The Agony & The Ecstasy Of Phil Spector 7/12/10 Film Forum, New York City

Let it never be forgotten that Rock & Roll can make you a little crazy and in some individuals a little more than others. Mr. Spector is surely "touched" but this film also allows us a glimpse of his genius, fortitude, intellect and most rewardingly his famous sense of humor. A good portion of the audience I sat with laughed for all the wrong reasons at all the wrong moments but Mr. Spector also had me laughing out loud (LOL) with his Lennon impression and ruminations on Bill Cosby, Woody Allen and Brian Wilson as well as himself. The murder trial and Beatles years are given ample attention but what most of us truly love him for and why he is a legendary figure amongst the music intelligentsia, namely The Wall Of Sound which is given a too brief history in my opinion, I would have liked 20-200 minutes more with the wrecking crew at Gold Star (hopefully another separate documentary altogether). There is a chillingly poignant moment when Mr. Spector attempts to describe the illogical motivation behind the mind of Mark David Chapman and perhaps unwittingly winds up describing himself.

And for a Phil Spector Production or Anything At All Containing his Recorded Work it Is Nice To Know that Houston street's own FILM FORUM (www.filmforum.org) has a Sound system that Rocks!!! PLAY IT LOUD Indeed.



I popped a shot of the marquee overhang outdoors for archival reasons and once seated was informed by the minx to my left that (Sir) Paul Schaefer was sitting nearly behind me so I made sure to keep my Cilia-Enlivening Habitquashing ex-smoker's cough as civil as possible so as not to bother the audience or the minx' concentration on the film and eyeballed Paul (Blues Brothers, David Letterman) for a great part of the evening.



Probably only my second/third visit to the Caliente Cab Company Ever but what mere mortal can resist the temptations of a Tasty, Delicious, Warm & Filling Tortilla of Joy. In my case the "Mission" Burrito for at least the second time in my life.

(custom "Tomato" Flour Tortilla 75 cents extra)