standing in the shadows of motown is a 2002 documentary film directed by paul justman that recounts the story of the funk brothers , the uncredited and largely unheralded studio musicians who were the house band that berry gordy hand picked in 1959 .

they recorded and performed on motowns ' recordings from 1959 to 1972 .

the film was inspired by the 1989 book standing in the shadows of motown : the life and music of legendary bassist james jamerson , a bass guitar instruction book by allan slutsky , which features the bass lines of james jamerson .

the film covers the funk brothers ' career via interviews with surviving band members , archival footage and still photos , dramatized re-enactments , and narration by actor andre braugher .

the film also features new live performances of several motown hit songs , with the funk brothers backing up gerald levert , me ' shell ndegeocello , joan osborne , ben harper , bootsy collins , chaka khan , and montell jordan .

the impetus behind making the film was to bring these influential players out of anonymity .

in addition to bassist james jamerson , the funk brothers consisted of the following musicians : jack ashford ( percussion ) ; bob babbitt ( bass ) ; joe hunter ( keyboards ) ; uriel jones ( drums ) ; joe messina ( guitar ) ; eddie willis ( guitar ) ; richard " pistol " allen ( drums ) ; benny " papa zita " benjamin ( drums ) ; eddie " bongo " brown ( percussion ) ; johnny griffith ( keyboards ) ; earl van dyke ( keyboards ) ; and robert white ( guitar ) .

the funk brothers produced more hits than the beatles , the rolling stones , and the beach boys together .

it was their sound , according to mary wilson ( of the supremes ) , that backed the temptations , the supremes , the miracles , the four tops , gladys knight & the pips , marvin gaye , stevie wonder , and mary wells , among other noteworthy bands during their tenure from 1959 to 1973 .

