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TONIGHT: Out at Silverdocs: Wild Combination / Arthur Russell

18 June 2008, 2:15 pm No Comments

Yet another post by Philip Clark.

The film with the cutesy-poo title, Bi the Way, is getting all the “gay documentary” focus at the annual Silverdocs film festival, but a movie with a lot less press, Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell, may wind up as one of the little-known surprises of the 2008 edition. When it debuted in Berlin earlier this year, Wild Combination was hailed for its innovative look at NYC’s 1970s and ’80s underground music scene.This isn’t quite your standard “life and times of the great men” documentary; not everyone can, like Russell, claim to be a combination dance-music pioneer and avant-garde cellist.

Before his death from AIDS in 1992, Russell’s music was heard everywhere from the Manhattan School of Music to New York City’s legendary Paradise Garage disco, where DJ Larry Levan spun remixes of his songs. He collaborated with such luminaries as Allen Ginsberg, Phillip Glass, and Talking Heads’ David Byrne, but today is much less publicly known.

Silverdocs’ showing of Wild Combination is one night only – tonight! Go to the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring (8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, MD., 20910) for a 9 p.m. show. You can learn more about the film and purchase advance tickets online at the Silverdocs website

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Anonymous said:

Thanks for the heads up! NIce to see some good music getting covered here.

18 June 2008 at 11:23 pm

Philip said:

I’ve got more info., so I’m going to add to my own post. First, this was an amazing, amazing film about a quite evidently genius musician. Whatever you have to do to see it, see it. Brilliantly arranged, funny, inspiring, poignant. I’m not a cryer during movies, but I was tearing up during this one.

The filmmaker, Matt Wolf, says that the movie will receive a “major cities” release in September — no word yet on whether D.C. will be one of those cities. While it’s worth seeing this on the big screen, there will also be a DVD release in November, so you’ll have an opportunity either way.

If anyone else saw the film last night or is a fan of Arthur Russell’s, please contact me (philipclark@hotmail.com). I’m so energized by the film that I really want to talk to others who have seen it or know about Russell.

19 June 2008 at 1:35 pm