Directed by:
Jon BrewerScreenplay:
Laura RoykoCast:
Chuck Berry (a.f.), Jerry Lee Lewis (a.f.), Ahmet Ertegun (a.f.), Steven Van Zandt, Alice Cooper, Gene Simmons, Keith Richards, Nile Rodgers, Joe Bonamassa (more)Plots(1)
This is the story of an iconic entertainer, songwriter, musician, poet, father, husband, entrepreneur, philanderer, carpenter and felon- Charles Berry. We are reminded at the beginning and throughout this piece of the mind-blowing catalogue of seminal rock hits that were generated by this one man. In this visually absorbing and stylized film, acclaimed Director Jon Brewer inter-weaves interviews with family and notable rock contemporaries, with re-enactment clips in Black & White comics-style filming adding slashes of color ( a-la- ‘Sin City’), as well as fast- paced choreography in time to the Chuck Berry music ( in the vein of ‘Baby Driver’) , to keep the audience transfixed, and the documentary moving, captivating the audience between informative and entertaining. Being a successful black man in America’s South in the 1950’s was all but illegal, but Berry found himself accused of and doing time for this in some regard which is explored by contributors in the film. Ultimately, it came to be that Berry became a pivotal influence, ultimately creating a genre of music changing culture itself with followers such as The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Elvis Presley just, to name a few. The teenager, as a demographic was born. For the first time ever, the widow of Chuck Berry speaks to Jon Brewer, revealing the other side of 'the original rock star'. A fast -moving and fun to watch rock n roll romp about a story that has yet to be told. (Nashville Film Festival)
(more)Cast
Chuck Berry (a.f.)
USA
Best movies:
American Hot Wax (1978)
Alice in the Cities (1974)
Jerry Lee Lewis (a.f.)
USA
Best movies:
High School Confidential! (1958)
Ahmet Ertegun (a.f.)
Turkey
Steven Van Zandt
USA
Best movies:
Bruce Springsteen: The Complete Video Anthology 1978-2000 (2001) (video compilation)
The Irishman (2019)
The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
Alice Cooper
USA
Best movies:
Good to See You Again, Alice Cooper (1974)
Alice Cooper: The Nightmare (1975) (TV movie)
Prince of Darkness (1987)
Gene Simmons
Israel
Best movies:
Kiss: Animalize (2002)
Kiss: Live in Las Vegas (2002)
Kiss Rocks Vegas (2016) (concert)
Keith Richards
UK
Best movies:
The Rolling Stones: From the Vault - Sticky Fingers Live at the Fonda Theatre 2015 (2015) (concert)
The Concert for New York City (2001) (concert)
The Work of Director Mark Romanek (2005) (video compilation)
Nile Rodgers
USA
Best movies:
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee (2022) (concert)
Joe Bonamassa
USA
Johnny Rivers
USA
Best movies:
Sgt. Pepper (1978)
Taylor Hackford
USA
The Beatles (a.f.)
UK
Best movies:
A Hard Day's Night (1964)
Pop Gear (1965)
Help! (1965)
Wayne Kramer
USA
Joe Perry
USA
Best movies:
Aerosmith: Big Ones You Can Look at (1994) (music video)
Aerosmith Rocks Donington 2014 (2015) (concert)
The Treasure Planet (1982)