Famed film director Martin Scorsese has announced he will direct an in-depth documentary about the late George Harrison. News of the film has music fans, who were overcome with excitement thinking about Scorsese’s already completed Rolling Stones movie Shine a Light, creaming their pantaloons in droves. Scorsese made the magnificent The Last Waltz. If that isn’t an achievement in its own right, Rolling Stone placed it atop its “Home Theatre Special: Top 25 Music DVDs” list in its recent issue! You don’t get to the top of any list without being the best! Just ask Billboard’s Number 1 album this week Still Feels Good by Rascal Flatts! And last week’s #1: Reba McEntyre’s Reba Duets! Or the Douchey McDoucherson who topped the nation’s Top 200 chart the week before that! Scorsese also made No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, which made #10 on the same Rolling Stone DVD list. You do NOT get to the ten spot on any list without being awesome! Just ask Number 10 album on Billboard: Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates by Kenny Chesney! Or the #10 album on last week’s chart: Twista’s Adrenaline Rush 2007! Ugh... it never ends.
[It should also be noted that Scorsese made the unlisted Gangs of New York, his biopic which shed light on the intense rivalries and brutal battles between Big Apple street packs Interpol, The Bravery, The Walkmen, Yeah Yeah Yeahs (yeah, yeah...).]
Oh, who am I to snidely sideswipe Scorsese or poke fun at anything? The man is movies and his documentaries have been brilliant. I am nothing and I can’t even spell brilliant (without using Señor Spellcheck). This time around, Scorsese’s subject could not be more deserving of a lifetime look-see; Harrison (click here to see what he looks like) was a quiet enigma who had more layers than an obese onion. He was a wonderfully complex, deep-spirited character and one hell of a talented songwriter and musician who lived as a third-class citizen in the shadows of (arguably) the two most important songwriters and musicians ever.
Scorsese said this of the project in an e-mail press release: “Harrison’s music and his search for spiritual meaning is a story that still resonates today and I’m looking forward to delving deeper.” The project has the blessing from Harrison’s wife Olivia, too. The widow Harrison, who will co-produce the as-yet-untitled film, says, “It would have given George great joy to know that Martin Scorsese has agreed to tell his story.” Needless to say, we can’t wait until it comes out; we haven't heard “When We Was Fab” in ages! November 29 will be the 6th anniversary of Harrison’s death, after succumbing to lung cancer and a brain tumor.
