Stockwell review: Music documentaries rekindle glory days

Happy June! We are coming to the middle part of the year, and it is beginning to look a lot like normal. Vaccinated people are able to remove those masks, people are out and about, and, yes, movie theaters are starting to show movies again on the big screen.

It’s great news for the residents of Crystal Lake that the Showplace 16 has reopened, as well. There is a full lineup of films, including “A Quiet Place II” and “Cruella,” though personally, I haven’t been able to head to the theater yet (I am midway through my summer film class), so I plan on getting back out soon to see some of the much-anticipated new releases.

While watching a film on the big screen is always exciting, home options are still a great way to spend an evening. As I usually go with some classic films, this week I thought I would change it up a little and give you a couple documentaries. As I once was a DJ in the mid-1990s (yes, I spun some of those weird items called records), I have two that bring back a little history and a little music at the same time.

Oh, by the way, I was at Starved Rock a little while ago, and I shouted into a canyon in hopes of hearing my echo.

It was a resounding success.

“Echo in the Canyon” (2018)

When Al Jolson uttered the famous words, “Wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain’t heard nothing yet … ” in the 1927 film “The Jazz Singer,” we saw a change in the movie industry. Widely considered the birth of synchronized sound, it still would be a few years before the “talkies” really took over.

Before that, however, the silent era wasn’t really soundless, because music accompanied the images on screen. Big movie theaters had orchestras, smaller movie houses had a piano and a talented player. So, despite forging different paths, music and films always have had an enduring marriage.

Like its film compatriot, music has evolved over the years to a multi-billion industry, yet its roots and influences often are overlooked. In Andrew Slater’s 2018 documentary, “Echo in the Canyon,” he looks at Los Angeles’ Laurel Canyon music scene of the 1960s.

The 82-minute film is a combination of archival footage and various clips from many singer-songwriters. Slater is a first-time director, but no stranger to music. He wrote for both USA Today and Rolling Stone, was the CEO of Capitol Records, and produced The Wallflowers’ self-titled debut album. Among the band members were Jakob Dylan (who looks eerily close to his famous dad, Bob), who appears in and executive produces “Echo.”

Filling the film with incredible snippets of interviews with legends of the time, Slater gives viewers a look into what went on in the mid-1960s. The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson, The Mamas & the Papas, Buffalo Springfield, and even the The Byrds, along with Eric Clapton and Neil Young, all make an appearance. The film’s soundtrack is a trip through memory lane, and the images on screen are sure to make one reminisce about days gone by.

The PG-13 rated film can be found on Netflix with a subscription, and Prime has it for $2.99.

“Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice” (2019)

“When will I be loved?”

It was the musical question asked by Linda Ronstadt in early 1975, and would reach as high as number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and the top spot on the Country chart, solidifying her as the queen of rock. Though somewhat lost in the annals of time, Ronstadt is one of the most important musicians of the last century. Her powerful voice and sound took old favorites (The Everly Brothers wrote and recorded the before-mentioned song in 1960) and popularized them to a higher level.

Documentary filmmaker and two-time Oscar winner Rob Epstein teams up with Jeffrey Friedman to bring Ronstadt back where she belongs with their 2019 award-winning film, “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice.”

Similar to what Andrew Slater’s documentary did for the Laurel Canyon music scene of the 1960s, Epstein and Friedman try to rekindle the fire for Ronstadt and her music. We get treated to a fun narration from the singer herself, as well as many interviews and comments from some of the greats. Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton (who make up the other two parts of the ensemble from the 1987 platinum album “Trio”) share their thoughts on her and her mostly forgotten legacy.

Jackson Browne, Don Henley, Johnny Cash and Ringo chime in, as well, and we get a great close-out song from Carrie Underwood, Sheryl Crow and Stevie Nicks. Epstein and Friedman – whose previous works include the 2014 historical documentary “And the Oscar Goes To …” – provide an informative quilt of information that makes one recall Ronstadt’s rockabilly style, and helps remind viewers how incredibly talented she was.

Because she retired early due to health issues with progressive supranuclear palsy, we lost out on hearing the queen of rock sing earlier than we wanted to. “Sound” is a wonderful way to revive those feelings we have about Ronstadt, as well as answer her musical question, “When will I be loved?”

If you hadn’t already, right after viewing the film.

It can be found on HBO Max, or Prime has it for $2.99.

Oh, I had one other joke about echoes. I can’t remember it right now, but I am sure it will come back to me.

Happy viewing!

• Jim Stockwell is a tenured instructor of film and broadcast journalism at McHenry County College, teaching Introduction to Film, Advanced Film and Introduction to Public Speaking.