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Category:    Home > Reviews > Drama > Music > Biopic > Rock > Counterculture > Guitar > African American > Jimi: All Is By My Side (2014/XLrator Blu-ray)

Jimi: All Is By My Side (2014/XLrator Blu-ray)


Picture: B+ Sound: B+ Extras: D Film: B-



Jimi: All Is By My Side, directed by the writer of 12 Years A Slave and Red Tails John Ridley, is an interesting look at the musician in his up and coming years in America but mostly London. Trying to find his voice and stand out from the crowd, Hendrix finds himself in something of a love triangle, playing performances that get better by the night until he soon gets the attention of famous musicians such as Eric Clapton and The Beatles and really starts to get his career going. One problem with the film is that despite its 118 minute length, it ends right when it starts to really get interesting which is when Jimi is preparing to play his infamous performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. The mood overall is vintage and intimate with no parts being too overacted or performed yet ultimately natural in tone.


Fusing a unique mix of documentary footage from the period, an unusual looking film stock, and excellent production design the film ends up being slow paced and at times bleak. The film stars Andre Benjamin (of music's OutKast) as Hendrix, the stunningly gorgeous Hayley Atwell (Captain America/Marvel's Agent Carter) and Imogen Poots (the Fright Night remake) as Linda Keith - to whom was dating Keith Richards at the time when she discovered Hendrix and kickstarted his career.


The film does not include any songs written by Hendrix, as the filmmakers' request to use them was denied by Experience Hendrix LLC (Hendrix's estate). Instead, the film set in London in 1966 and 1967 includes the songs that Hendrix performed during those years, shortly before the release of his debut album, Are You Experienced. The only songs I recognized was Wild Thing and of course his cover of title song from The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band that the Experience famously performed at the Savile Theatre on June 4, 1967 before an audience containing both George Harrison and Paul McCartney (the album had just been released).


The film has caused controversy as several of Hendrix's friends, including Kathy Etchingham, who has vocally decried the film as largely fictitious. This includes scenes depicting a fictionalized Hendrix violently and repeatedly beating Etchingham (played by Hayley Atwell). In interviews given recently, Etchingham describes Hendrix as a gentle man, and the time she spent with him some of the best years of her life.


The 1080p high definition transfer is in a sharp 2:39:1 widescreen aspect ratio and has solid tones and colors throughout the film that bring it to life. The sound mix is an unsurpassed, lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix (48kHz, 16-bit) that pits you in the crowd when Jimi is playing on stage.


One drawback to the disc is the lack of extras with only a Trailer and a featurette on the Music in the film.


All in all, if you are a Hendrix fan then this is something worth checking out. The artist isn't necessarily always shown in good light here, which makes for an interesting study on his character.



- James Harland Lockhart V

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