Product Description: Shows live performances by Sam Cooke, and reviews his life and career. Genre: Music Video - Soul Rating: NR Release Date: 17-JUN-2003 Media Type: DVD
Amazon.com: Written by Peter Guralnick (Lost Highway) and narrated by Jeffrey Wright, Sam Cooke - Legend is a stirring look at a singular talent. Produced for VH1 but expanded from the original broadcast, this tuneful documentary can't possibly examine every detail of the late singer-songwriter's life in a mere 70 minutes. Nonetheless, Guralnick, who has overseen the reissue of several Cooke CDs, has put together a surprisingly thorough biography. Destination points include Cooke's gospel roots, groundbreaking career decisions, and forays into the civil rights movement. The story is fleshed out by vintage performance and interview clips (the chats with Dick Clark are particularly insightful). Commentators include family members and fellow performers like Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls, and Bobby Womack, while musical highlights include Cooke's version of Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" (a song he wished he had written) and a breezy duet with friend Cassius Clay (soon to become Muhammad Ali). --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Essential for Cooke fans, but glossed over.
As overdue, essential & welcome as this DVD documentary is for Sam Cooke fans, let me explain why I give it 3 stars.
Nice vintage footage included, and the first time for me to see Sam in action. On the negative side:
First, in typical A&E fashion, the majority of interviewed segments are total fluff..."he had so much charisma, the room would erupt, people went crazy, he was the complete package, I never knew anyone else like him, I knew he had something special" blah blah blab that you hear in every A&E biography of a deceased star. We know all that, he was great. ... Read More
Rating: - I was raised on Sam Cooke ...
God rest my Dad's soul! He brought us up on all the greats, but Sam Cooke has been my all-time favorite since I was a toddler. My brother reminded me a few days ago that we were not brought up on lullabys. We were brought up listening to Sam Cooke, and to this day I still hear my Dad whenever I hear Sam Cooke. It's like the two are one -- there was no looking at my Dad without seeing his love for Sam Cooke. And there is no listening to Sam Cooke -- even to this day -- without remembering my Dad.
There have been great voices since Sam Cooke, but none will ever be equal to him. ... Read More
Rating: - The Greatest!!
This DVD allowed me to know the real Sam Cooke. I had never seen an actual interview of him before. This was an absolute delight. He was truly a legend of his time. They called him the Berry Gordy of his day. This DVD is my all time favorite.
Rating: - San Cooke fan
I actually ordered two, one to share with others and the other to keep for myself.
Rating: - I Pray Sam Cooke is with The Lord Jesus Christ Eternally!!!
This DVD is wonderful for those of us who were young when Sam Cooke was popular and doing so many great things such as owning, writing, and producing his own music. I enjoy his talent today some 43 years later now that's classics for you. I wish he had stayed with The Lord and let the world come to him instead of the other way around. I just believe his outcome would have been much different but that's neither here nor there at this point. The man was great and God was good to loan him to us. KS
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