SLIFF 2010 Review: THE AGONY AND ECSTACY OF PHIL SPECTOR

Review by Dane Marti

Hey, I’ve always enjoyed the “wall of sound” that Phil Specter created in the 1960’s. How to explain his production sound to the uninitiated? Well, it’s Part George Martin production (The Beatles Producer), part Brian Wilson production (Beach Boys elaborate productions), the W.O.S.  Has always been revered by music critics and rockers alike. It’s the opposite of punk rock music production, but like that unadorned, raw, way to record and present a song; Spector’s creation was revolutionary way to deal with sounds and recording, much like audio paint on a canvas. This is a serviceable analogy since his sound” is production at it’s most artistic, similar to the creativity of artists in a plethora of fields. Not only that, but throughout this interesting documentary, Spector, while explaining his life, triumphs and travails, often uses similar analogies.

With his riveting eyes, a viewer can clearly see why Spector’s charisma could invigorate a singer or terrorize I sound engineer who was caught not twirling the correct knobs. Phillip is borderline crazy and the legend of his behavior behind the sound-mixing board, not to mention the streets and canyons of L.A., is infamous. He was sort of a Roman Polanski with crazy hair.

This film plays some of the songs that he produced and made famous. And they are played—rightfully—in their entirety, sometimes with the rock, pop or soul band on an old black and white video.

Then, there is Reality—The Murder Trial. The movie focuses on the murder trial in which he supposedly shot of an ex-girlfriend, a beautiful, yet aging blond, in his living room. Before I saw this documentary, I truly believed that he was guilty, now…I’m not so sure.  As much as he’s done for many ‘artists,’ he’s also made many enemies over the years. Of course, he has an extremely high opinion of himself and a hair-trigger temper along with outlandish stunts like shooting off a gun inside the recording studio.

Yet, Specter makes a damn good case for his defense. He’s a real salesman. Some of the undercutting between the music and video of the actual trial is both effective and strangely annoying. I could appreciate it on an artistic level; I got the point early on and would have enjoyed more of a demarcation line.

The film’s real-life protagonist is a good example of an obsessed person with a specific dream, a specific artistic view of the world.  In that respect, Spector reminds me of Frank Lloyd Wright, although Wright’s work was perhaps more substantial and revolutionary. Maybe there is even a smidgeon of Picasso within Spector as well.

If Phil Spector murdered the woman, or whether she took her own life is debatable. Much of the forensic evidence points to the distraught lady committing suicide after a terrible confrontation with Spector. The film leaves it up to the viewer to make the final decision on guilt or innocence.  I like that about the film, although many folks might find that aspect of the documentary to be frustrating. After a mistrial, there was a second murder trial and Spector was convicted. He’s no longer a young tyro, an enfant terrible. How long he’ll serve is anyone’s guess.

There is no doubt that he has given the world amazing works of brilliance, including a fascinating, overblown version that became the Beatles, Let It Be. He also helped create some of the catchiest girl groups’ music of the early sixties—music that sounded like mini symphonies.

However, with his passion and creativity, he changed the way rock n roll was listened to and perceived. The film’s an excellent example of an artist that changed the world, but had a less than stellar personal life.

THE AGONY AND ECSTACY OF PHIL SPECTOR played during the 19th Annual Stella Artois St. Louis International Film Festival.