By Gregory Crofton Leonard Cohen, the beloved poet and troubadour from Montreal, surely was a narcissist, but name a great artist who doesn’t carry at least a touch of self obsession? More interesting was Cohen’s struggle with depression, his heavy…
Early Days Madonna Doc Hits the Right Note
By Gregory Crofton Director Guy Guido is an unabashed fan of this American icon and it shows in his film, an engaging mix of documentary and drama that reveals what went on with the young, vulnerable Madonna before she became…
‘AMAZING GRACE’ is Raw and Electric, Reveals the Power of Aretha Franklin’s Gospel
By Gregory Crofton “AMAZING GRACE” likely ranks as the most complicated documentary ever made. Directed by the late, great Sydney Pollack, it was filmed over two nights in Los Angeles’ New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in 1972. But it wasn’t…
‘Lambert & Stamp’: A Must-See Doc for True Fans of ‘The Who’
This two-hour film about the origins of The Who can be abrasive, relentless, almost difficult to get through. But it’s also very rich and somewhat innovative, kind of like the band it’s documenting. Pete Townshend was a young art student…
‘STUDIO 54’ Tells Whole Sordid Story of this Legendary NYC Dance Club
By Gregory Crofton At the heart of this entertaining documentary is the rise of celebrity and sexual freedom, call it disco freedom, a safe place where gays, straights and transexuals could party side-by-side every night. Studio 54, which opened in…