Neil Young - Heart of Gold
by Jonathan Demme
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Actor: Ben Keith, Emmylou Harris, Neil Young, Pegi Young, Spooner OldhamDirector: Jonathan Demme
Brand: DEMME,JONATHAN
Producer: Neil Young
Producer: Jonathan Demme
Producer: Elliot Rabinowitz
Producer: Gary Goetzman
Producer: Ilona Herzberg
Producer: Mia Lee
Producer: Paul Deason
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: AC-3, Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, NTSC, Special Edition, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 103 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-06-13
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Paramount
DVD Reviews of Neil Young - Heart of Gold
DVD Review: Absolutely Essential
Summary: 5 Stars
Neil Young debuted his 2005 album Prairie Wind in special performances for friends, the press, and other insiders at the historic location of Nashville's Grand Ole Opry. Director Jonathan Demme, a frequent collaborator, filmed the results, yielding the magnificent Heart of Gold. An intensely personal, close-up view of Young as well as a great film and performance in itself, it is essential for anyone even remotely interested in Young.
Fans will of course be mostly curious about the performance, which is superb. Young plays all of Prairie Wind plus a generous sprinkling of his other country rock-esque cuts with Prairie's excellent band and other long-time partners. He is in top form, singing his proverbial heart out as only he can do and playing great guitar, piano, and harmonica. Very few singers even rival his emotionality and phrasing, and he is as good as ever here; he has lost very little of his voice, especially compared to other singers his age, and certainly none of his intensity or stage presence. This last comes in part from frequent comments delivered in a sincere, seemingly spontaneous manner; some are surprising, even disarming, while others are humorous or revealing, and all are tenderly charming. The band - including standbys like Ben Keith, Spooner Oldham, Rick Rosas, and Chad Cromwell - is also top-notch and gives a truly great performance. Emmylou Harris fans will be thrilled to see her in a prominent role. Prairie is overrated and really only decent but truly seems to come alive here; Young's profound emotion and concentration bring out unexpected subtleties, making several cuts go from decent to good and others from bad to decent. The backing vocals, a prime album defect, are also noticeably improved. Perhaps more fundamentally, Young is the kind of artist who is simply mesmerizing to watch; he has that indefinable but all-important "something" that only the best performers have. Reciting his laundry list would be engrossing, and this certainly is. Even better, though, is the encore, which consists mostly of songs from the beloved Harvest and Harvest Moon plus a few from Comes a Time and elsewhere. Young performs some of his best and most popular songs ("Heart of Gold," "The Needle and the Damage Done," "Harvest Moon," "I Am a Child") as well as lesser-known ones that are often nearly as good. Highlights include "No Wonder," "It's a Dream," "When God Made Me," "Four Strong Winds," and "One of These Days." This is quite simply one of Young's best latter-day performances, and having it for posterity is a great treasure.
The film is also very well-done as a film. Demme understands Young as few do; he knows how to record his music, and his visual elements are sympathetic. Befitting the songs' simplicity, he keeps things very simple with minimal scenery and avoids distracting effects. He basically lets the music speak for itself, as it always should; unlike so many directors, he does not interrupt or truncate songs. Interviews with Young and other principals are used, and there is a significant amount of footage showing Nashville, the auditorium, etc. However, it is tasteful and respectful; Demme never lets it overwhelm the music, instead accentuating it. The interviews are interesting and informative, revealing much about Young and others, and the additional footage is valuable both as background and on its own often visually arresting terms. Demme's cinematography is also spot-on; he of course focuses on Young but knows when to show others and when close-ups are needed. The few special touches that he does add are first-rate and very fitting. It is worth noting that neither he nor Young refer to Heart as a concert film, and indeed it is atypical. The crowd is never shown, which makes things seem all the more intimate; we feel as if we are watching a very personal rehearsal even with Young's crowd comments and its slight noise. The main effect is lighting; coupled with apparent crowd absence, it gives a very strong dream atmosphere reinforced in the final song. Wardrobes are also very appropriate and even stunning.
There are also substantial extras, most of which are high quality. The main feature is the "Rehearsal Diaries" narrated by Demme - a fascinating inside peek at every aspect of show preparation. It gives a good idea of Young's notorious perfectionism and thus great insight into him as artist and bandleader. A shorter "Finishing Touches" segment does much the same. We also get additional interviews with him and others that are often as good as what was used. Less intriguing but still worthwhile is a segment where long-time Young guitar tech Larry Cragg gives a tour of Young's instruments and a short bit of Young warming up with the legendary Fisk University Jubilee Singers who add their distinctive vocals to "When God." Finally, we get Young's famous 1971 Johnny Cash Show performance of "The Needle" - a fine take and interesting contrast.
One simply could not ask for a better concert film of Young's Nashville songs. The performance is immaculate and the film well-done in every respect. Anyone interested in Young - and not just in these songs - must get it, as it transcends apparently self-imposed limitations and moves into true greatness.
Description of Neil Young - Heart of Gold
Academy-award winning director Jonathan Demme beautifully captures Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legend, Neil Young as he prepares and presents the performance of a lifetime with the help of his wife Peggi and friends country star Emmylou Harris, steel guitarist Ben Keith and more at Nashville?s Grand Ole Opry.Pop Music CDs
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