Jimi:
All Is By My Side (2014/XLrator Blu-ray)
Picture:
B+ Sound: B+ Extras: D Film: B-
Jimi:
All Is By My Side, directed by the writer of 12 Years A Slave
and Red Tails John Ridley, is an interesting look at the
musician in his up and coming years in America but mostly London.
Trying to find his voice and stand out from the crowd, Hendrix finds
himself in something of a love triangle, playing performances that
get better by the night until he soon gets the attention of famous
musicians such as Eric Clapton and The Beatles and really starts to
get his career going. One problem with the film is that despite its
118 minute length, it ends right when it starts to really get
interesting which is when Jimi is preparing to play his infamous
performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. The mood overall is
vintage and intimate with no parts being too overacted or performed
yet ultimately natural in tone.
Fusing
a unique mix of documentary footage from the period, an unusual
looking film stock, and excellent production design the film ends up
being slow paced and at times bleak. The film stars Andre Benjamin
(of music's OutKast) as
Hendrix, the stunningly gorgeous Hayley Atwell (Captain
America/Marvel's Agent Carter) and Imogen Poots (the Fright
Night remake) as Linda Keith - to whom was dating Keith Richards
at the time when she discovered Hendrix and kickstarted his career.
The
film does not include any songs written by Hendrix, as the
filmmakers' request to use them was denied by Experience Hendrix LLC
(Hendrix's estate). Instead, the film set in London in 1966 and 1967
includes the songs that Hendrix performed during those years, shortly
before the release of his debut album, Are
You Experienced.
The only songs I recognized was Wild
Thing
and of course his cover of title song from
The
Beatles' Sgt.
Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
that
the Experience famously performed at the Savile Theatre on June 4,
1967 before an audience containing both George Harrison and Paul
McCartney (the album had just been released).
The
film has caused controversy as several of Hendrix's friends,
including Kathy Etchingham, who has vocally decried the film as
largely fictitious. This includes scenes depicting a fictionalized
Hendrix violently and repeatedly beating Etchingham (played by Hayley
Atwell). In interviews given recently, Etchingham describes Hendrix
as a gentle man, and the time she spent with him some of the best
years of her life.
The
1080p high definition transfer is in a sharp 2:39:1 widescreen aspect
ratio and has solid tones and colors throughout the film that bring
it to life. The sound mix is an unsurpassed, lossless DTS-HD Master
Audio 5.1 mix (48kHz, 16-bit) that pits you in the crowd when Jimi is
playing on stage.
One
drawback to the disc is the lack of extras with only a Trailer and a
featurette on the Music in the film.
All
in all, if you are a Hendrix fan then this is something worth
checking out. The artist isn't necessarily always shown in good
light here, which makes for an interesting study on his character.
-
James Harland Lockhart V
www.facebook.com/jhl5films
