Friday, August 16, 2013

Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me

2.5 Paws
Seen recently at Film Streams

So there I was, sitting in a theatre packed with local indie music types, tears streaming down my face. Caught unprepared, I had to wipe my nose on my sweater. We exited through the side door into the parking lot, which gave me a chance to recover my voice - and a little of my dignity - as we made our way to the car.

I had no idea who Big Star was until recently when I rushed into my husband's home office one evening to find out who he had on the turntable. The music was sweet, sad and shot me straight back to the seventies - why hadn't I ever heard this on the radio back in the day?

It turns out I wasn't alone. The story of the group's lack of breakthrough success - despite critical acclaim - is covered in this documentary, which runs a bit too long and relies a bit too much on still photos in heavy rotation to accompany the voice-over. But here it is three days later, and I'm still haunted by Chris Bell and all he was and all he wanted to be.

I think he might have liked that.

Bonus Bones: 1
Look for a basset hound in the lap of an interviewee.