Scott Walker - 30th Century Man on DVD (2006)

PaulaWestwood from Ashton-Under-Lyne [Highly rated reviewer] , 23/05/2007

Now I will start by saying one of my all time favourite tracks is 'No Regrets', and 'Sun Ain't Gonna Shine' and 'Make it Easy on Yourself' aren't too shabby either., and the documentary, though slightly overlong, works well.

That said, and the tracks above being really Walker Brothers collaboration, solo I am not sure of the value to the normal man in the street of Walkers catalogue of work.

I know this might cause some consternation, but do you know when you have the feeling the artist has dissapeared into his own self indulgent realm, that the output is purely for the performer rather than his audience and the 'art' has taken over the 'artist'... well this appears to be a point in question.

Several music notaries (Malc Almond, Bowie, Eno etc), remark on the influential but slow (10 years on 1 album) output, and not to demean the mans work, the oddity of the output since the late 70's leaves you with the strong feeling of a person who has dissapeared up his own you know what !!!

Personally, although he says clearly in the film he is not interested in 'commercial' music, I am not a high brow 'muso' but do love music immensely, therefore I feel that we have missed a great output of music that has been soaked up in chordless arty 'noise', and as such I feel cheated of a great talent and his music.

Pity... as the voice is pure gold and the early work is still major hall of fame stuff . Sorry fans, hope you get what I am saying - this is still definately worth a watch !

  27 out of 49 people found this review helpful

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A customer from London , 12/09/2007

Great film, lovingly made. But, with all the interviews and scope of Scott's work, it's frustrating that it is only 90 mins. I don't think an extra 10 mins at least would have been too excessive.

Oh, and please don't listen to Paula Westwood. Firstly she questions the validity of all of Scott's work next to Walker Brothers, which is pure nonsense and totally ignores his first 5 classic solo albums, which are perfectly palatable to Walker Brothers fans. Walker Brothers were great, but ultimately, barring a few self-written songs, a covers band. Scott's first five albums take the similar concpet of orchestral led ballads but show an amazing songwriter gradually emerging, adding a depth that the Walker Brothers never had.

Secondly, she totally dismisses Scott's work since the late 70s. Certainly it is indeed an acquired taste, but I think it is some of the most forward looking, innovative music around. There really is nothing like it. And even if I didn't like it, like Jarvis Cocker says in the film, I'm still glad that someone has gone to these remote musical places and planted a flag to say that they exist. Moreover, Paula seems to think that the artist is obligated to think of the audience when creating. Though not necessarily a bad thing to do, it is in no way a pre-requisite to great art. Most of the best films/books/music etc have been made by people totally uncompromising in their vision. At no point does Scott Waker come across as pretentious or 'up his own you know what', because pretentiousness is doing something just for effect and I believe that Scott means everything he does, that it honestly comes from him. By all means, call it bad music if you think so, but don't call it fake and pretentious.

  8 out of 8 people found this review helpful

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Timothy Branney from Devon, England , 11/09/2007

A fascinating and expertly made documentary that manages to tell it's story and at the same time create a 'tone' that matches it's subject perfectly.

Scott Walker is one of the most revered yet enigmatic musicians alive today, and this film charts his pretty much unique career from 14-year old wannabe, via the teen-scream years with the Walker Brothers, through to his eventual emergence as one of the premier artists of the musical avant-guard.

Contributions from the likes of Radiohead, Jarvis Cocker, Brain Eno, David Bowie and many others create cultural context and counterpoint, but the extensive interview with Walker himself, plus unique and fascinating footage of the recording sessions for his recent 4AD album 'The Drift' are the heart and soul of the film.

Lovingly made, and highly recommended for anyone with an interest in music, and musicianship, it's trials and triumphs.

  10 out of 17 people found this review helpful

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Northernsky from Halifax [Highly rated reviewer] , 14/02/2008

Scott Walker is the sort of artist whose recent output ( If you can call three albums in nearly twenty years recent) has him hailed as a visionary genius or as a man who has spectacularly lost his way and is tunnelling his way up his own backside. This documentary by Stephen Kijak not too surprisingly is very much in the former category with plenty of notable talking heads paying tribute to Walker , yet crucially it never comes across as a mere fawning puff piece.