standing in the shadows of motown

listen to standing in the shadows of motown [ soundtrack ( deluxe edition ) ] now .
standing in the shadows of motown ( 2002 ) , a documentary about a group of detroit musicians who backed up dozens of motown artists .
that ' s changing with the new documentary standing in the shadows of motown , which opened in new york and los angeles nov . 15 and goes to 12 more cities this weekend .
were part of the group of musicians known as the funk brothers whose sound defined motown in the 1960s and 70s . they worked with such legendary performers as diana ross and the supremes , the temptations , marvin gaye , the four tops , stevie wonder , smokey robinson , the miracles and many more . the funk brothers are the subject of the new documentary standing in the shadows of motown .
standing in the shadows of motown
, is the documentary film that tells the story of motown ' s legendary studio band , the funk brothers . the funk brothers were a relatively unknown group of musicians who have played on as many no . 1 one hits as the beach boys , the rolling stones , elvis and the beatles combined ! !
standing in the shadows of motown
first movie screening at the library of congress . the funk brothers gathered in detroit last november 2000 for filming . they were : bob babbitt , richard ' ' pistol ' ' allen , jack ashford , uriel jones , joe hunter , eddie willis , joe messina and johnny griffin .
think of the supremes , gladys knight , smokey robinson , marvin gaye , martha reeves , stevie wonder and the temptations . you hold decades of pop musical history in your mind : the motown sound . now ask who the instrumentalists were on their records . or don ' t even bother , because the question is asked and answered in the affectionate new documentary
standing in the shadows of motown .
in the movie , fans are asked , who played on the recordings with those artists ? who for example was behind gladys knight ?
the pips ?
asks one motown fan .
documentary about the funk brothers , a group of detroit musicians who backed up dozens of motown artists .
i n 1959 , berry gordy gathered the best musicians from detroit ' s thriving jazz and blues scene to begin cutting songs for his new record company . over a fourteen year period they were the heartbeat on
my girl ,
bernadette ,
i was made to love her ,
and every other hit from motown ' s detroit era . b y the end of their phenomenal run , this unheralded group of musicians had played on more number ones hits than the beach boys , the rolling stones , elvis and the beatles combined - which makes them the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music . they called themselves the funk brothers . f orty - one years after they played their first note an a motown record and three decades since they were all together , the funk brothers reunited back in detroit to play their music and tell their unforgettable story in standing in the shadows of motown . w ith the tumultuous sixties as a backdrop , motown ' s unsung heroes take the viewer on a compelling journey in time as they trace the evolution of the motown sound
from its origins in detroit to its demise in los angeles during the seventies . through the eyes of the riveting characters who ruled hitsville ' s studio by day and the club scene of detroit by night , we enter a world of unparalleled soul and emotion as the funk brothers revisit the sites of their musical roots , triumphs , and eventual heartbreak . f or more than four decades , from the dance floors of the world , to the detroit riots of 1967 , to the war in vietnam , the music the funk brothers created has played a major role in the cultural fabric of all of our lives . standing in the shadows of motown finally puts some faces on that music and introduces these heroic musical figures to the world .
the phenomenal story of motown has been told many times - - so many times in fact that the notion of an untold part of its legacy seems far - fetched . but as the documentary film
motown has one of the most closely protected catalogs in the music industry . but slutsky says this film has more than 30 songs in it , thanks to company founder gordy , who opened it up for the making of the movie .
what ' s interesting about these performances is that the singers make no attempt to imitate the original artists , and yet the funks turn the songs into soundalikes anyway . is it possible those great motown stars were more or less created by these unsung musicians ? the funks think that is a distinct possibility . of course , the backup singers had a lot to do with it , too , and this movie never gets around to them . they ' re in the shadows of the shadows .
drummer uriel jones , left , and pianist joe hunter , original members of motown ' s house band , still play in detroit .
the motown sound came to an end in 1972 , when gordy moved the label from detroit to los angeles , with
no warning and no acknowledgement .
the funks found out from a notice tacked to the door . some of them followed motown to the coast , but the magic was gone , and the movie doesn ' t ask the obvious question : why didn ' t some of the singers they worked with know how important they were , and demand them , or return to detroit to record with them ?
standing in the shadows of motown
interlaces interviews with the surviving funk brothers with new performances of many of the hit songs , and some sequences in which events of the past are re - created . the flashback sequences are not especially effective , but are probably better than more talking heads . or maybe not . the contemporary performers who sing in front of the funks include joan osborne , ben harper , me ' shell ndegeocello , montell jordan , gerald levert , chaka khan and the flamboyant bootsy collins , who upstages the funks , not to his own advantage .
no , it wasn ' t the pips , the miracles or the vandellas . the musicians who played behind all of the motown stars on their studio recordings were the funk brothers . the funk brothers ? paul justman ' s documentary , based on a book by allan slutsky , gives belated praise to motown ' s house musicians , the men who played under all the motown hits recorded in detroit .
nov 19 , 2002 motown backup band , the funk brothers tavis smiley interviews two members of the legendary motown house band , the funk brothers , frontman and percussionist jack ashford and keyboardist joe hunter .
— a documentary about the funk brothers , a group of detroit musicians who backed up dozens of motown artists from 1959 to 1972 .
you will need this cd for disc 2 which has many instrumental versions of motown classics . worth the price for instrumental version of supremes love is like an itching in my heart which is sensational
the first motown sides were cut in
studio a ,
which was simply the garage of berry gordy , the label ' s founder . it was down four steps from his kitchen and originally had a dirt floor . along with sun studios in memphis , it was one of the birthplaces of the last half - century of american hit music . the movie returns to that location (
hitsville , usa
) for sessions in which the surviving funk brothers remember the good times and bad , and the very sound of the studio itself .
after all of the credits roll , we see a few of the funk brothers leaving the snake pit and turning off the lights .
i ' m not even a big fan of motown records , but this film is something else . the funk brothers were the sessions players who played on a large percentage of the hits of the 60 ' s and early 70 ' s . sadly some of the key players died before this film was made but the remaining musicians get together and play . the contemparay film of them reformed playing motown classics is absolutely marvellous . it helps if you put the 5 . 1 sound on as well . the first performance brought me close to tears . the documentary film is also interesting and the stories about the legendary bass player ( who i had never heard of ) james jamerson and others are fascinating . i watched it three times in the first month of owning the dvd . this is an essential music dvd for those interested in the history of motown .
this is a great documentary which captures the essence of the funk brothers and the way they defined the motown sound in the 1960s as the label ' s resident session band . the film was made some years ago and a number of those featured have since died , so this is the nearest one can get to sitting in a pub with these groundbreaking musicians and listening to their tales of life in 1960s detroit . a particularly moving part of the documentary is when band members black and white describe the camaraderie amongst them following the murder of martin luther king and the subsequent flaring of local tensions . the stories of those band members who had died prior to the documentary ( in particular james jamerson and benny benjamin ) are not forgotten with a particular focus on jamerson . it even inspired me to get my bass out of the loft !
having seen the film , recently , on the motown night bbc3 , i bought the cd purely for the joan osbourne versions of ' ( love is like a ) heatwave ' and ' what becomes of the broken . . .
i ' ll admit my view may be a little twisted , but when you think motown , it ' s the story of the incredible studio band with a revolving set of vocalists ,
slutsky says .
they were the continuity . they were the reason motown sounded the way it sounded .
a soundtrack featuring the film ' s live performances came out in september . among the highlights are osborne ' s wrenching what becomes of the brokenhearted , levert ' s fiery reach out i ' ll be there and bootsy collins ' boisterous do you love me . the soundtrack will be included in a deluxe edition due in january that will feature a second cd with 16 classic motown tracks stripped of the vocals and strings to emphasize the music of the funk brothers . a dvd with additional filmed interviews and a concert at the knitting factory in los angeles are due next spring .
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as motown ' s studio band , the funk brothers kept those unforgettable grooves bubbling up from the basement at hitsville usa .
their music fueled the careers of the temptations , the supremes , the miracles , the four tops , gladys knight and the pips , marvin gaye , stevie wonder , mary wells and others from the time the company started in the late 1950s until it left detroit for california in 1973 . ( related item : funk brothers , where art though now ? )
detroit | michigan | 1959 . berry gordy gathered the best musicians from the city ' s thriving jazz and blues scene for his new record company : motown . they called themselves the funk brothers | and they were the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music . this is their story .
in 1959 , berry gordy jr . gathered the best musicians from detroit ' s thriving jazz and blues scene to begin cutting songs for his new record company . over a fourteen year period they were the heartbeat on every hit from motown ' s detroit era . by the end of their phenomenal run , this unheralded group of musicians had played on more number ones hits than the beach boys , the rolling stones , elvis and the beatles combined - which makes them the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music . they called themselves the funk brothers . forty - one years after they played their first note on a motown record and three decades since they were all together , the funk brothers reunited back in detroit to play their music and tell their unforgettable story , with the help of archival footage , still photos , narration , interviews , re - creation scenes , 20 motown master tracks , and twelve new live performances of motown classics with the brothers backing up contemporary performers .
this february 2004 the dream was fulfilled when the funk brothers won their long overdue lifetime achievement awards , and it felt great ! after years of playing music as the studio band for motown records in virtual anonymity , they received their long overdue acknowledgement as an important part of rock and roll history . i am proud to be part of the production of this movie about their lives .
during paul justman ' s film documentary standing in the shadows of motown , based on al slutsky ' s book of the same name about the session musicians who played on motown recordings in detroit from the late ' 50s to the early ' 70s , one of the interviewees is heard to comment that once those musicians , who dubbed themselves the funk brothers , finished cutting a backing track , it almost didn ' t matter who sang over it . it is no criticism of the singers who appear on this soundtrack album , which consists mainly of the new performances of motown hits that punctuate the film , to say that the music heard here bears that observation out . the singers have been well chosen for the songs . me ' shell ndeg�ocello , for example , offers a contemporary gloss on smokey robinson ' s
you ' ve really got a hold on me
and channels eddie kendricks on the temptations '
cloud nine ,
while gerald levert makes like levi stubbs on the four tops '
reach out i ' ll be there ,
joan osborne lives up to martha reeves on the vandellas '
( love is like a ) heat wave ,
and bootsy collins brings humor and outrageousness to the contours '
do you love me
and the capitols '
cool jerk .
but the legend on the back of the disc ,
starring the funk brothers on all tracks
is well put . this is a cohesive group , not just some studio professionals . the band is mixed louder and much more clearly than they were in the 1960s , when their sound was compressed , toned down behind the vocalists , and presented ( at least on the am radios on which it was most frequently heard ) in mono . while the motown sound was the product of its singers , songwriters , arrangers , and producers as well as the musicians who played the instruments , their contribution has been undervalued , and this recording demonstrates that amply .
special thanks to : seen at the end of the movie . see video excerpts
the spotlight is finally shining on this colorful cast of characters who toiled in
