Posted by Eric Stumpf
Malik Bendjelloul's "Searching for Sugar Man" opens at the Saratoga Film Forum at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov 16. The film will also play at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 18.
"Searching for Sugar Man" revisits the decade old mystery of music icon Rodriguez and grooves out in the process. This documentary tells the story of a mystifying figure that unintentionally became a poster child for the Anti-Apartheid movement.
In the late '60s, a passionate musician named Rodriguez was discovered in a Detroit bar. The artist's time in the public eye was short lived however, due to the failure of his debut album in the U.S., and rumors of a brutal on-stage suicide. By some strange happenstance, a bootleg Rodriguez recording found its way to South Africa, where it became somewhat divinatory in nature.
Passionate pop songwriter Rodriguez was discovered in a Detroit bar in the late 1960s. His promising career was cut short however, due to a failed debut album and rumors of a brutal on-stage suicide. By some strange happenstance however, a bootleg Rodriguez recording found its way to South Africa. Bootleg cassettes proliferated, and a star was born. Over the next 20 years Rodriguez became a legendary figure in South Africa, surrounded by mystery and intrigue. This film follows two lifelong fans as they track his legacy back to Detroit, and, to their amazement, find the man who started it all.
Searching for Sugar Man" has intrigue as a documentary, and rather than throwing facts in your face, it creates its own original evolving story. It's about the cruel realities of the music industry, and a man whose lyrics are as honorable and timeless as his own personal convictions. The film also relates a kind of history of South African Apartheid, and adds a new and unexpected depth to this story. This weekend at the Saratoga Film Forum, the 70s and a long-forgotten pop icon will sweep you off your feet.
Brent Simon of Shared Darkness calls "Searching for Sugar Man" an "unexpectedly fresh nonfiction tale that rustles up deep feelings of a life stolen. [The film is] part docu-mystery [and] part uplifting valentine about the universality and resonating power of music."
Relevant Majors: Music, History, Business, Psychology, Philosophy, and Religious Studies.
The Film Forum will also hold a special screening of "Peter Pan" at 7:30 p.m. this Thursday, Nov. 15.
The rarely viewed silent film from 1924 will be accompanied by Seattle harpist and composer Leslie McMichael. Reviewed by many top critics as one of the greatest films for children, it is still a pleasure to watch and should be quite the theatrical experience.
This special event has slightly higher pricing: $9 for the general public, and $7 for members and students. Join us Thursday for a magical experience!
Relevant majors: Theater, Music, and Photography.
Stay tuned for next week's review of "Easy Money," coming to the Film Forum on Nov. 23.