Standing In The Shadows Of Motown on DVD (2002)

Great music documentary/video for lovers of Motown hits

Rebecca Harrop from London, England , 31/03/2004

This is a musical documentary about the musicians behind almost every Motown hit from 1959 to the early seventies.

You've heard of The Four Tops - yes?

Diana Ross and the Supremes - yes?

The Temptations - yes?

Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson - yes, yes, yes?

The Funk Brothers? - who????

Exactly. Yet they were the people making the music!

The Funk Brothers, a group of exceptional 'backing' musicians, each of them masters of their own (and often everyone else's) instruments, are the unsung heroes who gave Motown hits their characteristic rhythmic and soulful 'Motown' sound.

The Funk Brothers were the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music. For almost every hit soul record you know - it was probably them playing! The spirit and talent of the Funk Brothers was to give Motown songs such success that this little known group of musicians have played on more Number One hits than the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles COMBINED!

This documentary will be of interest to anyone who loved these hits ? but be aware it is a documentary/music video and not a film. It's not a brilliantly well made documentary - there are some interesting interviews and facts but it makes up for any weaknesses with the revival Funk Brothers concert hits included in the film. Using, not so well known, but fabulously talented vocalists, these wonderful versions of classic hits including 'I heard it through the grapevine', 'Reach out I'll be there', and 'What becomes of the broken hearted' prove once and for all that, although a good vocalist can sing well and credit to them, it's the Funk Brothers who make this sound! I suspect you could have the worst singer in the world take the mike with these guys and they?d probably make something funky out of it!

The delivery of the songs in this film is extraordinary. The preciseness, clarity and soulfulness of the performances is so eerily good you almost can't believe it's live and real.

As the film ends and the titles of every hit song ever created by the Funk Brothers scroll down the screen it?s astounding how many are there to recognise. Everyone, no matter age or background, knows over half the songs on that list. Personally, I loved ?em all and I never, until now, knew the same guys made them.

Watch the film, buy the soundtrack, find a concert if you can but whatever you do, enjoy dancing round your house singing 'Ain't no mountain high enough' at the top of your lungs now knowing that it?s the Funk Brothers you are grooving to!

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Joyous, and deeply moving

woodenboy1 from Fife , 17/01/2006

It’s very rare for me to get emotional over a movie, but this film really gave me such joy and such sadness at the same time, that I was a complete mess after watching it!!

It tells the story of the Funk Brothers, a group of session musicians trying to scratch a living from recording albums that made megastars of people like Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, and pretty much everything that came out of Motown.

The film switches between interviews and recollections of the various members, including archived interviews of those that have passed away, and a live and perfectly recorded concert where the Funk Brothers are, after far too long, the headline act and main attraction. Guest singers join with the band, who are just as tight and funky as ever.

There was an overwhelming sense of family and brotherhood that existed between the FB, and the pain they had for departed brothers was so tremendous that I couldn’t help but feel their pain too, for the tragic losses they had endured. Not just the loss of friends either, but also in the sudden move of the Motown record company to LA in the 70s, which truly was the end of an era.

For the massive contribution these guys have made on music, this is recognition long overdue. If for no other reason, watch it for the music, which is simply spectacular.

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outstanding

A customer from Scotland , 17/01/2005

thouroughly enjoyed this dvd being a big motown fan i can't wait to add to my dvd collection especially my Motown collection .a must for all Motown not to be missed i have now started to look for material by the artists like joan Osborne/Bootsy it was great to see the true musicians behind what was known as the sound of young America the Motown sound which will live forever it's great sound will never die and have to thank Motown for the great artist that they gave so much in their music the like the legends like Stevie Wonder/Diana Ross&the Supremes/The Jackson 5/the 4Tops/The Temptations/the Commodores/Mandre/Undisputed Truth /Junior Walker/Jimmy Ruffin/David Ruffin/Levi Stubbs/Marvin Gaye /Gladys Knight&the pips/Smokey Robinson&the Miracles/The Marvelettes/Mary Wells/Tammi Terrell Eddie Kendricks and all the other great performers that gave the world a brand new sound long live Motown all that remains for me to do is visit this great place where it all began in the near future thanks again Motown for the great music

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The one finger james jamerson groove baby!