the snakepit
of berry gordy ' s hit factory at 2648 west grand blvd . and who have reunited to promote the film .
note : sad news . johnny griffith , one of the funk brothers , died over the past weekend . a reminder that this film comes just in time .
the content of this film is amazing . there is however a video to sound sync issue . in a film it’s really annoying in a music documentary doubly so . the fact i have still given it five stars shows how amazing the content is for me .
given three stars solely for the music . especially for joan osborne ' s singing of what becomes of the broken hearted .
save on classic and contemporary films online and in store through 8 / 6 .
jack ashford , whose distinctive tambourine graces dozens of classic hits , says the seven - minute ovation the film received after its screening at the toronto film festival in september
blew my mind .
the film has gotten critical acclaim and emotional audience responses since it began screening in september , evidenced by the toronto film festival ovation .
they played on more no . 1 hits than elvis presley , the beatles , the rolling stones and the beach boys put together . but to the general public , they remain largely unknown . unlike the galaxy of beloved motown stars , songwriters and producers , the funk brothers were rarely recognized for their contribution to what became
the sound of young america .
interesting documentary about great musicians and the music business behind the scene . lots of good music .
filmmaker , paul justman ' s documentary based on allan slutsky ' s book looking at the uncredited tamla motown musicians that worked on more number one hits than any other artists to date , the funk brothers . made up from a group of session musicians , the funk brothers worked on all the motown hits of the sixties working with the likes of marvin gaye , stevie wonder , the temptations and smokey robinson . however , when berry gordy moved the studios from detroit to los angeles in 1972 . he did not take the musicians with him and they fell into obscurity . justman ' s film brings them together again after 40 years and , using a handful of guest singers such as chaka khan , ben harper and bootsy collins , he gets the funk brothers to perform some of the hits they worked on .
the ballad of narayama
is a japanese film of great beauty and elegant artifice , telling a story of startling cruelty . what a space it opens…
i was an out and out motown afficionado when i was younger and when in ' cool ' circles it was deeply unfashionable to be so ( i kept fairly quiet about it ! ! ) .
this film is based on a book of the same title by mr . allan slutsky that won the 1989 rolling stone / bmi ralph j . gleason music book award . mr . slutsky a new jersey - based musician , author , and movie producer who worked for 14 years in putting together the movie , told me that after a theatrical run , the film will go to cable and then be released on tape and dvd . the documentary movie has already played in los angeles for a week in december 2001 in order to qualify for next year ' s academy awards , but that its official world premiere will be in detroit in january or february of 2002 . produced by paul elliott and david scott , executive producers allan slutsky , paul justman , sandy passman and karen ellis founder and ceo of this site the educational cyberplayground .
a documentary that celebrates rick hall , the founder of fame studios in muscle shoals , alabama , and the signature sound he developed in songs such as
i ' ll take you there
,
brown sugar
, and
when a man loves a woman
.
backup singers live in a world that lies just beyond the spotlight . their voices bring harmony to the biggest bands in popular music , but we ' ve had no idea who these singers are or what lives they lead , until now .
having seen the film at a cinema and bought the dvd , i bought the cd on the strength that the dvd cut the songs sharply , when playing the songs only . the star guest singer is joan osbourne , particularly with
what becomes of the broken hearted
. it ' s good to see most of the funk brothers in action , while they were still alive . sadly , many have passed on since this album was made . either way , if you love the music motown played at hitsville , detroit , this is a recommended purchase , as you will not get this opportunity again .
roger ebert ' s speech on empathy for the
11th hour
series on april 9th , 1994 , being republished here in honor of his birthday june 18 .
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roger ebert was born on this day in 1942 , and died a little over five years ago . i owe a good part of my success…
a celebration of the musical work of a group of session musicians known as
the wrecking crew
, a band that provided back - up instrumentals to such legendary recording artists as frank sinatra , the beach boys and bing crosby .
these guys were the guys behind motown , this is where it was at , amazing stuff by amazing musicians , you will never regret buying this album .
demonstrates , there was more to the success of the detroit - based label than singing babes in gowns and founder berry gordy ' s business acumen . there were also the self - named funk brothers : the session players putting the unforgettable guitar sounds into
you keep me hangin ' on
and the creeping bass line behind
i heard it through the grapevine .
these guys were a crucial piece of the puzzle but have remained largely anonymous .
my personal pics from the library of congress screening that i took from the question and answer period after the movie was screened . ~ karen ellis
while the standing documentary tells the funk brothers ' story via interviews , stock footage and still photos , the accompanying soundtrack takes liberties , pairing the surviving musicians with contemporary pop , r & b and funk artists . together , they faithfully recast motown hits . what could have been a disaster - - would you want to muck with
ain ' t no mountain high enough
? - - works beautifully , thanks both to the brothers ' chops and the thoughtful artist selection . while enlisting a soul brother like ben harper was a no - brainer , the inclusion of joan osborne was especially astute . after all , osborne ' s deep connection to r & b is why her production of the holmes brothers ' speaking in tongues disc was genius , and she acquits herself beautifully on
( love is like a ) heat wave
and
what becomes of the brokenhearted .
similarly , bass boss meshell ndegeocello gives chaka khan competition in the gospel diva department . bootsy collins , gerald levert and montell jordan also contribute . motown purists may baulk at this concept , but they ' d have to agree these readings are smart , respectful and very , very soulful . - - kim hughes
sessions would last all day and into the night . a producer would come in with a song and a few chords and they ' d play with it , adapting it to the house style , adding a touch here , a riff there , until it emerged as the big , bold and sometimes almost unreasonably happy motown sound . in one of the movie ' s best sequences , we see them cobbling a song together almost from scratch . sometimes , they remember , they were so overworked they ' d hide out in a nearby funeral parlor , where gordy wouldn ' t think to look for them .
the music that ennio morricone composed for so - called spaghetti western movies is probably the best known , and some of the best , of the work he produced during his long and distinguished career . morricone kill : spaghetti western music from the maestro . . .
one thing that i always noticed in the traditional
motown
music from the 60 ' s is either the sound of the tamborine or the vibes . little did i know it was the same guy on every album . unlike many
true story
documentaries this was a good story with a happy ending . most times when we watch documentaries about celebrities we tend to see much of the bad and ugly moments from their past . certianly nobody is perfect with a squeeky clean background , however , i appriciate the fact that the producer of this movie put more emphasis on the good things and the funny stories and less on the conflicts and the shortcommings . all of the extra features give you a sense of who these people are with the extra unedited footage of the band interacting with one and other . the part about the guys that died before , during , and after production was especially touching because it brought closure to a situation with many loose ends . i feel that this story has a happy ending because those who are still living and those who passed on are satisfied that they were recognized for their contributions . personally i would have liked to see the concert in its entirety instead of a few clips in between the candid interviews but overall it was a very well balanced and well written story about a band that most people didnt even know existed . even though most people didnt know about the band , we can all relate because we know the songs . as each musican shares his involvement with motown i know and
feel
where they are comming from because i probably have listened to their music a hundered times over .
what ' s left to be said about the
motown sound ,
that treasure trove of pop ' n ' soul music that once poured forth from berry gordy ' s tiny detroit studio ? a lot , it turns out . vocal artists like the supremes , the temptations , marvin gaye , smokey robinson and the four tops , whose records first charted in the early 1960s , became household names . but few people . . . read more
basically the story of a man forced to finally see the injustice around him . riley’s movie is designed to do the same thing to you . …
director michael mann is known for modifying moods through music , particularly in urban settings . there . . .
i was looking forward to watching this dvd and whilst it was nice that these people have got some recognition it did feel like they went on about that lack of attention rather too much in this film ! by the end of the dvd , which in itself should ' ve been retitled
the funk brothers
rather than such a generic title , it was rather annoying being told how little recognition they apparently received . whilst some may like the interview then a piece showing them at a new concert format , i found that to be disappointing . with respect , none of the cover versions came anywhere close to the originals and seemed to be there just to make the film long enough to be screened . i found myself fast forwarding through most of the concert footage . i can only conclude that getting the rights to some of the archive material was beyond the budget of the producers . the interviews were interesting but they just didn ' t hold my attention in the same way that the
muscle shoals
dvd did for me . it deserves a pat on the back for at least attempting to showcase the unknown but it comes across as low budget , made for tv documentary - interesting and watchable , but only the once .
jamerson , who despite his heavy drinking was an unparalleled bassist , is one of the dominant figures in the story . ashford tells how jamerson was once so wasted he couldn ' t sit upright but pulled the near - impossible feat of playing the demanding bass line on marvin gaye ' s what ' s going on lying flat on his back .
despite the long - term damage this film and the soundtrack ' s title theme did to bluegrass , the soundtrack stands as one of the best introductions to instrumental bluegrass available . the blistering virtuosity of multi - instrumentalists eric weissberg and marshall brickman ripple through such . . .
i accept that the 60s material will not be of great quality , but i did not expect the most . . .
former supremes star mary wilson says :
they made music that the people of the world could enjoy and no longer have to hide that they listened to rhythm and blues . they made it pop . they took one ethnic genre and created a whole other genre : the motown sound .
and yet the motown sound was , quite simply , their sound . no disrespect to the singers , but , as drummer steve gordon observes ,
you could have had deputy dawg singin ' on some of this stuff .
the documentary argues that they played on hits that sold more records than the beatles , elvis , the beach boys and the rolling stones combined - - but were almost anonymous .
an interview with terry gilliam , director of
the man who killed don quixote .
the hero of the funk brothers themselves seems to have been the late james jamerson , the bass player who used only one finger but seemed able to keep two times at once . their stories about him are legion . the other original funks were drummer benny benjamin , pianist joe hunter and guitarists eddie willis and joe messina . the movie always talks with or about perhaps a dozen other musicians who played on many or most of the motown records , but it ' s difficult to keep them straight - - because , of course , they were not famous .
if you like motown , you will love this cd great great tracks . . . plus various backing tracks too ! its great to listen to the original music without the vocals and to appriciate how . . .
remembering betsy palmer , anne meara , b . b . king and other reel - important people we lost in may
2003 cd - ean 044006469126 - motown tribute with ben harper , bootsy collins , chaka khan , ndegeocello , tom scott , levert and more .
justman avoids getting too maudlin by injecting humorous anecdotes or shifting to one of the exhilarating performances by the reunited band with singers such as joan osborne , bootsy collins , gerald levert , chaka khan and montell jordan , ben harper and me ' shell ndgeocello gleefully strutting their stuff . with the exception of brief appearances by the temptations ' otis williams and martha reeves , the filmmakers consciously decided not to include motown ' s well - known stars .
justman deftly interweaves interviews , re - enactments , archival footage and band performances of classic tunes with contemporary artists . many of the stories center on those who died before the film was made .
movies - on - tv : ken fox ' s picks for the week of jan . 21
