The DVD release of Twenty Feet From Stardom has permitted us to revisit and reconsider 2014’s Best Documentary Feature Oscar Winner, as well as reaffirm just how phenomenal the last year was for the genre.
Whether you idolise the Academy recognition as the very apogee of cinematic endeavour, or are rather more George C. Scott in your opinion of the ceremony, it’s hard to argue that Twenty Feet From Stardom was not a ‘safe’ choice at this year’s event. In a remarkably strong year that saw it nominated alongside Square, Dirty Wars, Cutie And The Boxer and The Act Of Killing (as well as the equally worthy, yet un-nominated, Stories We Tell, Blackfish and After Tiller) it left more than a few of those outside of the voting process scratching their heads.
As an exploration of those vocalists who, despite having the talent, never achieved the recognition for assorted reasons, it is engaging and highly emotional. With contributions from Mick Jagger and Bruce Springsteen, as well as the focus of some of the world’s most well-respected and successful backing singers, it carried with it a deserved air of legitimacy.
The documentary’s main success lies in its variation of stories presented. Some never craved the spotlight, others had it and lost it, and others are still trying to reach the level of success they regularly help other artists achieve with their backing vocals. The world of the backing singer is shown to be a path never trodden the same way twice, giving a voice and personality to those often seen as anonymous in the shadow of the musician they are supporting.
An Academy Award in any year is an impressive feat, but in view of the competition, Twenty Feet From Stardom’s success is little short of astonishing. A case could be made for any of its fellow nominees to have replaced Twenty Feet in the envelope, none more so than Joshua Oppenheimer’s remarkable The Act of Killing, which featured some of the most extraordinarily powerful scenes ever seen in a mainstream documentary feature.
The success of the two wildly different documentaries can only be a good thing for the genre, which continues to grow in both quality of story and production, as well as its popularity with a worldwide audience. Not limited to just artistic achievement, 2013 once again showed how much of a social impact the documentary can have: Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s Blackfish continues to inspire widespread condemnation and boycotts of SeaWorld from a host of influential groups and individuals.
With anticipation building around several new documentary features released this year (The Green Prince, Life Itself, Happy Valley), as well as several exciting projects in various stages of development in Nottingham itself (Ben Wigley’s Paa Joe & The Lion, and Jeanie Finlay’s Orion: The Man Who Would Be King), the genre looks set to continue its impressive recent ascent.
Twenty Feet From Stardom is available on DVD and Blu Ray.
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
