The Blues (TV Mini Series) Godfathers and Sons (2003) User Reviews

Great performances, fair documentary

[runamokprods · 7/10 · 23 March 2012]

Some amazing performances (or more accurately frustrating pieces of performances) by Koko Taylor, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and many others that were/are key part of the legendary Chicago blues scene make this worth seeing for any electric blues fan.

But it's an uneven film. Spending so much time on the Chess family and their record label, especially with an unquestioning air of glorification feels a bit awkward and repetitive. I'm glad I saw it, but I would rather of seen a lot more of the performers, and a lot less of Marshall Chess talking himself up.

Or I would have been happy to see a much more incisive, objective look at the double edged ways white record labels both helped and exploited their artists. But this ends up in no man's land, leaving me unsure of it's point, or point of view.

None-the-less, a can't miss for the fan, for the performances themselves.

No Valentine for the Chessmen

[tonstant viewer · 6/10 · 1 February 2009]

The title "Godfathers and Sons" tips you off right away that though the entry figure in the documentary is Marshall Chess, he's not getting a pass from the producers. It's not possible to understand Chicago blues without Chess Records, but far from being an uncritical tribute, the Chess family is shown to have both good and bad sides, something which has apparently confused the other reviewer here.

Though it's a documentary, not a concert film, you also get some good live performance footage, some fairly rare archival clips of greats like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Willie Dixon and others, and interviews with young rappers who are developing their own relationships with their musical heritage.

Not a great documentary for the ages, perhaps, but there are far worse ones in this subject area. And I would hesitate to evaluate this documentary one way or the other solely on the basis of the director's last name.

Anyone For Chess? Me, I'd Rather Hear The Blues

[ccthemovieman-1 · 4/10 · 30 January 2009]

This turned out to be more of a tribute to Chess family, than anything else. After the first 15 minutes, I hit the pause button and looked at the back of the DVD to see who directed this film. It was Marc Levin.

Well, Levin must related to Marshall Chess because that's basically who we saw in this two-hour video. Chess telling us how cool he and his father are for giving all the blacks a forum for their music at Chess Records in Chicago. We get a tour of the area and his old man's studio, too. Along for the ride, and numerous comments is rapper Chuck D. Rapper? What is this guy doing in here? You know, God bless Marshall and his dad Leonard or giving these great musicians a fair shot at Chess Records when others wouldn't, but having the whole episode with Leonard and his rapper friend? Come on.....it's a little much and it's very annoying.

I loved seeing footage of Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Reed, Koko Taylor, Magic Slim , Otis Rush and more but, overall, thanks to way too emphasis on our "guide," this was a fair-to-lousy presentation of the "blues."