after about eight years , i couldn ' t keep the funk brothers motivated ,
slutsky says .
i was like the crazy aunt in the attic . i was doing jesse jackson ' keep hope alive ' speeches .
a play with music by lanie robertson , lady day at emerson ' s bar & grill , directed by lonny price , first opened on broadway in the spring of 2014 with audra mcdonald starring as the heartworn billie holiday singing and telling stories . . .
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one of the film ' s quietest moments recalls the chilling day when word reached the studio that drummer benny
papa zita
benjamin , a heroin addict , had died .
amazing piece of history . found it quite emotional at times , but the joy these musicians bought the role deserves at least this tribute .
buy the mp3 album for £7 . 99 at the amazon digital music store .
review : what ' s left to be said about the
motown sound ,
that treasure trove of pop ' n ' soul music that once poured forth from berry gordy ' s tiny detroit studio ? a lot , it turns out . vocal artists like the supremes , the temptations , marvin gaye , smokey robinson an… ( more )
track 1 - 1 covering martha & the vandellas ' original 1963 hit track 1 - 2 covering the miracles ' original 1962 / 63 hit track 1 - 3 covering the contours ' original 1962 hit track 1 - 4 from a combination of the alternate take and the original backing track for the four tops ' hit recorded at hitsville , detroit , summer 1966 track 1 - 5 covering the four tops ' original 1966 hit track 1 - 6 covering the temptations ' original 1966 hit track 1 - 7 covering jr . walker & the all stars ' original 1965 hit track 1 - 8 covering jimmy ruffins ' original 1966 hit track 1 - 9 covering marvin gaye ' s original 1968 hit track 1 - 10 original track for the supremes ' hit , recorded at hitsville , detroit , summer 1966 track 1 - 11 covering the capitols ' original 1966 hit track 1 - 12 covering the temptations ' original 1968 hit track 1 - 13 covering marvin gaye ' s original 1971 hit track 1 - 14 covering marvin gaye & tammi terrell ' s original 1967 hit track 1 - 15 recorded january 9 or 10 , 1970 , first issued on the album the earl of funk , soul 715 , september 1970 track 1 - 16 recorded october 1961 . issued as single boom boom / drug store woman , vee - jay 438 , may 1962 track 1 - 17 issued as single ( your love keeps lifting me ) higher and higher , brunswick 55336 , july 1967 track 1 - 18 from the album evolution , issued as single scorpio , sussex 226 , october 1971 0riginal album inspired by the book standing in the shadows of motown ( the life and music of legendary bassist james jamerson ) , by dr . licks 2 - 2 , 2 - 4 , 2 - 5 , 2 - 7 , 2 - 8 , 2 - 10 , 2 - 12 , 2 - 13 , 2 - 15 to 2 - 17 , 2 - 19 to 2 - 21 , 2 - 23 are basic tracks
despite the long - term damage this film and the soundtrack ' s title theme did to bluegrass , the . . .
the longer it took , the more we believed that it wouldn ' t be pulled together ,
ashford says .
but allan had so much tenacity and drive , and he kept us hanging in there .
this is an excellent tribute to the funk brothers . long overdue . sadly several members are no longer with us , but the story was well told and structured well , which made for very interesting viewing . great insight into the music behind motown . they deserved far more acknowledgement , brilliant musicians .
you have these men who are getting older , fighting the pain of obscurity and who have done something that influenced the world ,
he says .
includes free mp3 version of this album . autorip is available only for eligible cds and vinyl sold by amazon eu sarl ( but does not apply to gift orders or primenow orders ) . see terms and conditions for full details , including costs which may apply for the mp3 version in case of order returns or cancellations .
director michael mann is known for modifying moods through music , particularly in urban settings . there were all those rain - slicked tracking shots in miami vice , for example , accompanied by phil collins and dire straits . for 1995 ' s heat it was moby , lisa . . .
motown . you know the music . you ' ve heard it a thousand times , 40 years on its still on the radio , still on adverts on tv , and being played in pubs , clubs , cafes , shops , restaurants and at 1000 ' s of weddings , every day , all over the world . quite simply its some of the best music and greatest songs ever written . everyone is familiar with the artists who made it famous . . . . . . . . marvin gaye , diana ross , stevie wonder , the four tops , smokey robinson , the list goes on and on . but who actually created the music ? who came up with that sound ? well here it is . . . . . . a music documentary about the funk brothers , the guys behind the music , who never got the recognition they so deserved ( until now ) , who were paid a pittance , but came up with 3 hits a night , and at the end of their day had played on more number 1 ' s than the beatles , elvis and the beach boys combined . the greatest hit factory of session musicians who have ever lived . this film will make you cry , it ' ll make you laugh , it ' ll make you angry and tug on every heartstring . . . . . . . . . a beautiful representation of a bunch of incredibly gifted , but little known musicians , who created a sound from nothing that will last forever . i am a professional musician ( piano / keys ) and am fortunate enough to play many motown songs made famous by the funk brothers , in a 10 piece band , with horns / backing vocals / the lot ! when we first started out , i made every member of the band watch this dvd and they came back to the next rehearsal with a completely different outlook , a fresh approach , and a new perspective on the music they were playing . if you have any interest in music at all then you will love this film , and if you play an instrument , at any level , then its an absolute must . a joy to watch , and a wonderful insight into some of the most amazing music ever created . please buy it , you will not be disappointed !
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stephen sondheim ' s effervescent comic soufflé , a little night music , is the most effortlessly enchanting of . . .
director paul justman ' s film is a funny and often exuberant story of the comradeship between a band of jazz musicians who tell their often bittersweet stories , recalling the eccentric personalities , comical studio antics , marathon recording sessions and battles with personal demons . they are glad for the public recognition but lament that it came too late for some of their colleagues .
the sound was born in and nurtured by a series of detroit clubs , places like the chit chat and 20 grand , now closed , where the funks and other musicians got their start and returned to their roots . separately they were great and together they were beyond great ; it ' s clear that working steadily behind literally hundreds of hits fused them into a group that all but thought with one mind . as they remember those days , they ' re like military veterans or the members of a world series team , and we realize nothing that came after ever held the same joy for them .
the film takes its name from a book co - producer allan slutsky published in 1989 about bassist extraordinaire james jamerson , who had died six years earlier . while researching jamerson , slutsky came to know the other dozen or so funk brothers , who had been recruited by gordy from detroit ' s thriving nightclub scene . slutsky says ,
i knew i had stumbled upon the last great unmined musical story of the ' 60s .
© © 2004 universal music enterprises , a division of umg recordings , inc .
℗ ℗ 2004 universal music enterprises , a division of umg recordings , inc .
justman says that when you watch the film , you can ' t help but root for the musicians .
the music that ennio morricone composed for so - called spaghetti western movies is probably the best . . .
the ebert club is our hand - picked selection of content for ebert fans . you will receive a weekly newsletter full of movie - related tidbits , articles , trailers , even the occasional streamable movie . club members also get access to our members - only section on urltoken
stephen sondheim ' s effervescent comic soufflé , a little night music , is the most effortlessly enchanting of his distinguished career . composed entirely of waltzes , this warm and winning 1973 recording features a flawless cast including len cariou , hermione gingold , and the divine . . .
pack your beach blanket for a bittersweet tale of love and summer ' s magic .
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it still took slutsky 11 dogged years to make the film a reality . he says he made dozens of pitches to studios , but no one believed anyone would care about a bunch of studio musicians unless big stars were involved .
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then there was pianist earl
chunk of funk
van dyke , who banged the keys so hard that his instrument had to be constantly retuned .
allan slutsky and carla benson both helped me out with my project called the national children ' s folksong repository where we can document more unknown culture makers like the funks . you can help preserve and celebrate the oral tradition of america when you contribute folksongs and playground game songs to the online archive . find out how you can help .
they tell of robert white , so shy that he was afraid to tell a waiter that he was the one who played that evocative guitar on my girl .
fantastic documentary which goes beyond documentary itself : it is a musical celebration ( where many young artists like joan osborne and ben harper pay their tribute to those who made motown sound ) and a docudrama ( some scenes are re - enacted ) plus archive footage and brand new interviews to the funk brothers . and it is not just a matter of good cinema , but a matter of passion and dedication , both from those who made the film and from those who made that music , their craft , their music skills and their heart . and you will find out lots of information and interesting details as well , about that era that , after watching this fabulous and not enough known documentary , you will miss even more than ever
trippy indie madeline ' s madeline is the movie that lakeith stanfield and boots riley from sorry to bother you want to see the most .
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were celebrated with two grammys at the awards show feb . 23 , 2003 for
a tribute to the late tab hunter , a gay matinee idol and hollywood trailblazer .
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jule styne and stephen sondheim ' s score for gypsy has had five major recordings : the 1959 original broadway cast album starring ethel merman ; the 1962 original motion picture soundtrack starring rosalind russell , partially dubbed by lisa kirk ; the 1973 london cast . . .
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but slutsky was determined to get the funk brothers ' story told , and only coincidental meetings with businessmen paul elliott and david scott , amateur musicians who financed the movie , got it done .
ashford , who played tambourine , vibes and percussion , says the musicians always appreciated slutsky ' s efforts .
jule styne and stephen sondheim ' s score for gypsy has had five major recordings : the 1959 . . .
complete your purchase to add the mp3 version to your amazon music library . provided by amazon eu s . à r . l .
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ginger baker looks back on his musical career with cream and blind faith ; his introduction to fela kuti ; his self - destructive patterns and losses of fortune ; and his current life inside a fortified south african compound .
featuring the funk brothers : jack black jack ashford , bob babbitt , johnny griffith , joe hunter , uriel jones , joe messina , eddie
chank
willis , benny
papa zita
benjamin , james
igor
jamerson , eddie
bongo
brown , earl
chunk of funk
van dyke , robert white and richard
pistol
allen .
instantly receive a £10 urltoken gift card if you’re approved for the amazon platinum mastercard with instant spend . representative 21 . 9 % apr ( variable ) .
love hip - hop collects romantic rap songs like blackstreet ' s no diggity , heavy d ' s now that we found love , 3rd bass ' pop goes the weasel , and tony ! toni ! tone ! ' s if i had no loot . though the compilation could use a few more . . .
a brilliant new album that revisits classic tracks with artists like ben harper and joan osborne it really is great music , i thought that covering heard it through the . . .
i started crying , man , because no one had ever cared about us like that . my mind immediately went to the funk brothers who didn ' t make it . it ' s bittersweet , but who can question god ? when you see footage of earl ( van dyke , pianist ) and robert ( white , guitarist ) , they wanted it too , just as bad as we do . but they ' d be happy because we always talk about them .
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beginning life as a 1944 novella by colette , gigi was adapted into a 1951 play by anita loos , then into a 1958 musical film by alan jay lerner with its music by lerner and frederick loewe . the 2015 broadway show . . .
,
a major initiative to celebrate this nation ' s rich musical heritage .
carla ' s brother keith benson , and cousin john ingram , plus misty love , cherokee pree , and delbert nelson .
] baby , there ain ' t no mountain high enough / ain ' t no valley low enough / ain ' t no river wide enough to keep me from getting to you .
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region : region 2 ( this dvd may not be viewable outside europe . read more about dvd formats . )
. . . forward to watching this dvd and whilst it was nice that these people have got some recognition it did . . .
a look back at robert zemeckis ' half - animated classic , who framed roger rabbit , on its 30 - year anniversary .
also appearing : joan osborne , gerald levert , me ' shell ndegeocello , bootsy collins , ben harper , chaka khan , montell jordan and tom scott .


