Only the Strong Survive - A Celebration of Soul (2002)
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61% of critics liked it
(44 reviews) -
50% of users liked it
(556 ratings)
Roger Friedman is an entertainment journalist and music fan with a particular love for R&B and soul music from the mid-'50s to the pre-disco era of the early '70s. Owing in part to segregated booking policies and simple lack of proper archiving, Friedman discovered there is little or no… More Roger Friedman is an entertainment journalist and music fan with a particular love for R&B and soul music from the mid-'50s to the pre-disco era of the early '70s. Owing in part to segregated booking policies and simple lack of proper archiving, Friedman discovered there is little or no surviving film footage or videotape of many of the greatest artists of the era performing on-stage. However, a large number of the performers in question were still active and performing on a regular basis, and with the help of documentary filmmakers Chris Hegedus and D.A. Pennebaker, Friedman set out to capture some of his favorites on film while they were still in good form. Only the Strong Survive features knockout performances from such R&B legends as Wilson Pickett, Jerry Butler, the Chi-Lites, Carla Thomas, Mary Wilson, Ann Peebles, and many more, as well as interviews in which the artists discuss the ups and downs of their lives in music. Only the Strong Survive also features performance footage of Memphis R&B pioneer Rufus Thomas, who had passed on at the age of 84, less than two months before the film was screened at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Chris Hegedus, D.A. Pennebaker
- Genres
- Musical & Performing Arts, Documentary
PG-13,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 2002 Wide
- Studio
- Miramax Films
Critic Reviews
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Randy Cordova, Arizona Republic
There's no problem with a little bias, but Friedman's fan-boy perspective puts the subjects of Only the Strong Survive on too high a pedestal.
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Gene Seymour, Newsday
Content to merely serve as a cluttered, heart-shaped scrapbook, missing many more stories than it bothers to include.
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Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
... the music is great, but as a film thumbs down.
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Richard Harrington, Washington Post
Fortunately, the performances themselves are beautifully filmed and recorded.
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Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
A film that even with its flaws should be cheered for preserving the later years of these towering musical talents.
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