In a deal that has been worked out for some time now, before becoming a collectible the home vid market, Lorber Films will give the well-aged 2006 preemed doc film that celebrates the life and music of Harry Nilsson at short release commencing at the Cinema Village. Directed by John Scheinfeld and in the same style as The U.S. vs. John Lennon, Who is Harry Nilsson (and Why is Everybody Talkin’ About Him)? which opens on the second Friday of September, is a talking heads docu and if you’re like me, and know the voice but not the man, then this might be the ideal docu to brush up on. Here’s the synopsis:
The Beatles said that Harry Nilsson was their favorite American musician. In his career, Nilsson won 2 Grammys and sold 17 gold records, and yet he is relatively unknown today. Who Is Harry Nilsson?, a wildly entertaining, star-studded documentary, sets out to prove that he was one of the most talented singer-songwriters in pop music history. Through a hall-of-fame roll call of interviews (and archival audio of Nilsson himself) with Brian Wilson, Randy Newman, Robin Williams, Micky Dolenz, Yoko Ono, and many others, director John Scheinfeld paints a detailed and revelatory portrait of this troubled genius. It delves deeply into his artistic process, including the genesis of classic tunes like “One is the Loneliest Number”, his combative friendship with John Lennon, and the addictions that haunted him inside and outside the studio. But most of all it depicts a devoted husband and father who finally found ameasure of peace outside the passing glare of fame.