the lone ranger is a 2013 american western action film directed by gore verbinski from a screenplay written by justin haythe , ted elliott and terry rossio .

based on the radio series of the same name , the film stars johnny depp as tonto , the narrator of the events , and armie hammer as john reid , the lone ranger .

it relates tonto 's memories of the duo 's earliest efforts to subdue local villainy and bring justice to the american old west .

william fichtner , barry pepper , ruth wilson , james badge dale , tom wilkinson and helena bonham carter also are featured in supporting roles .

it is the first theatrical film featuring the lone ranger and tonto characters in more than 32 years .

produced by walt disney pictures , jerry bruckheimer films , and depp 's infinitum nihil , filming was plagued with production problems and budgetary concerns , which at one point led to the film 's premature cancellation .

the film was released theatrically in the united states on july 3 , 2013 .

the film grossed $ 260.5 million worldwide against an estimated $ 225 – 250 million production budget and an additional $ 150 million marketing budget .

the film received two academy award nominations for best visual effects and best makeup and hairstyling .

the lone ranger ( 2013 film )

the lone ranger officially opened in the united states on july 3 , 2013 .
production on the lone ranger is imminent and the film is targeting a may 31 , 2013 release .
the lone ranger , adapted from the classic tv series , is slated to premiere may 31 , 2013 .
the lone ranger is a western , following the adventures of the lone ranger and his friend tonto .
the film is distributed by walt disney pictures and was released on july 3 , 2013 .
disney also announced that thor 2 will be moved to nov . 15 , 2013 from july 26 , 2013 , and phineas and ferb will hit theaters on july 26 , 2013 .
the home of dj j . c . flores » quentin tarantino’s top - 10 of 2013 ( so far ) includes ‘the lone ranger’
tarantino ' s top ten of 2013 includes ' gravity ' , ' the conjuring ' and . . . ' lone ranger ' ?
are also featured in supporting roles . the film marks the first theatrical film featuring the
the lone ranger , directed by the original pirates of the caribbean filmmaker gore verbinski and produced by jerry bruckheimer , opens may 13 , 2013 .
it ' s official : disney ' s lone ranger has set a may 31 , 2013 release date , the hollywood reporter has confirmed .
watch the
lone ranger
trailer above ; the film is due out in theaters on july 3 .
the lone ranger
play set for
disney infinity
includes figurines of tonto and the lone ranger . ( disney interactive )
quentin tarantino ' s top 10 films of 2013 - so f . . .
po ukusu profesionalca : 13 najboljih filmova 2013 . po izboru kventina tarantina | mixer
disney also moved marvel’s “thor 2” up a week to nov . 8 , 2013 — a date already occupied by sony’s “one direction” concert film . lionsgate has slotted “ender’s game” for nov . 1 , 2013 .
starring johnny depp , helena bonham carter and armie hammer ,
the lone ranger
will be in theaters july 3 , 2013 . watch the trailer below .
will top that during its sophomore stint and give 2013 a clear victory over 2012 .
the producer , director , and stars of ' the lone ranger ' are not very happy about the critical response to the film .
updated : thr first detailed how the movie’s creatives agreed to reduce their fees ; disney also pushes back
thor 2
from summer 2013 to nov . 15 , 2013 ,
phineas and ferb
takes
thor ' s
old slot of july 26 , 2013 .
disney has moved “lone ranger” back a month to the fourth of july holiday weekend next year , slotting the johnny depp - armie hammer tentpole for a july 3 , 2013 .
johnny depp pauses on the red carpet before the comanche nation premiere of the lone ranger .
your expectations of how bad the lone ranger is can ' t trump the reality .
the lone ranger subject and trailers never raised enough enthusiasm to withstand the critical response .
the lone ranger will release in u . s . theaters on july 3 .
the lone ranger
play set figurine of tonto . ( disney interactive )
“the lone ranger , ” directed by gore verbinski , hits theaters july 3 .
help the lone ranger and tonto jump , duck , and take down outlaws .
johnny depp as tonto in the lone ranger . photograph : moviestore / rex features
authorities are investigating the apparent drowning of a crew member on the set of forthcoming johnny depp film the lone ranger , near los angeles .
disney’s latest film , the lone ranger , is certainly generating a lot of buzz this week — but for all the wrong reasons .
the lone ranger , due to be released in july 2013 , is a remake of the classic adventure with depp as native american spirit warrior tonto and armie hammer in the title role .
the unloved - the lone ranger & heaven ' s gate from scout tafoya on vimeo .
disney aired a new trailer for the lone ranger before the super bowl kick off show .
a series of events will change him into the enigmatic hero , the masked lone ranger .
the lone ranger
. . l to r : johnny depp as tonto and armie hammer as the lone rangerpeter mountain / disney
the summer 2013 issue of uk magazine total film features a cover story on the lone ranger , and within its pages actor johnny depp ( who plays tonto ) , director gore verbinski and producer jerry bruckheimer all offer comments on the making of the probable blockbuster .
a crewmember working on disney’s the lone ranger has died on the set in an apparent drowning .
the film was originally due for a may 2013 release date . although indiewire noted that some of white ' s songs may remain in the final film , the difference between zimmer and white does feel fairly drastic . this would have been white ' s debut film as a composer .
[ … ] “the lone ranger” was a critical and commercial failure for johnny depp , jerry bruckheimer and walt disney pictures , but perhaps they can take solace in the fact that the film made quentin tarantino’s list of 2013′s best films so far . [ … ]
hit the jump for more on what ails the lone ranger , which also stars armie hammer , tom wilkinson , william fichtner , barry pepper , james badge dale , ruth wilson , and helena bonham carter . the film is due out july 3 , 2013 .
47 ronin keanu reeves’ samurai tentpole opened christmas day and universal has already taken an unspecified writedown for the $ 175 million film . it could join “the lone ranger” as one of the biggest flops of 2013 . estimated budget : $ 175 million box office : ?
disney’s the lone ranger also stars helena bonham carter , william fichtner , tom wilkinson , and ruth wilson . the film opens wednesday , july 3 .
a
disney infinity
play set figurine of the lone ranger . ( disney interactive )
the lone ranger is a great movie , so i can understand why quentin loves it .
two critically panned films : kick ass 2 and the lone ranger . something to think about
this tonto rolls his eyes at the lone ranger ' s priggishness and complains about their partnership , which seems spiritually ordained after the lone ranger ( armie hammer ) survives an ambush .
for more details on the lone ranger’s filming locations in utah , check out this article .
for it’s work on the lone ranger , industrial light and magic earned an oscar nod .
[ … ] quentin tarantino names “gravity , ” “blue jasmine” and ( yes ! ) “the lone ranger” on his list of 2013′s 10 best films so far . [ tarantino archives ] [ … ]
quentin tarantino’s top ten of 2013 ( so far ) is… unique - southern californias r . r . magazine
' despicable me 2 ' already beating ' lone ranger ' at box . . .
[ … ] films of 2013 ' quentin tarantino included drinking buddies in his ' top 10 films of 2013 ' list : quentin tarantino ' s top 10 films of 2013 – so far – the quentin tarantino archives drinking buddies is now available on itunes / on demand and in theaters . kate ( olivia wilde ) and [ … ]
the lone ranger is awesome . best movie i saw this year . those of you who haven’t seen it , please see it . very enjoyable film with a great screenplay . the critics lied to you . so glad quentin included it in his top 10 best for 2013 . i’ve always trusted quentin’s taste in film .
quentin tarantino has put together his top ten movies list of 2013 , which features some surprising choices in ' lone ranger ' and ' kick - ass 2 ' alongside heavyweights like ' gravity ' .
[ … ] only october , but quentin tarantino has already released his list of the best films of 2013 so far . and it’s likely the only place you’ll see gravity and the lone ranger mentioned in [ … ]
adding to the list this year is one of walt disney’s latest summer blockbusters the lone ranger . directed by gore verbinski , the lone ranger filmed on location in utah for 25 days last summer .
tonto and the lone ranger in a scene from
disney infinity .
( disney interactive )
the lone ranger and tonto in a scene from
disney infinity .
( disney interactive )
the lone ranger and silver in a scene from
disney infinity .
( disney interactive )
this is obviously a very different case then what ' s happening now with the lone ranger .
despite some big disastrous blockbuster flops , the summer 2013 movie season is going to earn the biggest box office in hollywood history .
johnny depp appears on stage at the world premiere of
the lone ranger
at disney california adventure on saturday , june 22 , 2013 in anaheim , calif . ( photo by john shearer / invision / ap )
box office : ' despicable me 2 ' takes flight ; ' lone ranger . . .
high hopes for ' lone ranger , ' but westerns don ' t always . . .
the lone ranger also fails the bechdel test . and drags on way too long . in short , the “spirit guide” of this film would be an odious trash heap .
[ … ] quentin tarantino made a list of his top ten favorite movies of 2013 so far . i agree with many of his choices , especially the lone ranger . one of the greats ! - tarantinoarchives [ … ]
that’s why disney is selling the film internationally based on the size and scope of “the lone ranger” as an action - adventure film — along with depp , of course , who plays the painted tonto . armie hammer toplines as the masked hero .
add the annual gdp of tuvalu and the marshall islands . the film budget of
disney debuted the latest
lone ranger
trailer during super bowl xlvii . for those keeping score at home , it ' s the third
lone ranger
trailer the studio has released since last year .
tom wilkinson is in early talks to join the cast of disney and jerry bruckheimer’s “lone ranger . ”
“i intend to be the lone ranger for the rest of my life , ” moore told the new york times .
in an interview with thr on the eve of lone ranger ' s opening , horn said he takes responsibility for the film even though he didn ' t greenlight it .
' despicable me 2 ' to beat ' lone ranger ' at fourth of july . . .
in the film , depp applies his penchant for playing quirky characters to the role of tonto , while hammer plays the lone ranger , both characters first made famous in the radio show .
bbfcinsight publication date bbfc insight for this work will be available on or after 30 / 07 / 2013 . learn more »
despite a hefty price tag ( upwards of $ 250 million ) , disney is expecting
the lone ranger
