Friday, May 22, 2015

Jimi: All is by my Side 2013


Jimi: All Is By My Side


     This film covers a year in the life of Jimi Hendrix from 1966-67.  He was an unknown backup guitarist playing in New York’s Cheetah Club.  Linda Keith discovers him, she is the girlfriend of Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones.  She invites anyone she can to come to see Jimi perform.  She bought him a Stratocaster guitar since he didn’t have a guitar of his own.  She links him up with former bassist Chas Chandler, a manager who brings him to London.  Jimi begins playing with Eric Clapton and they open a show at the London Saville Theater by starting with the just-released Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.  Paul and George of the Beatles are sitting in the audience.
     I’m not sure if the events in London are accurately portrayed in this film?  Kathy Etchingham, Jimi’s girlfriend in London during this period, has a posted review on Amazon for this film.  She denies that Jimi beat her with a telephone because of enraged jealousy?  She provides further information on scenes that she claims are also not accurate.  In light of this information, it seems this film should be considered a fictionalized portrayal?  2 ½* (This movie is so-so)

118 min, Bio directed by John Ridley with Hayley Atwell, Imogen Poots, Ruth Negga, Burn Gorman, Robbie Jarvis, Andre Benjamin, Ashley Charles, Amy De Bhrun, Claire-Hope Ashitey, Andrew Buckley, Laurence Kinlan.

Note:  Imdb 5.5 out of 10, 66% critic 43% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Rolling Stone Magazine 3* out of 4*, Amazon 2.7* out of 5* with 88 reviews.
Special Note:  In order to keep this project going as director John Ridley wanted, he had to forgo rights to many of the classic songs performed by Jimi.  If you accept the terms of the James Brown estate in order to get the rights, you make their and not your movie.








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