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This new documentary (currently showing on Disney+ and having a brief theatrical run to qualify it for Oscars) is an authorized biography. The film is very well made; a few highlights of EJ's life are shown that have either been skipped or barely covered in previous docs about him. It's a treat to see "backstage" and what he's been up to the last few years, but on the whole, the movie is an enjoyable yet unsatisfying ride.
The film covers Elton's abusive childhood in which music became his escape world; his meeting of lyricist Bernie Taupin, which he calls "a miracle," his relationship with his manager John Reid, his "sorta" opening up about his sexuality in Rolling Stone (in 1976), and it ends up with his final concert appearance at Dodger Stadium, during which he brought out Furnish and their two adopted sons. It touches on things like record sales and chart positions only very briefly, which is surprising considering in his heyday, he was deeply interested in his sales figures. He also introduces Taupin during the concert segment in one of the film's best emotional scenes.
Elton came onto the scene in the USA at around the same time I got into the music business (1969), so I've been watching him through all of the ups and downs. This film is kind of frustrating to watch for any fan like me who has really followed John's career. I've got a lot of his albums, but I'm not one of those uber-fans with a shrine in my bedroom, or a "completist" who has to have everything he ever did. So I guess I'm a big fan, although I would never join a "fan club."
That's where the biggest problem with this movie is -- he has packed so much into his life that it's completely impossible to get it all into a two-hour movie. His life should be documented in a miniseries instead, especially considering he's had such an up and down career. There are SO many episodes left out, and so many people too. There's literally no information on his band members, some of which were still with him at the end of his career; no mention of his brief marriage to a woman in the late 70s, in fact the whole last half of the '70s isn't even mentioned. There's nothing about his broadway shows, no footage from any of the awards he won, nothing about how he fired his whole band at the height of his popularity and started from scratch. No background on how his record deal came about, no mention of Princess Diana with whom he was great friends and who inspired him to re-record "Candle In The Wind," which went on to become the biggest selling single of all time. His relationship with John Lennon is talked about, but nothing about Lennon's death which inspired one of Elton's biggest hits (Empty Garden). Nothing about his retirement and comeback, nothing about his reuniting with most of the band he'd fired in 1974, etc. etc. etc.
His bouts with drugs and alcohol are covered decently, using archival photos and footage throughout. Occasional short animated clips show some dramatized events.
The coolest part, I thought, was the section on his performance at Madison Square Garden in 1974 in which John Lennon made a surprise experience to sing three songs. Elton had performed vocals and piano on the Lennon song "Whatever Gets You Through The Night," and had made him a bet that if the song went to #1, he'd have to join Elton on stage during a concert. Lennon didn't think the song would be a hit, but it did go to #1, so Lennon made good on the bet, even though he was nervous enough to be physically sick before going on. It would be his final major onstage performance before he was assassinated in 1980. There is brief home-movie footage of the performance, and the rest of it is stitched together through still pics. It's very well done.
I would say a person could watch this documentary and then also watch the movie Rocket Man, which dramatizes a lot of the episodes that are only talked about in this film. Even after watching both, I think you would be left with a feeling of barely scratched the surface of this legendary performer's life and career.
Something I've noticed about these rock documentaries. Whenever the subject is an artist I'm a big fan of, the doc never covers things deep enough in the weeds for me. So a person who is more of a casual Elton fan might actually enjoy this more than a "big fan" might.
The film covers Elton's abusive childhood in which music became his escape world; his meeting of lyricist Bernie Taupin, which he calls "a miracle," his relationship with his manager John Reid, his "sorta" opening up about his sexuality in Rolling Stone (in 1976), and it ends up with his final concert appearance at Dodger Stadium, during which he brought out Furnish and their two adopted sons. It touches on things like record sales and chart positions only very briefly, which is surprising considering in his heyday, he was deeply interested in his sales figures. He also introduces Taupin during the concert segment in one of the film's best emotional scenes.
Elton came onto the scene in the USA at around the same time I got into the music business (1969), so I've been watching him through all of the ups and downs. This film is kind of frustrating to watch for any fan like me who has really followed John's career. I've got a lot of his albums, but I'm not one of those uber-fans with a shrine in my bedroom, or a "completist" who has to have everything he ever did. So I guess I'm a big fan, although I would never join a "fan club."
That's where the biggest problem with this movie is -- he has packed so much into his life that it's completely impossible to get it all into a two-hour movie. His life should be documented in a miniseries instead, especially considering he's had such an up and down career. There are SO many episodes left out, and so many people too. There's literally no information on his band members, some of which were still with him at the end of his career; no mention of his brief marriage to a woman in the late 70s, in fact the whole last half of the '70s isn't even mentioned. There's nothing about his broadway shows, no footage from any of the awards he won, nothing about how he fired his whole band at the height of his popularity and started from scratch. No background on how his record deal came about, no mention of Princess Diana with whom he was great friends and who inspired him to re-record "Candle In The Wind," which went on to become the biggest selling single of all time. His relationship with John Lennon is talked about, but nothing about Lennon's death which inspired one of Elton's biggest hits (Empty Garden). Nothing about his retirement and comeback, nothing about his reuniting with most of the band he'd fired in 1974, etc. etc. etc.
His bouts with drugs and alcohol are covered decently, using archival photos and footage throughout. Occasional short animated clips show some dramatized events.
The coolest part, I thought, was the section on his performance at Madison Square Garden in 1974 in which John Lennon made a surprise experience to sing three songs. Elton had performed vocals and piano on the Lennon song "Whatever Gets You Through The Night," and had made him a bet that if the song went to #1, he'd have to join Elton on stage during a concert. Lennon didn't think the song would be a hit, but it did go to #1, so Lennon made good on the bet, even though he was nervous enough to be physically sick before going on. It would be his final major onstage performance before he was assassinated in 1980. There is brief home-movie footage of the performance, and the rest of it is stitched together through still pics. It's very well done.
I would say a person could watch this documentary and then also watch the movie Rocket Man, which dramatizes a lot of the episodes that are only talked about in this film. Even after watching both, I think you would be left with a feeling of barely scratched the surface of this legendary performer's life and career.
Something I've noticed about these rock documentaries. Whenever the subject is an artist I'm a big fan of, the doc never covers things deep enough in the weeds for me. So a person who is more of a casual Elton fan might actually enjoy this more than a "big fan" might.
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