to be one of it ' s biggest 2013 releases . the film stars johnny depp as tonto and armie hammer as the title ranger . gore verbinski , who worked with depp on the first three
pirates of the caribbean
films , is the director .
johnny depp and armie hammer were not enough to send ' the lone ranger ' fast out of the gate .
the lavish set of ' the lone ranger ' ( disney enterprises , inc . and jerry bruckheimer inc . )
disney’s big - budget feature production of the lone ranger built western sets for extensive filming in new mexico . based on the classic 1950s tv series , the film features johnny depp as tonto and armie hammer as ranger john reid .
the lone ranger : wanted is out july 2nd and features music inspired by the franchise , including tracks by iggy pop , ben kweller , iron and wine and more . the lone ranger , starring armie hammer and johnny depp , opens in theaters on july 3rd . full tracklisting for the lone ranger : wanted follows below .
. . . the original character of the lone ranger was already a texas ranger . in other words , he was a badass before he ever put on the mask .
the lone ranger is chased by outlaws in a scene from
disney infinity .
( disney interactive )
exclusive : gore verbinski is saddling up for a re - team with johnny depp on the lone ranger .
' the lone ranger ' to hit u . k . imax theaters two days ahead of local wide release
johnny depp as tonto in disney ' s
the lone ranger .
( peter mountain / disney )
geiogamah says he is shocked that disney would turn around and present old cliches again with the lone ranger .
disney taps the grammy - winning musician to produce the soundtrack for the film adaptation .
the 2013 version focuses on the back story of the famous duo : the lone ranger ( hammer ) , who used to be known as lawyer john reid , and tonto ( johnny depp ) , fighting for revenge on those who ruined his tribe’s villages .
johnny depp has always stated that he “never wanted to be the cowboy” , always preferring the indian and approaching tonto as “a silent film character” . many people have wondered if the film would have been better had johnny played the lone ranger instead of tonto .
[ … ] культовый режиссер квентин тарантино составил список 10 - ти лучших фильмов 2013 года , которые произвели на него наибольшее впечатление . список опубликован на официальном сайте the tarantino film archives . [ … ]
' lone ranger ' misfires despite loot , star power on paper and in the marketing blitz that preceded its leaden debut wednesday , the lone ranger had the trappings of a runaway hit . by the end of wednesday , the $ 225 million film was off the rails . check out this story on urltoken urltoken
geiogamah doesn ' t like the way the 2013 tonto talks .
that sort of monosyllabic stuttering , uttering . hollywood indian - speak .
at a time when hollywood is turning to comicbooks , toys , videogames and sequels to fill their film slates , disney and producer jerry bruckheimer are looking to introduce “the lone ranger’s” masked man as a new kind of superhero . disney’s july 3 release of “the lone ranger , ” starring armie hammer as the texas ranger and johnny [ … ]
his path fatefully crosses with that of the wounded young lawyer john reid , whom he transforms into the lone ranger .
a new lone ranger film , directed by gore verbinski , was , as of early march of 2013 , scheduled for release on may 31 of that year . armie hammer , who had acted out both twins in the social network , was chosen to act out the lone ranger , and as tonto , verbinski chose johnny depp . even though tim burton had not directed it , helena bonham - carter also starred .
filming was plagued with production problems and budgetary concerns , which at one point led to the film ' s premature cancellation . the lone ranger was released theatrically in the united states on july 3 , 2013 . the film received mixed to negative reviews and was a commercial failure , grossing $ 260 million worldwide against an estimated $ 225 million production budget plus an additional $ 150 million marketing budget .
[ … ] exactly at the end of 2013 yet , but the great writer / director quentin tarantino has unleashed , via tarantinoarchives , his top 10 best films of 2013 so far . . i agree with many of his choices , except . . i don’t [ … ]
looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the lone ranger near you .
great to see the lone ranger on the list . it got unnecessarily crucified by the critics . it is a great movie .
johnny depp pauses on the red carpet before the comanche nation premiere of the lone ranger . m . j . alexander hide caption
on paper and in the marketing blitz that preceded its leaden debut wednesday , the lone ranger had the trappings of a runaway hit . by the end of wednesday , the $ 225 million film was off the rails .
aside from all its little problems ,
the lone ranger
has three big ones : the first is that the character of the lone ranger is that of a contemptible idiot . the second is that the lone ranger ' s friendship with tonto barely exists . ( tonto is too cool to be devoted , and the lone ranger is too much of a smug dummy to have emotions that count . ) the third is that the filmmakers have no non - mercenary purpose in resurrecting the lone ranger as a character . all they know is that , whatever happens , american indians have to come out looking ok .
the lone ranger ( armie hammer , left ) and tonto ( johnny depp ) turn to red harrington ( helena bonham carter ) for help when they go after a gang in gore verbinski ' s
the lone ranger .
canadian indian jay silverheels used primitive grammar in his portrayal of tonto as a sidekick to moore’s lone ranger .
as a result of the production setbacks , the lone ranger faced numerous shifts in release dates . walt disney studios motion pictures initially scheduled the film for a mid - 2011 release date , but pirates of the caribbean : on stranger tides replaced it , because the latter was considered a priority for the studio and because the lone ranger did not have a director . after gore verbinski signed for director , the lone ranger ' s release date was moved to december 21 , 2012 . however , budget concerns and negotiations resulted in a production delay , so the release date was pushed further back to may 31 , 2013 . by mid - 2012 , dreamworks ' robopocalypse was facing its own production delays and could not meet its july 3 , 2013 release date . therefore , disney had the lone ranger assume its place for the fourth of july holiday weekend .
in april 2012 , it was announced that jack white was hired to compose the score for the film . however , white later declined to work on the film ' s music , citing scheduling conflicts and was replaced with hans zimmer in december of that year . in march 2013 , michael einziger tweeted that he was working with zimmer on the score . the soundtrack was issued by walt disney records in two releases ; zimmer ' s film score and the
inspired by
concept album by on july 2 , 2013 .
movie monday : october 7 , 2013 . ‘carrie’ , ‘gravity’ , ‘machete kills’ , ‘out of the furnace’ , ‘rio 2′ + more ! | popcultureperversion
this is the deal with american critics : they’ve been gunning for our movie since it was shut down the first time ; that’s when most of the critics wrote their initial reviews ,
hammer , who plays the lone ranger in
the lone ranger ,
said in the interview . the film ' s production was shut down in august of 2011 because of budgetary concerns . disney put
the lone ranger
back into development in early 2012 .
avan jogia ( abc family’s twisted ) : “one lone ranger . but just one . if you have more than one ranger on the ride , it doesn’t work . ”
we look back at the 10 films that we thought were the riskiest box office bets in 2013 . who failed and who succeeded ? find out here !
as of october 3 , 2013 , the film grossed $ 89 , 259 , 747 in the united states and $ 170 , 700 , 000 in other countries for a worldwide total of $ 260 , 002 , 115 .
the lone ranger was selected as the closing film for the taormina film festival and held its world premiere on june 22 at the hyperion theater in the hollywood land district of disney california adventure , with proceeds being donated to the american indian college fund . the film will be remastered and released in imax theaters on august 2 , in several international territories including the united kingdom and japan .
[ … ] fin de semana , tarantino compartió su listado hasta la fecha de las mejores películas del 2013 . aquí el [ … ]
yet the lone ranger may have required an even more mammoth spend than for superhero fare . while comic - book adaptations come with legions of fanboys amplifying all marketing activity , brand awareness for the lone ranger is lower , especially among younger cinemagoers . many identify this as crucial to the film ' s faltering performance .
when it was announced earlier this year , blues - rocker jack white seemed like a great fit to score the new gore verbinski - directed , johnny depp - starring disney film the lone ranger .
a figurine of the masked man from
the lone ranger
play set for
disney infinity
. ( disney interactive )
despite depp ' s lack of expectations , the budget for
the lone ranger
was set at reported $ 250 million .
the lone ranger filmmakers were asked the question . it is not like they called a press conference just to complain about critics .
here’s our box office report for the weekend of july 14th , 2013 – featuring new releases ' pacific rim ' and ' grown ups 2 ' .
“a lot of movies we have a cameo in , but the lone ranger we have a starring role , ” said marshall moore , utah film commission ( a reel - scout client ) .
unlike the cgi - dominated pirates pictures , verbinski insisted that they film the lone ranger using as many exteriors as possible while framing real action amid the backdrop of the exotic american southwest desert - and - mountain vistas .
wild west - loving gamers can take the reins as the lone ranger or tonto in the newest “disney infinity” play set , revealed thursday .
i don’t think he should have to . just let him like what he likes , what the fuck do you care anyway ? it doesn’t affect you . so what if he thought that the lone ranger was better than some obscure arthouse film ? that’s the whole point of movies and lists like this . the article wasn’t called “s7sost’s top films of 2013 so far”
disney has moved “lone ranger” back a month to the fourth of july holiday weekend next year , slotting the johnny depp - armie hammer tentpole for a july 3 , 2013 . disney made the announcement thursday shortly after tapping alan horn to head its film studio . the action - adventure , directed by gore verbinski , will open against uni’s “despicable me” [ … ]
the lone ranger returned to the big screen in 1981 with the big - budget ' the legend of the lone ranger . ' klinton spilsbury played the title character this time , though his dialogue was overdubbed by james keach . the film retold the origin story of the ranger . this film was a major flop at the box office , partly because of the public relations nightmare it caused . in an effort not to ' confuse ' the fans , the producers of the film got a court - order preventing clayton moore from appearing in public with the mask on . because moore had been making public appearances in costume since the television show was on , and everyone remembered him as the lone ranger , this was not a move looked upon favorably by the general public .
