Chuck Berry - Hail! Hail! Rock 'N' Roll DVD

From his days as a painter and carpenter to his reign as the "King of Rock 'N' Roll," this portrait of Berry reveals the rock pioneer with humor, insight, and stark honesty through interviews with such greats as Bruce Springsteen, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley, Roy Orbison, and Berry himself. Along with the interviews and behind-the-scenes material, the film features an all-star concert celebration of Berry's 60th birthday in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri.

In director Taylor Hackford's earnest, attentive documentary, Chuck Berry the man is revealed through his own words and those of his friends and colleagues. With a mix of interviews, behind-the-scenes clips, and live concert footage, Hackford captures Berry's charismatic performances, his humor, and his uncompromising standards for himself. The film revolves around Berry's 60th birthday concert given in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, with guest appearances in the concert and the film by Etta James, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Robert Cray, Julian Lennon, and Linda Ronstadt. Other interviews include legendary musicians Bo Diddley, Little Richard, the Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, as well as Bruce Springsteen, Roy Orbison, and John Lennon. A pioneer of the idea of singer as songwriter also, as well as a leader in the infancy of rock 'n' roll, Berry is shown as never before in this revealing, touching documentary.

The concert footage was filmed on location at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri. When in concert, Chuck Berry usually has the concert hall where he will be playing hire a band that already knows all his music; he rarely rehearses with the band before the show. Bruce Springsteen once opened for Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis in concert.

Chuck Berry - Hail! Hail! Rock 'N' Roll Reviews:

"...The music and the movie pound with life's beat, passion's pulse..." -- Michael Wilmington, Los Angeles Times

4 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he concert brilliantly captures Berry's unflagging power as a guitar virtuoso." -- Peter Relic, Rolling Stone

"In the sense that he was the first hitmaker in his genre to both write and perform all of his major works, Berry is unique. Nearly everyone in HAIL! HAIL! marvels at Berry's vividly colloquial lyrics..." -- Grade: A -- Ken Tucker, Entertainment Weekly

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