09/23/06 Be Here To Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt

Be Here To Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt (2004), directed by Margaret Brown; suggested by Mike

Two things need to be acknowledged today in successive importance. First, today is my youngest sister Rebecca's birthday, so happy birthday kid! She came up to visit & watch some movies on the Challenge last month, so like most other birthday shout outs this year...this particular title viewed on this day doesn't have any significance to her personally, but the day should be recognized. Second, my two good friends/co-workers Mike & Laurie will be quitting soon, and we threw a big shindig for their going-away on site today. Therefore, I thought I'd look into this great documentary suggested by Mike (and his warped folky sense of musical taste). Townes Van Zandt (no, not in Skynyrd) is one crazy s.o.b. While his music and lyrics are widely seen as some of the most beautifully tragic and talented of modern time...he also remains largely unheard of considering mainstream status of this country's popular artists. What you do see here in this tender-hearted documentary is a number of those more well-known names in the industry and genre of folk-country, including Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Emmyloue Harris, Guy Clark, Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle, and Merle Haggard. All of these great musicians speak not only as fans of Van Zandt's timeless music, but more so as friends retelling tales of the man's troubled and talented life. With candid interviews of these artists, Van Zandt's own family members, as well as chronological footage of Townes himself...life is breathed into the colorful stories that are woven as a fabric to the film, backed by the man's own brand of musical storytelling. Just a sampling of how crazy Van Zandt's life was...while addicted to sniffing glues, he managed to permanently glue a bottle to the teeth in his mouth so he could continually smell the fumes. Once cemented on his teeth, an emergency dental procedure took place where a ball-peen hammer was taken with force to crack the problem...leaving him with only a few of his real chompers left in his head. Another out-there tale tells of how Townes, while drinking at a party in college, decided he wanted to let himself fall backwards off a balcony (3 stories up mind you!) just to experience the uncontrolled sensation of falling. Yes, just to see what it felt like...and he lived to tell the tale. Coming from a seemingly loving family, and producing a loving family of his own...the man was far too tormented of an artistic soul to survive for very long, but while he was here on Earth, he left a lasting impression. Even if many are ignorant to the magnitude of his musical impact (as I myself was before seeing this), lasting effects from this critically acclaimed piece can help to rectify that.

4 out of 5 stars