MR DYNAMITE THE RISE OF JAMES BROWN (2014) [Feature]

USA (MIFF2015,Backbeat)
Director: Alex Gibney

"A strikingly varied and substantial portrait of an intensely complex artist." – Slant Magazine

Legendary documentarian Alex Gibney (Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine, MIFF 2015; Finding Fela, MIFF 14) turns his lens on the Hardest Working Man In Show Business, the inimitable James Brown.

Bursting with Brown's sweat-drenched vamping and unmatched musical gifts, Mr Dynamite also peeks behind the cape to reveal a contradictory man whose history intersected with the civil rights movement and even the birth of hip-hop.

Full archival access showcases the explosive concerts and volatile band mechanics that cemented Brown's legacy. Co-producer Mick Jagger joins Reverend Al Sharpton, Chuck D, Questlove, Maceo and Melvin Parker, and former bandmates help unravel the untamed enigma that is America's Soul Brother No. 1.

"A smart, informative and compassionate look at the artist known as the Godfather of Soul." – New York Times

Select Festival

Search the film archive