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Under Review: 1964-1974Van Morrison
Under Review: 1964-1974, from MVD Entertainment, is a two-hour documentary covering Van Morrison's early works. Set primarily in the studio, and comprised largely of interviews with journalists and critics of his work, the piece examines the first — and most prolific — decade of Morrison's career, touching on his childhood in Belfast, Ireland, and covering his musical output from his work with Them in the early 60s up to his move to Los Angeles in the early 70s and ensuing three-year hiatus. The years of 1964 through 1974 were remarkably productive ones for the multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. In slightly more than a decade, he produced a dozen albums, including such landmark recordings as Astral Weeks and Tupelo Honey. In the process he also released a handful of singles that have become pop standards: "Brown Eyed Girl," "Moondance," and "Wild Night" becoming the latter day equivalent of "Autumn Leaves," "Take the 'A' Train," or "Cherokee," as they stand in the jazz vernacular. A casual fan of Morrison's work, flipping through cable channels and stumbling across this, already in progress, would definitely stop and watch. It's interesting stuff and illuminates the full spectrum of work during this period, from an artist who is typically only remembered for his hits. Morrison was, in fact, one of the pioneers of the "album oriented rock" format that, thanks to FM radio, flourished in the seventies, and Under Review tends to emphasize "Van the artist" over "Van the entertainer." Through the snippets of video and musical samples in the film, though, it's hard to tell the difference. During this era, which saw him progress through skiffle, R&B, neo-avante garde and country rock, he always had one foot planted firmly in each plot. As an interesting examination of Morrison's work, this documentary succeeds, but — like a hastily conceived Irish stew without, say, the meat — it leaves you feeling unfulfilled; missing the main ingredient. It's got everything but Van. We're given, instead, bits of a previously recorded interview and a view of a rolling tape reel — hardly satisfying, though it does create a certain air of mystery about the performer, intended or not. The timeframe itself is also something of a puzzle, ending, not on the triumphant note of St. Dominic's Preview, but on the breakup of his legendary Caledonia Soul Orchestra, one of the great outfits of the 1970s, and a pair of records that were, by the critics own admission, either uncharacteristically subdued (Veedon Fleece) or just outright sub par (Hard Nose The Highway). While none of these recordings are "bad," per se, they make for something of an anticlimax. "Out like a lamb" just doesn't seem fitting for lion that is Van Morrison.All in all, Under Review: 1964-1974 is great fodder for a Sunday afternoon spent channel surfing, but seems incomplete without the man himself telling his own story in person. Still, this documentary makes for an illuminating and interesting piece of work. ~ Drew Todd ©Copyright 1997, 2008 Vintage Rock
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