pg - 13 for sequences of intense action and violence , and some suggestive material . ( rating bulletin 2276 , 6 / 12 / 2013 )
james badge dale ( dan reid in the lone ranger ) : “you gotta put my character’s mustache somewhere in there . ”
' the lone ranger ' to hit u . k . imax theaters two days ahead of local wide release | hollywood reporter
johnny depp as tonto and armie hammer as the lone ranger ( disney enterprises , inc . and jerry bruckheimer inc . )
a flawed but often entertaining summer blockbuster experience , the lone ranger falls short as a sum of its promising individual parts .
( although there have been several differing versions of the lone ranger ' s origin over the years , the basic story has remained the same . )
riding the rails of the lone ranger : for the production of the movie , director gore verbinski had a five mile oval track built along with multiple engines and cars . take a look at the incredible effort that went into crafting such a detailed and integral part of the lone ranger
the lone ranger ’s horse silver will make an appearance and an actual train engine built for the film will be on display at the premiere . title sponsor time warner will be streaming the event live from california adventure park .
thr : obviously , you inherited lone ranger from the previous regime . iger negotiated the budget , but you weren’t there for that .
british actor james frain , who recently recurred as vampire on hbo’s true blood , has joined the cast of disney’s the lone ranger .
in the end , “the lone ranger” is one hot mess — an entertaining one , to be sure , but still a mess .
jack white has a new gig : composing the score for disney ' s the lone ranger , starring johnny depp and armie hammer .
with
despicable me 2
dominating the fourth of july box office , it was no holiday for
the lone ranger .
disney are set to donate the proceeds of ticket sales from the premiere of armie hammer and johnny depp movie lone ranger to charity .
while
the lone ranger
may win various technical awards , i doubt it will win
best picture of the year .
“’the lone ranger’ crosses multiple genres , ” he says . “ultimately , it’s a spectacular action adventure from the team behind one of film’s most unforgettable franchises , and that is appealing on a global level . ”
three years later , hammer has been handed a high - profile black mask he’ll actually get to wear , landing the titular role as the crime - fighting texas ranger in “lone ranger . ”
, the overall box office was 17 % higher , which is a great result . year - to - date , 2013 is still behind 2012 , but by less than 1 % at $ 5 . 81 billion to $ 5 . 86 billion . unfortunately , next weekend 2013 will have to go against
the lone ranger
stands as one of the summer ' s biggest flops , with just $ 175 million in global grosses against its massive budget . the reviews weren ' t much better : critics slagged the johnny depp film for its tone issues and length , leaving
the lone ranger
with a rotten tomatoes score of just 27 percent .
the first shot of the lone ranger is of the golden gate bridge under construction , as a title card informs us that it is the year 1933 – the same year the character of the lone ranger debuted on the radio . we are watching the construction of cultural icons , myths that will define a nation .
of the colorado river . some more great national parks in the area not included in the film are
despite budget setbacks and other hurdles , verbinski’s version of ‘the lone ranger’ is expected to revitalize the american western genre across the globe . another star who is jumping on board is jack white of the white stripes , who plans to compose the musical score for the movie . with a star filled cast and crew , paired along with some beautiful locations , ‘the lone ranger’ is sure to draw herds to the theaters on opening day – july 3rd , 2013 .
tonto ( johnny depp ) believes the lone ranger ( armie hammer , below ) is a special spirit who cannot be killed .
ps you can buy the lone ranger ' s hat , but not his full costume . only tonto offers a full costume .
i’m sorry , kick - ass 2 and drinking buddies are simply unwatchable . they belong to the top 10 worst movies in 2013 . however gravity is amazing .
american film critics “slit the jugular” of ‘ the lone ranger ’ , according to star armie hammer . yahoo ! movies sat down with ‘ranger’ stars hammer , johnny depp , producer jerry bruckheimer and director gore verbinski in the aftermath of the film’s disappointing us opening . the team all agreed that us critics were the reason for it’s not - too - impressive $ 29 million box office opening , and that reviewers pre - judged the film based on behind - the - scenes problems .
in fact , it was critical that all the actors get it right , not just depp as tonto and hammer as the lone ranger .
the lone ranger reunites megaproducer jerry bruckheimer , verbinski and depp , who collaborated on disney ' s first three pirates of the caribbean films .
( a bit cliché , but it works here ) , and the audience finally sees the lone ranger and tonto we paid to see .
los angeles — on paper and in the marketing blitz that preceded its leaden debut wednesday , the lone ranger had the trappings of a runaway hit .
the first filmed version of the lone ranger was a 15 - chapter movie serial in 1938 . titled ' the lone ranger , ' it starred lee powell as the masked rider , but was actually designed to leave both the villains , and audience , guessing which of five men was , in fact , the lone ranger . this serial was later edited into a feature under the title ' hi - yo silver . ' a second serial , ' the lone ranger rides again , ' also 15 chapters , followed in 1939 . this time robert livingston took over the role .
disney has risked a lot with the lone ranger . their recent big - budget movies , such as last year’s sci - fi epic john carter , have not been critical – or financial – successes and disney needs this film to succeed on both levels . when the film was announced , many argued that westerns have had their day : cowboys and aliens ( from universal ) received poor reviews a couple of years ago and the last movie attempt at the lone ranger ( the legend of the lone ranger in 1981 ) grossed only $ 12 million against an $ 18 million budget .
5 . gore verbinski is in a precarious career position : “the lone ranger” was the talented director’s first live - action film since 2007’s third “pirates” installment . ( 2011’s “rango , ” however , won the best animated oscar . )
hammer , depp ' s co - star in the film , claimed critics were
gunning
for the lone ranger long before it was released .
they decided to slit the jugular of our movie ,
he said .
[ … ] tarantino released his annual top 10 ‘best’ movies of 2013 on his website , the quentin tarantino archives . his list includes ( in alphabetical [ … ]
the first trailer debuted at san diego comic - con and theatrically on october 3 , 2012 . television promotions for the film aired during super bowl xlvii . disney used the film ' s production connection to the pirates of the caribbean series as the main tagline in the film ' s marketing , as well as featuring the film ' s two main characters in promotional materials for disney infinity .
in april 2012 , it was announced that jack white was hired to compose the score for the film . however , white later declined to work on the film ' s music , citing scheduling conflicts and was replaced with hans zimmer in december of that year . in march 2013 , michael einziger tweeted that he was working with zimmer on the score .
whether the lone ranger goes down in movie history as a grand disaster rests on the shoulders of european cinemagoers – who traditionally embrace depp but may feel more ambivalence towards the western . promoting the film before its uk release , cast and crew appeared to lay blame for the film ' s box office failure in the us at the feet of the critics .
with the stronger and faster silver as his new mount , the lone ranger was now able to overtake and capture cavendish , finally completing his long mission . but even after accomplishing his goal , the lone ranger decided it was for the greater good to continue to help pave the way for law and order in the untamed western territories , and with tonto still at his side , he continued to wear the mask and maintain the identity of the lone ranger .
apparently set on the idea that he should star in the film , moore rejected an idea of instead doing a cameo . but the producers also rejected an idea where he’d be the lone ranger , but hand off his mask to the next generation .
reid takes on the ' lone ranger ' identity as he seeks out the people responsible for his brother ' s death . ( peter mountain )
the lone ranger and tonto were now on the trail of cavendish himself when he fired from ambush on the two of them inadvertently killing the lone ranger ' s horse . needing a new mount , the lone ranger recalls seeing a magnificent wild white stallion who lived in wild horse valley , and decides to search for the horse while trailing cavendish . they find the great mustang in a fierce death battle with a buffalo , who had gained the upper hand and was about to finish the horse off when it was shot and killed by the lone ranger , who then nursed the wounded horse back to health . as much as the lone ranger wanted the horse for his own , he was willing to let it go as it fought for his freedom and deserved to be free . when tonto remarked on the horse ' s gleaming coat saying it looked
silver white
, the lone ranger decided that silver would be a good name for the horse and called out to it . in a gesture stronger than gratitude , the horse stayed on and became the lone ranger ' s partner . the lone ranger then trains the wild stallion who learned quickly , and after a few days was ready .
“we’ve had a terrific collaboration with the native american community throughout the production of disney’s ‘ the lone ranger , ’” said walt disney studios chair alan horn .
it’s all in a day’s work . pushing the career envelope is what he likes to do , and portraying tonto in the lone ranger continues the trend .
tonto , as updated with johnny depp , steps to the fore in ' the lone ranger . ' some native americans see the portrayal as a setback .
verbinski , whose last live action film was 2007’s pirates of the caribbean : at world’s end , is getting serious about making his next directing outing the lone ranger , the disney pic that has jerry bruckheimer producing with depp playing tonto .
it also didn ' t help that the movie felt more like
the lone tonto
rather than ranger . the entire plot was focused around depp and his native american character . hammer felt more like depp ' s sidekick throughout the film .
william fichtner has landed the role of the lead villain in gore verbinski’s the lone ranger , deadline reports . he’ll replace the previously rumored dwight yoakam as butch cavendish .
the producer of the pirates of the caribbean films doesn ' t do failure . but can he persuade uk audiences to get behind his us flop the lone ranger ?
