This Documentary won the Academy Award for Documentary for 2012. I had first heard about it when my brother in law, a boyhood friend of mine growing up in Detroit, told me about it. My wife and I just watched it and it ranks with any movie that we have seen in the last year.
The story concerns an obscure pop/folk singer named Rodrigues who grew up and recorded in Detroit in the early 1970s (I was about 13 then, very into the local pop scene, and never heard of him). He released two albums that were complete flops, despite being produced by people who believed in him and who were affiliated with the Motown label.
Unbeknown to anyone in the States, Rodrigues somehow becomes a huge success in South Africa. his popularity rivals Elvis and the Beatles with young liberal blacks and whites and his songs, many of which are "protest" songs, become anthems for the anti apartheid movement. Steve Biko was reportedly a huge fan, but the movie follows the efforts of South African fans who came together to try and discover who Rodrigues was (the name of the movie derives from one of Rodrigues' songs, which is the soundtrack for the film. His music sounds like a heady mix of Bob Dylan, Jim Croce and Richie Valens, but he is very much his own man).
Rodrigues life is almost being lived in parallel universes. South Africa was at the time very isolated from the rest of the world, and tried to restrict television, films, and music. The filmakers estimate that Rodrigues must have sold 500,000 albums there, a fantastic number for such a small country,. The artist
never knew and didn't receive a cent. There is a fascinating interview with an ex Motown record executive who claimed to be his champion but had been pocketing all the proceeds these years.
The South Africans have no information on Rodrigues and accept a rumour that he had committed suicide
on stage. The movie follows the efforts of some his fans in the 1990s who try to learn more about him and learn that he is still alive, performing manual labour in Detroit after his musical dreams were dashed.
Rodrigues seemed philisophical about it and tried to bring his daughters up with his values of art appreciation and social justice, despite their extreme poverty.
Ultimately Rodrigues is brought to South Africa for a concert tour. He performs in sold out arenas and the fervor of the fans and the look of rapture on the face of the Artist have to be witnessed.
If this were fiction the whole thing would be to implausible to believe. i highly recommend the film. Rodrigues' songs can be sampled on Amazon. I recommend trying "I Wonder" "Sugarman" and "Urban Blues".
Rodrigues still lives in his house in downtown Detroit. He didn't appear despite an invitation at the Academy award ceremony because he didn't wish to upstage the film creators.
Highest recommendation.
The story concerns an obscure pop/folk singer named Rodrigues who grew up and recorded in Detroit in the early 1970s (I was about 13 then, very into the local pop scene, and never heard of him). He released two albums that were complete flops, despite being produced by people who believed in him and who were affiliated with the Motown label.
Unbeknown to anyone in the States, Rodrigues somehow becomes a huge success in South Africa. his popularity rivals Elvis and the Beatles with young liberal blacks and whites and his songs, many of which are "protest" songs, become anthems for the anti apartheid movement. Steve Biko was reportedly a huge fan, but the movie follows the efforts of South African fans who came together to try and discover who Rodrigues was (the name of the movie derives from one of Rodrigues' songs, which is the soundtrack for the film. His music sounds like a heady mix of Bob Dylan, Jim Croce and Richie Valens, but he is very much his own man).
Rodrigues life is almost being lived in parallel universes. South Africa was at the time very isolated from the rest of the world, and tried to restrict television, films, and music. The filmakers estimate that Rodrigues must have sold 500,000 albums there, a fantastic number for such a small country,. The artist
never knew and didn't receive a cent. There is a fascinating interview with an ex Motown record executive who claimed to be his champion but had been pocketing all the proceeds these years.
The South Africans have no information on Rodrigues and accept a rumour that he had committed suicide
on stage. The movie follows the efforts of some his fans in the 1990s who try to learn more about him and learn that he is still alive, performing manual labour in Detroit after his musical dreams were dashed.
Rodrigues seemed philisophical about it and tried to bring his daughters up with his values of art appreciation and social justice, despite their extreme poverty.
Ultimately Rodrigues is brought to South Africa for a concert tour. He performs in sold out arenas and the fervor of the fans and the look of rapture on the face of the Artist have to be witnessed.
If this were fiction the whole thing would be to implausible to believe. i highly recommend the film. Rodrigues' songs can be sampled on Amazon. I recommend trying "I Wonder" "Sugarman" and "Urban Blues".
Rodrigues still lives in his house in downtown Detroit. He didn't appear despite an invitation at the Academy award ceremony because he didn't wish to upstage the film creators.
Highest recommendation.
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