Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man

[Johann]

June 21st- mark your calendar.

A new music film about the Canadian poet Icon from Montreal is hitting theatres.

I'm almost trembling at the thought of this film.
It could be the best we'll see all year.

If you know anything about this man then you'll know what I mean.

www.leonardcohenimyourman.com

[Johann]

Watch the trailer people.

Everybody knows that the dice are loaded...

[Johann]

You abandon your masterpiece and you sink into your real masterpiece...

[oscar jubis]

Sorry, but this Leonard Cohen fan is not all that excited. Film includes a new interview with the man but he sings only once, "Tower of Song" with U2. The rest is a tribute show of dubious merit. And the inexperienced producer/director collaborated with Mel Gibson on a soundtrack based on his vile Jesus flick. I think I'd rather read "Beautiful Losers" again.

[Johann]

U2 & Leonard might be awesome.

Have you heard their collaboration with Johnny Cash called "the Wanderer?"

I crank that puppy up sometimes first thing in the morning.





I went out walking
through streets paved with gold
lifted some stones saw the skin and bones
of a city without a soul

I went out walking
under an atomic sky
where the ground won't turn and the rain it burns
like the tears when I said goodbye

Yeah, I went with nothing, nothing but the thought of you

I went wandering

[oscar jubis]

Will seek it out, no doubt. Hope you share your thoughts after watching the film. I'm afraid the covers of Cohen songs would only make me wish for the unblemished originals.

[Johann]

It's true: I don't always post when I should.

I've kept quite a few reviews to myself. I'm kinda selfish that way.
I have several notebooks and journals and some things I've withheld. I don't really know why. The excuse was gonna be "for my own website" but that hasn't happened I don't know when it will. I can be so lazy I could slip into a coma sometimes.

"I was gonna write review, but then I got high..."
Anybody know that song?

Reviews from film fests, restrospectives, and other screenings and DVD comments haven't been posted.

I'd like to say I haven't had the time, but that's B.S.

While I'm confessing my sins, I also constantly have something on my mind that Bill Burroughs said before he died: writers are very poor judges of their own work.

maybe I'm just too self-conscious

[oscar jubis]

If you've kept stuff for your own future website, all I have to say is "good for you" and "let me know when so I can visit".
If you're being self-conscious, let me reiterate what many of us have said before: reading your writings is entertaining and edifying, even inspiring.

[Johann]

Excellent film, but it does lack enough of Mr. Leonard Cohen.


It's basically a tribute concert with snippets, soundbites, and archive footage interspersed.

The poet is the most interesting thing, yet we only get little bits of him, with a very nice live performance from the Slipper Room
of Sir Leonard with U2: "Tower of Song".
Great guitar parts by the Edge...

Rufus Wainwright knocks 3 songs out of the park- he's a great performer.
Nick Cave is good, Antony's song blew me away and in general each cover was first rate. Excellent versions of excellent songs.

Cohen's humour shines through, and although he inspires awe in so many people, I got the vibe that in his mind he knows he's just a regular joe. (who can WRITE).

His re-telling of his experiences as a Zen Monk student were proof that he was searching for himself, trying to shed the ego, the "ladies man" tag, and the weight of his past as a "performer".


Highly recommended documentary.

[Chris Knipp]

I reviewed this and started a thread on it a couple months ago
http://www.filmwurld.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1778 I essentially agree with all your comments above, Johann. I just went into a bit more detail.