Who is Harry Nilsson (And Why is Everybody Talkin' About Him)? (2006)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Spencer S

  
  A very interesting look into the life of one of my favorite musicians. Nilsson's life seemed to be unlike anyone other's, including friendships with The Beatles, Robin Williams, and legendary producer Richard Perry. Exploring through Harry's music, accounts from his… More
  A very interesting look into the life of one of my favorite musicians. Nilsson's life seemed to be unlike anyone other's, including friendships with The Beatles, Robin Williams, and legendary producer Richard Perry. Exploring through Harry's music, accounts from his former friends, and even a voice over narration from Nilsson himself, this proved to be one of the most interesting docs about a musical genius who has passed made.

• Stella D

  
  requiem for a guy who almost wasn't famous. considered by many of his peers to be one of the finest singer/songwriters of his generation, his brief brush with success almost destroyed him. most remembered today for singing someone else's song which became the theme of the… More
  requiem for a guy who almost wasn't famous. considered by many of his peers to be one of the finest singer/songwriters of his generation, his brief brush with success almost destroyed him. most remembered today for singing someone else's song which became the theme of the oscar winning film midnight cowboy, he resolutely refused to tour or do anything conventionally. if you've heard the recent cee-lo hit fuck you, nilsson did something very similar--in 1972! a legendary party monster who counted the beatles among his close personal friends, he'll forever be a footnote in rock history if only because both 'mama' cass eliot and who drummer keith moon died in his london apartment, 4 years apart. he wasn't home either time and soon sold the cursed flat to pete townshend. the film gets a little overly sentimental towards the end but it's well worth seeing for the quality of first hand accounts from nilsson contemporaries and even nilsson himself, in a recently discovered autobiographical tape recording. he managed to outlive many of his friends and died in 1994 age 52, probably older than anyone expected back in the day.

• Eric B

  
  A meticulous, well-made documentary about the late singer-songwriter, though it never quite gets inside his head to explain why he was so self-destructive. It's too bad that more archived conversation footage wasn't available -- the prime resource for Nilsson quotes seems to… More
  A meticulous, well-made documentary about the late singer-songwriter, though it never quite gets inside his head to explain why he was so self-destructive. It's too bad that more archived conversation footage wasn't available -- the prime resource for Nilsson quotes seems to be a mere phone interview. But actually, the film is overlong in other ways and may fatigue viewers who are not hardcore devotees (personally, I find Nilsson just too cloying to fully enjoy). Interesting revelations for me included learning he was such a happy family man late in life (wow, six kids?) and that he refused to do any full-fledged concerts. For an artist with his Top 40 orientation, that's quite a ferocious stance.

• Jason R

  
  Fantastic! Everything about the man (musically and personally) is so intriguing and wonderful. This was a great movie and an absolute pleasure to watch.

• Ed Fucking H

  
  Yeah Harry Nilsson was great, and under recognized. And yes it's a good thing that a few more people might know who he is as a result of this film. But no, this isn't any better than some VH1 Behind the Music Episode. 20 year gaps in the story really don't help either.… More
  Yeah Harry Nilsson was great, and under recognized. And yes it's a good thing that a few more people might know who he is as a result of this film. But no, this isn't any better than some VH1 Behind the Music Episode. 20 year gaps in the story really don't help either. "Then he started shooting skag, drinking too much, and reppin anti firearm groups........................................................ married some broad, shit out some grown kids, then died an honourable death" WTF. Sorry folks hoping there might've been something new here, but there really isn't. If you don't know who Harry Nilsson is, educate yourself. If you do know, then there isn't anything new here for you, aside from some intresting anectdotes about daddy issues and heavy drinking. (and yeah heavy drinking is the term used for every other dumb ass thing this dude used.) In short this dude does deserve to be remebered, and I think the filmmakers hearts were in the right place, but don't puss out when shit gets ugly, and think just because this dude had "the voice of an angel and hung out with the Beatles" that all should be forgotten. Could have been a much better story but dissapoitned me. Well done for what it is, but whatever...

• d j

  
  i wish john lennon was alive still so they could interview him. and i wish they flew to wherever ringo was to interview him, because the ringo stuff is the best part.amazing documentary

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