trishaade This is the second documentary I've watched about the music business within the last week. I was really looking forward to seeing it, but by the time it ended I was so glad that it was finally over.This film seems like nothing more than a promotion for the handful of singers who are featured - apparently the people who made the movie felt that these women (and one or two men) were the only background singers of note. Add to that the fact that almost without exception, these singers wanted (or want) to be front and center and the doc feels like a marketing tool. It became incredibly tiresome after a while. Don't get me wrong - these women can "sang" (often better than the people they are backing) and I can appreciate and respect the amount of talent they have. They added so much to the songs they did vocals on and the songs wouldn't have the same without what they contributed. I found, though, that I burnt out quickly on the "poor, poor pitiful me" undertone and the whining about "I should have been a huge star" or "I got screwed". I would have thought that these folks would have been grateful for the opportunities they had - making money doing something they love, doing it exceedingly well, having a job that many people would sell their souls to do and being in the successful elite who were lucky enough to make it in an exceeding tough and competitive business.Finally, if you consider that apparently the doc isn't entirely truthful (see other reviews for information on that), the film really isn't worth a watch.Maybe if I had watched "TWENTY FEET" first instead of "THE WRECKING CREW" (which I loved), I wouldn't feel like I'd just watched a very long and desperate promo reel.

capone666 20 Feet from StardomThe worst part of being a backup singer is you're in the path of the lead singer's farts.Mind you, Mick Jagger would be the one emitting gas in this documentary.In the shadow of the spotlight, women, like, Darlene Love, Merry Clayton and Sheryl Crow, have been overlooked in the annals of music history for their supporting role – until now.From their inception due to breakouts within existing girl groups - The Supremes – to Caucasian rockers - Bruce Springsteen, Sting - who utilize African American singers to add credibility to their ditties, 20 Feet from Stardom explores every angle of this misunderstood contributor.Through interviews with the backups themselves as well as the artists and producers they work with, viewers are treated to a fascinating account of the recording industry's true underdog.And contrary to popular belief, backup singers weren't invented because Phil Spector might shoot the lead singer.Green Lightvidiotreviews.blogspot.ca

rooprect I watched this movie last night and enjoyed it. This morning I came to write a glowing review, but I decided to read a few other reviews first. Imagine my shock when I saw several informed reviews criticizing the film for its blatant fabrication of facts. So I paused to do some research on my own.The worst fudging seems to be regarding the career of Darlene Love which, to me was the most interesting part of the documentary. It's interesting because Darlene makes the claim, backed by documentarian Morgan Neville, that Darlene was the real lead singer on several songs which ended up being credited to other artists. It blames Phil Spector (you know, the guy who is currently serving 19 years for 2nd degree murder of actress Lana Clarkson) for maliciously manipulating Darlene Love and tricking her with promises of a solo career but instead crediting other singers for Darlene's work. Journalists were unable or unwilling to reach Phil Spector in prison to check facts; the world would much sooner believe a poor victimized singer who is forced to clean houses for a living than a rich & powerful murderer.The truth is convoluted (if you're curious, there's a pretty credible analysis on songfacts.com, search for the song "Da Doo Ron Ron"). The official record stands that Darlene Love has since retracted her claim that she sang lead. Last year the NY Times issued a correction to its article which had praised this film, stating that Darlene Love did NOT sing "Da Doo Ron Ron", but maintained that Darlene sang backup on it. But the real truth is that Darlene's voice wasn't on that song at all. The backup singers were Fanita James, Gracia Nitzsche & Cher.There's more, but you probably get the point. Not only is this documentary inaccurate, it may be deliberately fraudulent for the sake of weaving an underdog story that never was. It's really sad that the film screwed up on that account, because there's plenty of other things it could have focused on instead of claiming that these singers were cruelly manipulated.Like the far superior documentary "Standing in the Shadows of Motown", this film could have focused on the inspirational story of musicians who are simply proud that they helped make musical history--regardless of if they became superstars. In "Shadows" we don't get a weepy pity party for anyone; instead we get a triumphant revelation that the greatest session musicians were just ordinary Joes & Janes who never craved the spotlight. In "20 Feet From Stardom" we get conflicting messages: on one hand that the backup singers are content to remain in the background, on the other hand we get the picture that these backup singers were cheated out of stardom by sleazy producers. And lo & behold, those claims aren't even true.So, like my title says, I feel horribly cheated and manipulated myself. I had come here ready to write a rave review of what I thought was a polished & informative documentary deserving of its Academy Award (make no mistake, the cinematography and intimate studio footage are excellent), but 10 minutes researching the truth showed me that this documentary can't be trusted.Check out "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" instead. If you like other styles of music (like metal, for example) check out a wonderfully heartwarming & unintentionally hilarious documentary called "Anvil! The Story of Anvil". The music world is full of interesting stories without documentarians needing to manufacture them.

ikeybabe This was terrific! I've always wondered about the background singers who belt out the songs in an effort to make the headliner shine. And this told their story in their words. My only complaint - I wanted to hear more singing. Seeing these women getting the recognition they deserve was great. And listening to them tell their stories about singing their hearts out only to have someone else take the credit, was moving. But still, they kept moving forward. I remember when Lisa Fischer stepped forward and was such a hit with her Grammy-winning single. I loved her! But I get why she didn't want to be in the spotlight. It's not for everyone. And to hear how one singer couldn't live off of her talent and had to teach Spanish to make ends meet is sad. But it also showed that regardless of talent, drive and commitment, there are no guarantees and life isn't fair.