September 6th 2025
But Also John Clarke
Billy Joel: And So It Goes (streaming)
Only two this week; both docos and both beauties! A wonderful doco on much-loved comedian, John Clarke, and a long but brilliant streaming doco, in two parts, on Billy Joel.
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© Rialto - wnderful homage to a clever
and much-loved man |
Comedy lost a brilliant man with the death of comedian and satirist John Clarke in 2017. Now his daughter Lorin has crafted a glorious tribute to her dad, the man New Zealanders came to know and love as Fred Dagg. The outrageous man in gumboots broke through NZ's staid exterior to herald a new era of comedy. In the 1970s Clarke headed for Oz, where he became one of the best known satirists of the era. For a man whose private life was always subordinate to his personae, he is lovingly revealed in a mixture of archival footage, and interviews, both with Clarke himself, but also with more than 40 friends and colleagues. Actors, journalists, comedians and old friends from around the world talk of Clarke in a way that lets us see how well-loved and respected he was, while Lorin introduces us to "my Dad" in a very warm and naturalistic style. Many hilarious clips had me laughing out loud, while the insights into Clarke's troubled family background, his intellect, as well as his kind nature, round out a picture of an unforgettable cultural icon. 4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended
Billy Joel - And So It Goes
Dir: Susan Lacey and Jessica Levin
Length: 2 hrs 26 (part 1) 2 hrs 34 (part 2)
Streaming on HBO Max
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© HBO Max - you can't get a more in-depth
look at the singer/songwriter than this! |
Ok, so I know it's not a cinema film - but a mesmerising five-hour biopic of a genius songwriter deserves to feature here. Painstakingly constructed, the doco features many aspects of Joel's life, from his childhood background, through his career, his relationships and his philosophy on the world and songwriting. The directors don't go for a chronological timeline, and this works really well, adding constant interest. Present-day interviews with Joel are interspersed throughout the rest, which examines his life and works, as he talks honestly and openly about the highs and lows of his life. His many marriages (including to celebrity model Christie Brinkley) feature, as do clips from recording sessions and fabulous concerts. We learn that fans adored him yet the music critics never gave him the credit he deserved until later in his career. Front and centre are his wonderful creations with segments from more than 100 songs featured. His chameleon-like ability to change genre throughout his life cannot help but impress, especially as he returns in later life to his classical roots. This doco should thrill music fans everywhere.4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended
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