The ninety minute running time gives a brief biography of the man taking in his years with the Walker Brothers with some terrific old footage and then concentrating on his hugely idiosyncratic solo work . Most importantly the film has interviews with Walker himself where he proves to be grounded , lucid and self effacing .

The numerous interviewees include David Bowie( Who also serves as the films producer) Brian Eno who rates Walker as a 'peerless' lyricist, Damon Albarn , Jarvis Cocker who relates a telling anecdote about Walkers baseball cap , Johnny Greenwood, Alison Goldfrapp, Cathal Coughlan and most amusingly Lulu who dribbles over the young Walker and is then left gob smacked when she hears music from his last album 'The Drift'.

Talking of the music the one thing the DVD lacks is an insight into the writing and recording process for his music. We are given tantalising glimpses into this with the construction of a large plywood box in the studio for the recording sessions for 'The Drift' but sadly nothing beyond this. A classic albums style expose of the music would have been fascinating but perhaps Walker thought this was a step too far.

Overall this a revealing overdue examination of an artist who has chosen to follow his true muse rather than revel in the illustrious fame and fortune that could have been his had he stayed on a commercial path. I would very much welcome something similar on one of the participants here- Brian Eno- someone who deserves an illuminating film of this nature as much as the mercurial Walker.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

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Northernsky from Halifax [Highly rated reviewer] , 14/02/2008

Scott Walker is the sort of artist whose recent output ( If you can call three albums in nearly twenty years recent) has him hailed as a visionary genius or as a man who has spectacularly lost his way and is tunnelling his way up his own backside. This documentary by Stephen Kijak not too surprisingly is very much in the former category with plenty of notable talking heads paying tribute to Walker , yet crucially it never comes across as a mere fawning puff piece.

The ninety minute running time gives a brief biography of the man taking in his years with the Walker Brothers with some terrific old footage and then concentrating on his hugely idiosyncratic solo work . Most importantly the film has interviews with Walker himself where he proves to be grounded , lucid and self effacing .

The numerous interviewees include David Bowie( Who also serves as the films producer) Brian Eno who rates Walker as a 'peerless' lyricist, Damon Albarn , Jarvis Cocker who relates a telling anecdote about Walkers baseball cap , Johnny Greenwood, Alison Goldfrapp, Cathal Coughlan and most amusingly Lulu who dribbles over the young Walker and is then left gob smacked when she hears music from his last album 'The Drift'.

Talking of the music the one thing the DVD lacks is an insight into the writing and recording process for his music. We are given tantalising glimpses into this with the construction of a large plywood box in the studio for the recording sessions for 'The Drift' but sadly nothing beyond this. A classic albums style expose of the music would have been fascinating but perhaps Walker thought this was a step too far.

Overall this a revealing overdue examination of an artist who has chosen to follow his true muse rather than revel in the illustrious fame and fortune that could have been his had he stayed on a commercial path. I would very much welcome something similar on one of the participants here- Brian Eno- someone who deserves an illuminating film of this nature as much as the mercurial Walker.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

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PaulaWestwood from Ashton-Under-Lyne [Highly rated reviewer] , 23/05/2007

Now I will start by saying one of my all time favourite tracks is 'No Regrets', and 'Sun Ain't Gonna Shine' and 'Make it Easy on Yourself' aren't too shabby either., and the documentary, though slightly overlong, works well.

That said, and the tracks above being really Walker Brothers collaboration, solo I am not sure of the value to the normal man in the street of Walkers catalogue of work.

I know this might cause some consternation, but do you know when you have the feeling the artist has dissapeared into his own self indulgent realm, that the output is purely for the performer rather than his audience and the 'art' has taken over the 'artist'... well this appears to be a point in question.

Several music notaries (Malc Almond, Bowie, Eno etc), remark on the influential but slow (10 years on 1 album) output, and not to demean the mans work, the oddity of the output since the late 70's leaves you with the strong feeling of a person who has dissapeared up his own you know what !!!

Personally, although he says clearly in the film he is not interested in 'commercial' music, I am not a high brow 'muso' but do love music immensely, therefore I feel that we have missed a great output of music that has been soaked up in chordless arty 'noise', and as such I feel cheated of a great talent and his music.

Pity... as the voice is pure gold and the early work is still major hall of fame stuff . Sorry fans, hope you get what I am saying - this is still definately worth a watch !

  27 out of 49 people found this review helpful

Read all highest rated reviews