after the film flopped at the north american box office , the studio is hoping to bolster u . k . box office with an early imax release of the action western , starring johnny depp and armie hammer as tonto and the lone ranger , respectively .
according to an official statement from disney , “oscar winner hans zimmer , the musical mastermind behind disney’s and jerry bruckheimer films’ pirates of the caribbean , has signed on to compose the score for the lone ranger . jack white , who had originally been contemplated to score and has contributed several pieces of music to the production , was logistically unavailable due to scheduling conflicts that arose when the film’s release moved to july of 2013 . ”
analysis : why disney might make ' lone ranger ' - - reluctantly a source also says the filmmakers will sacrifice their back - end participation if the film comes in over budget , a significant incentive to run a tight ship .
[ … ] tarantino , via the quentin tarantino archives , has released his list of the best movies released thus far in 2013 . the collection of tarantino’s favorites , in alphabetical [ … ]
“the lone ranger” is way too long , incoherent at times , loaded with clumsy dialogue and less than sure - footed in its tone .
unfortunately ,
the lone ranger
was so dragged down by unnecessary , weird moments ( the killer rabbits , horse humor , and narration from an aged tonto that the film could have done without ) that the point fell short of hitting home .
“the lone ranger , ” which bowed day - and - date in roughly 30 % of the international market , grossed $ 24 . 3 million .
the “lone ranger” script was penned by “pirates of the caribbean” - franchise scribes ted elliott and terry rossio , and justin haythe ( “revolutionary road” ) .
does disney ' s tonto reinforce stereotypes or overcome them ? : code switch the lone ranger has long been a fictional hero , taming the wild west with his trusty and often stereotyped native american guide , tonto . the new version of the lone ranger stars johnny depp and dabbles with that trope .
william fichtner chats with screen rant about being the best gunslinger on set of ' the lone ranger ' and designing a horrifying villain that interests him .
despite all the strife over the budget , the ultimate cost of “the lone ranger” ballooned during production . bruckheimer says he and disney were responsible for covering the film’s overages . studio reps say the pic cost around $ 225 million , but sources say it was considerably higher .
preliminary reports had the film tracking for a $ 60– $ 70 million debut in north america . the film earned $ 2 million from late showings on tuesday , july 2 , 2013 and $ 9 . 67 million on its opening day , july 3 . during its opening weekend , the film debuted in second place with $ 29 . 3 million over three days and $ 48 . 9 million over the five - day frame , well below estimates .
coblenz , who also cites script problems with “the legend of the lone ranger , ” thinks that the newest attempt will work , based on the trailers he has seen .
between 1938 and 1940 , there were a series of lone ranger film serials , in which tonto was played by victor daniel , an actor of cherokee , yaqui and mexican ancestry who worked under the stage name chief thundercloud .
in north america , the film failed to appeal to younger moviegoers unfamiliar with the lone ranger brand . about 68 percent of the audience was over the age of 25 - - including 24 percent over the age of 50 . only 16 percent of the audience was under 18 , a glaring deficit . pirates of the caribbean was fueled by both families and adults , and lone ranger needed to draw upon those same demos .
showdown : ' prince of persia ' vs . ' tron legacy ' vs . ' john carter ' vs . ' lone ranger '
the lone ranger ( 1 ) : $ 29 . 4 ; 3 , 904 ; $ 7 , 539 ; $ 48 . 9 ; —
for the new movie , the studio went to great lengths to hire a cast that included native americans and to consult them while the film was being made . the director points out that the film incorporates the perspective of the original north americans , but as is clear from some of the commentary since the film opened , not all are impressed .
so below , we break it down : the good , the bad , and the weird of “the lone ranger . ” and needless to say , spoilers undoubtedly will follow .
fox had been planning to open steven spielberg’s “robopocalypse” on july 3 , 2013 , but anounced thursday that the sci - fier had been moved it back to april 25 , 2014 .
“the lone ranger” also unspools in staggering heat – in the desert landscapes of the great american west , where the film was shot . “it’s heartbreakingly beautiful , ” says barry pepper , who plays capt . fuller in the film . “we shot in five different states through monument valley , santa fe , albuquerque , moab . … i’m a fly fisherman , so gore [ verbinski , the film’s director ] and i would hit the rivers on our days off . ”
film reteams the director with depp in dusty cowboy country after paramount’s animated hit , “rango . ”
the $ 73 . 2 million global start for “ the lone ranger ” is nowhere near what the $ 225 million - budgeted film needed to earn for disney execs to breathe easily . in fact , “ lone ranger ” actually earned less from friday to sunday domestically , with an estimated $ 29 . 4 million , than what “john carter” made during its debut frame ( $ 30 . 2 million ) last year . yet , while there is virtually no hope left for “ the lone ranger ” even to break even , the film’s summer play period gives it a distinct advantage over the “john carter” disaster , which bowed in march .
while ownership of the lone ranger property was shifting ambiguously , producer jerry bruckheimer and entertainment rights by may 2007 had set the film up at walt disney pictures as lone ranger , under the leadership of then studio chairman dick cook . ted elliott and terry rossio , who had worked with bruckheimer and disney on the pirates of the caribbean film series , were being considered to write the script , and entered final negotiation in march 2008 . disney then announced in september 2008 that johnny depp would be portraying tonto .
clayton moore took the character from the tv screen to the movie screen for two full - length motion pictures . the first , 1956 ' s ' the lone ranger ' from warner brothers , was the first time the ranger appeared on film in color . it was released the summer before the tv show ' s only season of color episodes . the second feature , 1958 ' s ' the lone ranger and the lost city of gold ' from united artists , was the last time moore would offically play the character , as it was released after the tv series ' cancellation .
disney ’s july 3 release of “the lone ranger , ” starring armie hammer as the texas ranger and johnny depp as tonto , will determine whether the burbank entertainment giant can ride off into the sunset with a new franchise under its white stetson .
the lone ranger has received negative reviews from critics in the us , with a 27 % rating on the film - critic aggregate site rotten tomatoes , based on 179 reviews . the site ' s consensus says ,
armie hammer and johnny depp make for an appealing pair of leads , but they ' re not enough to make up for the lone ranger ' s bland script , bloated length , and blaring action overkill .
the film holds a score of 37 out of 100 on metacritic based on 37 reviews , indicating
generally unfavorable
reviews . in the uk the film received mixed to positive reviews .
at a time when hollywood is turning to comicbooks , toys , videogames and sequels to fill their film slates , disney and producer jerry bruckheimer are looking to introduce “ the lone ranger’s ” masked man as a new kind of superhero .
western adventure lone ranger tells the story of john reid and tonto as they band together to seek justice . the film , which reunites pirates of the caribbean duo gore verkinski and jerry bruckheimer , also stars helena bonham carter , william fitchner and ruth wilson .
inspired by disney’s upcoming film “the lone ranger , ” a reboot of the classic radio show and tv series , the disney infinity figurines are cuter versions of their live - action counterparts — armie hammer as the masked ex - texas ranger and johnny depp as his american indian sidekick . ( click through the gallery above for a peek at the characters . )
some have criticized lone ranger for its violent beginning . family - friendly internet site parents previews gave lone ranger a c grade overall , including a d for violence . curse of the black pearl , released in 2003 , earned a b - overall , and a d + for violence .
i’m glad someone else loved the lone ranger . it also seems as though woody allen is exempt from the idea that directors lose something when they get older .
director gore verbinski’s the lone ranger is for anyone who thought the native american guy from the village people and a western - wear model would make the perfect blockbuster - action team .
lone ranger is an 2013 action film by director gore verbinski and producer jerry bruckheimer . the film is a thrilling adventure infused with action and humor , in which the famed masked hero is brought to life through new eyes . native american spirit warrior tonto ( johnny depp ) recounts the untold tales that transformed john reid ( armie hammer ) , a man of the law , into a legend of justice—taking the audience on a runaway train of epic surprises and humorous friction as the two unlikely heroes must learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption .
then there’s the big reveal of tonto ( johnny depp ) and the lone ranger ( armie hammer ) , and the shot is the first official image from the film . then there’s a bunch of quick action shots including the ranger drawing down on an unseen enemy , and tonto clinging on to the bottom of a speeding train . but if there’s one big take - away from this trailer , it’s trains . trains are really , really important . the film also stars helena bonham carter , william fichtner , barry pepper , james frain , ruth wilson , and james badge dale . the lone ranger opens july 3rd .
a couple years later , i returned to the film after having seen and eagerly dissected matthew vaughn’s kingsman : the secret service , with which the lone ranger shares more than a few semiotic similarities . i still had the words of scout tafoya’s “the unloved” video essay lingering in my ears . and over several months , the full extent of verbinski’s achievement here dawned on me , and i became convinced that the lone ranger is a cinematic masterpiece .
the differences in gross between the lone ranger and world war z boils down to zombies being an easier selling point ( especially worldwide ) than cowboys . as for the quality of each film , i couldn ' t say as i haven ' t seen either .
a scene of a bank robbery shown for unknown reasons in the first few minutes of the film finally gets resolved in the film ' s final minutes , and its a wonder why it was ever introduced at the start .
[ … ] name to its never - ending list of supporters : quentin tarantino . the quentin archives website has posted the writer - director’s favorite movies of 2013 ( “as an exclusive during the government [ … ]