Standing in the Shadows of Motown DVD

Elliot Scott Productions / Artisan Home Entertainment 2003

You’ve probably at least heard about this movie - reviews have been unanimously praiseful and peppered through every single publication in the land. It’s the story of the Funk Brothers - the unknown and underpaid musical geniuses that played on and created all of the instrumental arrangements for every single song to come out of Motown Records, during it’s formative years in Detroit. These men were largely forgotten by the music world until this film brought them the recognition they deserve. But with all the hoopla about this film already going on, you have every right to ask: ‘Why the hell is section M writing another review of this film?’ Two reasons. One, because it’s brilliant and moving, and two, because there’s a lot you don’t already know.

Case in point: did you know that the two men who formed the production company for this film are actually Paul Elliot and David Scott, two of the four Cisco employees who, a couple years ago, purchased North bay punk club, The Phoenix Theatre in Petaluma, to keep it from closing? Did you know that the film’s producer actually wound up in touch with Elliot entirely by accident because a friend of his just happened to be seated on an airplane next to Elliot and started chatting?

Another thing you probably don’t know is how funny this movie is. Watching these guys tell stories, it becomes pretty obvious that the rock ‘n roll lifestyle of sex, drugs, and drink obviously didn’t start with rock ‘n roll. There’s a story about several of them learning to really play as a band because they used to make money working at a house of burlesque, and this one dancer would actually conduct them, directing their every beat, by the exact and expressive clenching of her buttocks.

And the most important thing you’ve probably been left in the dark about is the level of joy about the music, and of the love that still exists between these men, even thirty years later. When they tell a story, they positively glisten with joy at the telling, and that draws the viewer into the stories that much more so. When you see them onstage, in the several performance sequences, finally playing their songs in the limelight they deserve, it is obvious they would rather be there than anywhere else.

A slight complaint I have is that a few of the “guest stars” that they have singing the hits can be a little annoying, and unfortunately the camera work here sometimes does the Funks the disservice of over-concentrating on said guests, rather than putting enough attention on the subjects of the movie. But all this is forgivable, especially on the DVD version.

That’s because the DVD version contains an absolute cornucopia of extras, so even if you saw it in the theater, it’s worth renting it for these, including hours more of interviews, recording sessions, outtakes, and wonderful featurettes on how this film came to be, and “The Ones That Didn’t Make It.”

- Michael Houghton