Movie Rec: DREAMS TO REMEMBER: THE LEGACY OF OTIS REDDING (2007)
PRODUCER'S NOTES:
This is the first full-length DVD of Otis Redding, undisputedly one of the greatest soul singers of all time. To be given the honor to produce this release was an awesome responsibility. Zelma Redding, Otis' widow, has faithfully maintained her husband's legacy for the last 40 years and it was our desire to create a DVD that would both live up to and pay tribute to that legacy. Of the 30-plus DVDs that we've produced over the last few years, we feel this is some of our best work.
For our last two Motown DVDs (Temptations: Get Ready and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: The Definitive Peformances) we filmed new interviews with the artists to include between the performances. However this time because Otis is not here to tell his story we relied on people that knew him best to provide perspective on his life and work. As with all of the Motown releases in our "Definitive" DVD series, along with the in-depth interview material you get complete unedited performances. With our Marvin Gaye DVD, (The Real Thing In Performance) there were a number of televised interviews with Marvin that we were able to use in between the songs because Marvin's career had lasted 23 years. Unfortunately because Otis' career was cut tragically short and he gave very few interviews, it made it very difficult to bring his voice to this project. Thankfully we found a short interview from American Bandstand in 1967 and also an interview recorded for BBC radio in the fall of `66 which provided two great soundbites for the film (one of which is heard during the opening segment of the DVD.)
To tell the story properly, we chose to interview not only Otis Redding's wife (Zelma) and daughter (Karla) but also some of the key people who created the music with him. Along with his family, the interviews consist of Steve Cropper who wrote many songs with Otis and played guitar on virtually every track that he recorded at Stax; Wayne Jackson, the trumpet player for the Mar-Keys/Memphis Horns who played on all of his records and Jim Stewart, the founder of Stax Records. The interview with Jim is really unique because since the demise of Stax Records in 1975, Jim has given only five in-depth interviews and we're honored that he agreed to sit down and speak with us after turning down requests from everyone else for the last 15 years. Rob Bowman co-producer of this program and author of Soulsville U.S.A. The Story Of Stax Records (considered to be the definitive book on Stax) conducted these interviews, and it's because of the love and respect that they all have for Rob and his work, that he was able to get such relaxed, in-depth content.
One of the unique clips in this DVD is a newly made video for the song "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay". Because the song wasn't finished until after his death there is no footage of Otis performing the song so we hired Bob Sarles of Ravin' Films to make a three minute film. While Bob was filming scenes of San Francisco and the docks of Sausalito (where Otis wrote the song on a houseboat in August of '67) a fortunate thing occurred. He met Anne Garfield who bought that houseboat back in 1968. She no longer owns it but was able to show Bob photos (seen in the video) and point out to him the exact spot where it was docked. As a result, there are a few scenes that show virtually the same view that Otis had as he was writing what many consider to be one of most beloved songs in history.
December 10, 2007 will mark the 40th anniversary of the tragic death of Otis Redding and in honor of his legacy and music we are proud to have released both this DVD and The Stax/Volt Revue Live In Norway 1967, a 75-minute concert from the famed 1967 European tour which includes a stunning five song set by Otis as well as performances by Sam & Dave, Eddie Floyd, Arthur Conley, The Mar-Keys and Booker T. and The MGs.
Together these two DVDs paint a portrait of an artist whose music remains as powerful and influential as it was 40 years ago.
David Peck & Phillip Galloway
Reelin' In The Years Productions
July 2007
Labels: Video Recs
posted by Susan E. Falk at
11:24 AM
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