Nadiestar from Ruislip, Middlesex [Highly rated reviewer] , 22/05/2006

I own this film and being a musician i can recommend it to anyone who loves, plays or listens to music. This is a very sad story of the engine behind the frieght train that was the Motown hit factory. Through out the 60's and 70's Berry Gordy made an enormous amount of money and success with his artists. The singers worked hard but no way near as hard as the Funk Brothers! These boys were the heart and soul of the motown sound and often freelanced for other soul lables like Atlantic and Stax because they never earned enough (typical musician complaint). If you love old soul music then you owe it to yourself to learn who really made the hits. One thing tho try not to hate Chaka Khan for ruining whats going on with all her riffing. Big respects to James Jamerson the bass player and groove of the Funk Brothers who along with a few other member of his band never lived long enough to finally see his work be recognised. Which is a travisty as anyone who can play the bass as great as he can with only one finger should already be in the rock n roll hall of fame. YOU MUST SEE THIS FILM!

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Great music documentary/video for lovers of Motown hits

Rebecca Harrop from London, England , 31/03/2004

This is a musical documentary about the musicians behind almost every Motown hit from 1959 to the early seventies.

You've heard of The Four Tops - yes?

Diana Ross and the Supremes - yes?

The Temptations - yes?

Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson - yes, yes, yes?

The Funk Brothers? - who????

Exactly. Yet they were the people making the music!

The Funk Brothers, a group of exceptional 'backing' musicians, each of them masters of their own (and often everyone else's) instruments, are the unsung heroes who gave Motown hits their characteristic rhythmic and soulful 'Motown' sound.

The Funk Brothers were the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music. For almost every hit soul record you know - it was probably them playing! The spirit and talent of the Funk Brothers was to give Motown songs such success that this little known group of musicians have played on more Number One hits than the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles COMBINED!

This documentary will be of interest to anyone who loved these hits ? but be aware it is a documentary/music video and not a film. It's not a brilliantly well made documentary - there are some interesting interviews and facts but it makes up for any weaknesses with the revival Funk Brothers concert hits included in the film. Using, not so well known, but fabulously talented vocalists, these wonderful versions of classic hits including 'I heard it through the grapevine', 'Reach out I'll be there', and 'What becomes of the broken hearted' prove once and for all that, although a good vocalist can sing well and credit to them, it's the Funk Brothers who make this sound! I suspect you could have the worst singer in the world take the mike with these guys and they?d probably make something funky out of it!

The delivery of the songs in this film is extraordinary. The preciseness, clarity and soulfulness of the performances is so eerily good you almost can't believe it's live and real.

As the film ends and the titles of every hit song ever created by the Funk Brothers scroll down the screen it?s astounding how many are there to recognise. Everyone, no matter age or background, knows over half the songs on that list. Personally, I loved ?em all and I never, until now, knew the same guys made them.

Watch the film, buy the soundtrack, find a concert if you can but whatever you do, enjoy dancing round your house singing 'Ain't no mountain high enough' at the top of your lungs now knowing that it?s the Funk Brothers you are grooving to!

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Joyous, and deeply moving

woodenboy1 from Fife , 17/01/2006

It’s very rare for me to get emotional over a movie, but this film really gave me such joy and such sadness at the same time, that I was a complete mess after watching it!!

It tells the story of the Funk Brothers, a group of session musicians trying to scratch a living from recording albums that made megastars of people like Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, and pretty much everything that came out of Motown.

The film switches between interviews and recollections of the various members, including archived interviews of those that have passed away, and a live and perfectly recorded concert where the Funk Brothers are, after far too long, the headline act and main attraction. Guest singers join with the band, who are just as tight and funky as ever.

There was an overwhelming sense of family and brotherhood that existed between the FB, and the pain they had for departed brothers was so tremendous that I couldn’t help but feel their pain too, for the tragic losses they had endured. Not just the loss of friends either, but also in the sudden move of the Motown record company to LA in the 70s, which truly was the end of an era.

For the massive contribution these guys have made on music, this is recognition long overdue. If for no other reason, watch it for the music, which is simply spectacular.

Read all highest rated reviews