Perhaps the worst rock 'n' roll movie ever. It doesn't matter if you liked Hendrix or not, this is a first class stinker.
The theme seems to be good boy goes bad, at least a bad ass American rock icon. I don't buy it. OK he is a rock icon, but never as goody, goody as this movie paints his early life. There is no explanation for the changes, the metaphorsis just happens.
The script is bad, especially in the beginning and the acting not much better.
The movie picks up a little speed, as the counter cultural Hendrix emerges, but the horrible script just takes it down again.
The music that is used is OK with me, at least it has the Hendrix flavor, but of course Hendrix originals would helped.
The flash back technique of story telling is annoying, but not as annoying as the lousy script. The supposed last day interview, used as the flash back vehicle, doesn't work. Hate to harp on it, but I can't see Hendrix ever behaving or talking this way.
How he changed and influenced rock music, is simply being disrespected by this piece of low budget garbage.
Having little budget is no excuse, great films have been made for peanuts. "My Own Private Idaho" cost 2 1/2 million and works because Van Sant paid attention to details. This "epic" not only misses the details, but many important major points. His song writing is ignored, his innovative technique with guitar not recognized or explained, there are simply no insights of any kind here.
The constant zooming of the camera is pointless, we're not watching a porno here.
I haven't even mentioned that the handling of his death is so incomplete, that all I can figure is that they ran out of money and had to stop, and bring off the conclusion as cheaply as possible.
Wood Harris tries to over come this embarrassing situation and shows talent, but he needs the talent to recognize trash. Can you ever image Hendrix saying the words "dig it". If I were Harris, I would have demanded all clichés be eliminate before I say the words. The rewrite would have taken years and we would have all been spared.
NOT FOR ANYONE!!!
The theme seems to be good boy goes bad, at least a bad ass American rock icon. I don't buy it. OK he is a rock icon, but never as goody, goody as this movie paints his early life. There is no explanation for the changes, the metaphorsis just happens.
The script is bad, especially in the beginning and the acting not much better.
The movie picks up a little speed, as the counter cultural Hendrix emerges, but the horrible script just takes it down again.
The music that is used is OK with me, at least it has the Hendrix flavor, but of course Hendrix originals would helped.
The flash back technique of story telling is annoying, but not as annoying as the lousy script. The supposed last day interview, used as the flash back vehicle, doesn't work. Hate to harp on it, but I can't see Hendrix ever behaving or talking this way.
How he changed and influenced rock music, is simply being disrespected by this piece of low budget garbage.
Having little budget is no excuse, great films have been made for peanuts. "My Own Private Idaho" cost 2 1/2 million and works because Van Sant paid attention to details. This "epic" not only misses the details, but many important major points. His song writing is ignored, his innovative technique with guitar not recognized or explained, there are simply no insights of any kind here.
The constant zooming of the camera is pointless, we're not watching a porno here.
I haven't even mentioned that the handling of his death is so incomplete, that all I can figure is that they ran out of money and had to stop, and bring off the conclusion as cheaply as possible.
Wood Harris tries to over come this embarrassing situation and shows talent, but he needs the talent to recognize trash. Can you ever image Hendrix saying the words "dig it". If I were Harris, I would have demanded all clichés be eliminate before I say the words. The rewrite would have taken years and we would have all been spared.
NOT FOR ANYONE!!!