Elly Roberts reviews
Johnny Cash: The Unauthorised Biography
Distributed by
Demon Vision
- Cat.no: DEMONDVDM007
- Released: March 2006
- Format: DVD 9
- Rating: 6/10
- Running time: 120 minutes
- Region: 2, PAL
- Fullscreen: 4:3
- Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0
- Classification: E (Exempt)
- Languages: English & German
- Retail price: £9.99
- Extras: None
Johnny Cash's major career credits read like this,
- 11 Grammy awards, 15,000 plus songs recorded, Nashville Music Hall of
Fame 1980, Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame 1992, Library of Congress Living Legend
Award 1999, 50 million records sold.
This in-depth two hour documentary charts the life and times of one of the
greatest music icons to emerge from America, spanning almost 48 years. This
complex character from rural Dyess, Arkansas was probably summed up best in a
line of a Kris Kristofferson song - "He's a walking contradiction". As you'll
discover, there are many 'significant' events that would eventually shape
his personal and professional life. There's the good, the bad and the ugly.
He was regularly battling with his conscience over his 'dark side' that
brought him much notoriety, ironically adding to the 'legend'.
Born into a humble and religious family, young Cash was brought up on a diet
of music and faith, which would see him through his career, though he would
struggle to reconcile with both at times. Using stock archive footage and
unique snippets in B&W and colour, (though the over-use of recurring images
and re-enactments become tedious) we're given an insight into his
achievements and downfalls via interviews with younger brother Tommy Cash,
band drummer W.S.' Fluke' Holland and various 'associates' along his
incredible journey.
Carefully and meticulously chronologised, it pools
together a wealth of stories and facts that portray a colourful life which
juxtapose his 'The Man In Black' image, an idea he took from B-movie legend
Lash La Rue. For almost a decade he was a substance abuser: alcohol and
amphetamines, which brought him many a crisis. Due to gruelling touring
schedules, at his peak clocking-up over 300,000 miles, the drugs and alcohol
kept him on top of his prolific writing and performances, despite playing
havoc with his health. Cash seemed hell-bent on pushing his behaviour to
extremes. Eventually he kicked the habit.
Haunted by one event which he
regularly revisited, was the death of his beloved older brother Jack during
a sawmill accident. Even though Johnny wasn't present, his father blamed him
for his death. Low moments and crazy behaviour, particularly during touring,
would spur Cash to record gospel albums - a kind of therapeutic exercise.
Itemising the highs and lows, the DVD concludes his career by the divine
intervention of record producer Rick Rubin who transformed the has-been
country singer back to a hip music icon.
Marrying second wife June Carter,
of the famous Bluegrass Carter Family eventually had a profound and positive
affect on him, which stayed with him until he died on September 12, 2003,
four months after June's death.
Brother Tommy summed him up like this, "Johnny Cash was my brother, and
still is my brother, and I miss him terribly. But I look back and see one of
the greatest men I ever knew. He was the most talented songwriter, singer,
loving, kind person, but he had a mean streak. I've always said that he was
the nicest, sweetest, kindest, meanest most humble guy I ever knew in my
life".
This is one man who definitely walked the line.
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.