Film: Soul Power
Cast includes: Mohammad Ali, James Brown, B.B. King, Don King, Miriam Makeba, The Spinners, Bill Withers, Big Black, and others
Genre: Documentary
In brief: Zaire 74 was the 3-day music festival that was planned to accompany the Ali Foreman heavyweight championship fight, “Rumble in the Jungle” in Kinshasa. At the last minute, the fight needed to be postponed. But it was too late to postpone the music festival. Although there were documentary filmmakers recording the event, the festival garnered little press when it was detached from the fight. The 30-year-old footage from the event now provides us not only with great concert performances but also with some interesting historical context.
The access to information and technology was extremely limited in 1974. That was illustrated in a wonderful interview with Mohammad Ali, in which he compares his preconceived ideas of Africa with what he found when he got there. “They have roads, cars, houses and little night clubs.”
When the film starts, it's three days before the festival. We see some scaffolding and a bunch of building supplies. Comparing that to what we’d find for a rock concert today... it’s hard to believe they could pull it off. But gradually things start coming together, and we start hearing more African rhythms on the soundtrack. The film gives us a combination of performances from the artists we know, along with footage from African groups, including street performers. (If you’ve never heard The Click Song, the film is worth it just for that.) When Soul Power ends, you’ll be wanting more. Be sure to stay all the way through the credits.
2 popped kernels
This one would get 3 popped kernels if it were more consistent. The good parts are very interesitng and enjoyable.
