Fallen Angel - Gram Parsons

USA 2004, 103 minutes
Dir. Gandulf Hennig
Rating: [Exempt]
Genres: Music, Documentary / Country & Folk

Topics: Period 1960s.

Aroview: Ragged-edged but thorough look at the life of cultural pioneer Gram Parsons, who came from a priviledged Southern family to forge a unique melding of country and rock music in The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers in the 1960s and 70s.

Though his musical vision was to inspire superstar groups like The Eagles, as well as initiating Emmylou Harris' career, Parsons himself remained a somewhat underappreciated and cult figure, partly due to his early death from a drug overdose at the age of 26. Dir. Hennig goes to most points of the compass in creating this fairly definitive portrait, including interviews with Keith Richards, Dwight Yoakam, Peter Buck, Emmylou Harris and Chris Hillman.

NZ International Film Festival 2005