Disc Reviews
Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt | DVD Review
“It is clear to see that thought and love were put, not only into the
telling of the story but also, into the structure and technique used by
the filmmaker – in this case that’s Margaret Brown.”
Good Music documentaries not only tell a story but tell a story with the
music at it’s forefront. Be Here to Love Me entertains on so many
levels. There are stories that seem more like fiction than fact, funny
antidotes that help to balance out the serious drama of a man living on
the edge and music that drives straight to heart of it all.
You have to look back to music documentaries like Woodstock and the Last
Waltz to understand how this film plays amongst the rest. Documentaries
like that are more than talking heads. The music is pivotal to the
experience of making and viewing the film. Film likes Thirty Two Short
Films About Glenn Gould are born from the music and not the solely
desire for information. The music documentary is one rarely done right.
It is clear to see that thought and love were put, not only into the
telling of the story but also, into the structure and technique used by
the filmmaker – in this case that’s Margaret Brown. She makes her
feature length debut with this film and with it she shows her
willingness to experiment with the documentary genre and not reenact
scenes of Townes Van Zandt’s life but instead create images of his
wayward moods and distant emotions that are so readily depicted in his
songs. Some of Townes’ deeply felt songs play over scenes of the
countryside, filmed out of a pick up truck with a dreamcatcher swinging, hanging from the slightly tilted, rearview mirror. There are numerous well conceived marriages of music and picture depicted throughout.
The DVD commentary is packed with insights into the filmmaking process
but soon it evolves into a casual, and enjoyable to listen to,
conversation between Margaret Brown (Director), Lee
Daniel (Cinematographer) and Joe Ely (musician/close friend of Townes).
The extras include performances by Townes Van Zandt, where you get to
here him at his best and others in his seemingly most desperate –
coughing over his own vocals sitting in a baren, hotel room.
A touching cover of Nothin’ (One of Townes most haunting works) is performed by
Towne’s oldest son, JT, with his father’s guitar. And if the stories
aren’t enough for you in the final cut of the documentary, there are
numerous cut interviews that reveal a little more about the man behind
the music by Emmylou Harris, Guy Clark and Steve Shelly of Sonic Youth.
This is a must have for fans of Townes and those that love the music
that comes from the heart of the South. Others might enjoy getting a
glimpse of the life of the self-destructive rebellious musical archetype
that we, for some reason, have come to admire and aspire to be like.
It’s entertaining all the way through, but it’s all about the music.
It’s all about the music.