Soul Power

I literally just sat down to my computer after leaving the theater for tonight's Cinema 10 screening of "Soul Power (2008)," a film that's been delayed since last semester. My review for the first film of the season took a few days to be published because I felt like the other things I was doing were much more important. But I could not wait to get back to my computer so I could write down my thoughts on this powerful, awe-inspiring movie. As a matter of fact, I'm currently in the process of scouring all free-sources available for James Brown and BB King music - something I never imagined myself doing. I've never really been fond of blues or soul or funk or anything to that effect until tonight. I wish now more than ever that this film hadn't been delayed so I would have been moved by this music before my last few months as an undergraduate. I feel like I'm rambling, so I'll actually say something about the movie's content.

"Soul Power" documents a 1974 music festival that took place in Zaire featuring the legendary James Brown, BB King, Bill Withers, and a slew of others. The three day event was meant to coincide with a heavy-weight boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, but that was ultimately postponed. At first, the film is just a bunch of musicians and promoters talking about how important this music festival is, some interviews, and some footage of stages being erected and sound equipment being tested. There are beautiful shots of women carrying their children sandwiched between scenes of press conferences, while any type of music places throughout. This is all entertaining, certainly, but the film really picks up as the bands begin their journey across the ocean to Zaire; it's a plane ride filled with loud, improvised music, and more uplifting back-and-forth about how important the movement we're all about to witness is. From that point on, almost all of the time is taken up by concert footage, and I haven't a single gripe with that. Whether or not I had any knowledge of the artist performing didn't matter; each musician played their instrument so skillfully and confidently that to snub would surely be a sign that you hate fun.

I've found with Cinema 10 films that a common theme is the idea of the language barrier. That is: our different languages keep us from forming meaningful connections. Whether this is present in the film itself (between two characters from different-speaking countries) or between the film and the audience (an English speaking viewer reading subtitles and missing the subtleties of a foreign film), the language barrier seems to be a constant. This film seems to reject this notion, though. At numerous points throughout the film, one person or another comments on the fact that many of the musicians performing speak English, while the bulk of the audience is French-speaking. Despite this, they say that everyone listening knows every lyric to every song. They dance and sing like the music was written just for them. It is the music that brings them together and allows them to embrace one another. It sounds almost hokey when you put it in writing like this, but there's no other way to put it: this film is about people joining together through the power of music and the happiness it can bring without regard for race or beliefs.

Verdict: More Stoked than I have ever been. This is one of the best films that Cinema 10 has brought to Potsdam, second only to "Synecdoche, New York (2008)", and was by far the most fun film they have ever had. From start to finish, this film is nothing short of fantastic and wonderful. I only wish more people had attended so that more people would know about this great piece of art we have. Ignore the relatively low rating that IMDb gives it. Do anything you can to get ahold of this movie, and then find all of its music (preferably on Vinyl).