The Edwin Starr Story (Music Video Distributors/Wienerworld DVD)
Picture: C Sound: C Extras: D Documentary: C+
Edwin
Starr was one of the more soul-rich performers at Motown when he scored to key
classic hits on its Gordy label: Twenty-Five
Miles and War. Both hit a chord with The Civil Rights
Movement and the Vietnam debacle, making him a Soul legend beyond his
semi-novelty hit Double-O-Soul in
1965. The Edwin Starr Story is a recent look at the lost soul voice,
still performing after all these years.
The look
is a chronological one, covering all kinds of then-and-now details in its 110
minutes that become more engaging to see and hear about than some may have
considered, but Starr is still touring, still had the voice and had not allowed
himself to become just another legacy act.
Instead, he was still pushing the envelope for himself and hoping
possibly for one more big hit before his passing. He even scored some Disco-exclusive hits that
did not cross over, but the big national hit never happened. Perhaps some in the Rollback corner started
holding a grudge starting in the 1980s.
The letterboxed
1.78 X 1 has digititis throughout, lacks depth and was just not made under the
best of technological circumstances, so expect a rough viewing. Tired Music Video clichés in editing and
stylizing also distract from the presentation.
The sound is also an issue, with slight distortion throughout and barely
anything resembling stereo sound. There
are no extras.
- Nicholas Sheffo
