Slightly overstaying it’s welcome – Big Star: Nothing Can
Hurt Me is a melancholy reflection on Big Star, a band that never was. A
comprehensive study of the Memphis rock group founded by Chris Bell and Alex
Chilton – influential to modern post-alternative, post-grunge rockers like Pete
Yorn (who recorded Bell’s I Am The Cosmos with Scarlett Johnson a few years
ago) and Kings of Leon (also Memphis folks whom I hear in Big Star and vice
versa).
The group in essence found success later on, ironically
enough breaking out in the post-grunge era of the mid-late 90s including an appearance
on Jay Leno; several sold out shows, and of course “In The Street” – the theme
song to That ‘70s Show. Like another solid rock doc, Anvil: The Story of Anvil
– Big Star is the story of a band that never made it for one reason or another
(bad luck, industry shifts, etc). Drew DeNicola’s comprehensive study traces
the band’s early roots, recording their first record for the rock subsidiary of
the already stretched thin Stax Records. Stax ultimately went bankrupt and the
a classic industry tale, Big Star failed to find traction and was lost in the
process – not getting the radio play they sorely needed to launch their career.
So why make a Big Star movie? The film is comprehensive,
rich and full of excellent music, tracing the alt rock and grunge movement back
to its roots (sadness and loneliness). Yet, Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me is a triumphant
documentary (like Anvil) – as old men the ground finds their voice again and
while it may not translate to cross over success – they at least went out with
a bang. Still the road was tragic including the devastating loss of Chris Bell
at the age of 27 – since only Jody Stephens remains as the surviving founding
member (Chilton and Andy Hummel died of natural causes prior to the release of
this documentary, which screened at South By Southwest 2012). Their three
records each explore rather dark themes including drug abuse, and the tension
within the band (which continued to brew for years). The material is brought to
life through a variety of media including archival footage, recordings and
newly shot talking-heads interviews. They remain less mysterious than Rodriguez
– the subject of one of the best music documentaries in years: Searching for
the Sugarman.
Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me is currently on VOD – and
kicks off a new monthly series of first run films that are a little too small
for Dipson’s business model – screening at Squeaky Wheel. More info at
squeaky.org
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