating PG-13 Language English Cast DocumentaryAhmir Questlove Thompson's documentary explains that Harlem Cultural Festival was founded by and for Black people. There were a few white faces in the crowd and on the stage, as well as the Latinx community from East Harlem. The event was intended to channel anger over the assassination civil rights leaders and the burgeoning Black Power Movement into a cathartic and celebratory event that encouraged Black pride in their neighborhood. Summer Of Soul is a celebration of Black culture. It combines stories from concertgoers, musicians and behind-the scenes personnel with footage of artists such as Stevie Wonder, The Staples Singers (Sly A nd T he Family Stone), Nina Simone. Gladys Knight & T he Pips (Mahalia Jackson), B.B. King, Hugh Masekela and Abbey Lincoln, as well as Max Roacheach, each representing a distinct part of the culture of the time.This six-week-long concert series' footage is, without a doubt, a remarkable time capsule. It also features fashion. Summer Of Soul is a blast of color and style, from the Motown suit and tie to the more radical Motown musicians to the matching bell bottoms and fringed vests that The Fifth Dimension wears on stage. The music is electric, with goosebump-inducing moments such as Jackson and Mavis Staples sharing a microphone for Take My Hand Precious Lord, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.'s last words. It's a great way to relate to the crowd, Ben Branch, the musician.Photo by Fox Searchlight PicturesSome films will be content to just let the quality of the archival footage speak for themselves; this was the approach taken by the 2018 Aretha Franklin documentary Amazing Grace. It was similarly assembled from previously unreleased footage of a legendary performance. There are moments when Thompson isn't afraid to cut away. Wonder gives in to the music, letting his body be a conduit and jumping on his chair as his fingers move over the keys. Summer Of Soul is full of Possession. Interviewees discuss how the idea that you can be taken over by a higher power during moments of creative (or divine) ecstasy has spread from African religions to Black culture and beyond. Even if you are not spiritual, it is hard to deny the fact that Nina Simone's songs can bring out something in people.Photo by Fox Searchlight PicturesAdvertisementSummer Of Soul's real strength lies in Thompsons filmmaking. The Roots drummer and frontman, Thompson, makes his directorial debut. He approaches the condensed narrative using a musician's sense of timing. With Joshua Pearson, he expertly creates rhythmic montages that transcend music-video devices to convey a feeling of conversation, with voices reaching across decades. Thompson tells stories about what happened behind the scenes during concerts. Thompson's film includes footage of The Fifth Dimension performing Aquarius/Let The Sun shine In. Another segment features Thompson smiling as he recalls his crush on Marilyn McCoo, a singer from the Roots. Intercut with this talking head is a McCoo interview about The Fifth Dimensions struggles to fit in with Black music scene. These clashing perspectives are accompanied by audio of the performance, which brings the moment to life.Summer Of Soul's other recurring theme is the history. Tony Lawrence, festival organizer and emcee, jokes with the crowd about the fact that the powerful performance they saw was just the beginning of Black history that evening. Thompson's favorite technique is modified Errol Morris. He films his subjects as they look at footage from fifty years ago. Their eyes well up with tears, expressing the emotion that they felt when their memories were recorded and validated. Some people try to express their gratitude. Thompson confirmed what I knew was true, one man said that he thanked Thompson. His voice broke with sadness over what was lost and gratefulness for what has been reclaimed. Although there is a sense of resignation about the fact that the footage was not picked up for broadcast in 1969, that is not the predominant feeling on the screen. Instead, we were immersed in celebration: of a time, of music and of a people.
