Sandy
Searching for Sugar Man is not a documentary to read about before you see it. And I'm glad I managed to avoid all information in the Swedish media since the premier. So in order to not give way to much of the action, you only get this information, Rodriguez released two albums on American companies 1970-71. Both "sink like a stone" and he laid down his career. A number of years later, his music becomes a huge success in the closed and boycotted South Africa where apartheid ruled. Rodriguez finally sold platinum and was as big as The Beatles in South Africa. But nobody told that to Rodriguez, who was seen as a rebel and inspiration for South African musicians, who opposed Botha's apartheid regime. But they had no idea who Rodrigues was. So two fans decide to find out what happened to their big idol. And it does not seem to have gone According to one rumor he poured gasoline over himself during a performance, and burned up. And according to another rumor, he shot himself in the head at the end of a really bad gig. It really made me sick when I saw the film in a nearly empty theater in Hallstavik (located 10 milesoutside Stockholm), because what causes a person to do something that tragic? And another thing that I was wondering about was where I could find the music. And as it seems right now, when I write this review, you have to buy the movie's soundtrack on CD. It has been removed from Spotify in Sweden
alejandraeee
Picture having the lyricism and inspiring ability to strum melodies powerful enough to lead thousands through a dark period of oppression. Sixto Rodriguez's powerful music did just that when it reached the youth of South Africa during the movement against the discriminatory system of racial segregation known as the Apartheid. Despite his popularity reaching greater lengths than even Elvis at the time, Rodriguez had no idea of his fame. Similarly, his fans knew very little of him and was believed to have committed suicide as a result of his mysterious persona. While he lived a modest life in Detroit, loyal fans such as Stephen "Sugar" Segerman constantly searched to find out more about their long lost hero. Malik Bendjelloul's Searching for Sugar Man (2012) follows the search for Rodriguez, a man with a very distinguishable walk, who was deprived of his fame and fortune due to geographical barriers and under appreciation of art. The film skillfully uses Rodriguez's music as the soundtrack and dramatic silence to trigger an emotional response. This manipulation of sound allows viewers to form a connection and relate to those that his music impacted (they were also really good songs). The leitmotif of the song Sugarman ties the film together and ultimately brings a sense of familiarity. The film is able to capture Rodriguez's humility through the words of those that are closest to him. The use of animated visuals in what appears to be slight slow motion keeps the audience engaged by setting the tone and "flowing" with his music. The viewer was also kept visually intrigued by the mixing of camera strategy throughout the film. Simple camera work depicted the realness of the documentary while the noticeably old recordings of his performances added to the overall artistic appeal of the film. Bendjelloul proved that simplicity and authenticity can bring forth well deserved success, much like it did for Rodriguez.
marymargaretmfavia
"Searching for Sugar Man", an academy award winning documentary and mystery all rolled into one tells the unusual story of a man whose music was incredibly successful told mainly by a man known as "Sugar".Sixto Rodriguez, more commonly known as Rodriguez was a pioneer to anti-establishment lyrics, became very popular in South Africa during their revolution in the 1970s. Although his music was well known, he was not. Rodriguez was a mysterious man of few words. As stated in the film, ironically his first album was named "Cold Fact" but it was nearly impossible to find a cold fact about him. Even the people who played with him did not know him very well. One of the most intriguing elements of the documentary is that is music was extremely popular in South Africa, but living in the United States, he had no idea. There were suspicions that Rodriguez had been scammed out of the royalties that he should have been receiving every time he sold an album. Rumors flew around that Rodriguez had killed himself. The hunt to find out why this mystery man committed suicide ends in a way no one could have foreseen. This film encases such wild turns of events that it will leave you wanting to know about Rodriguez even after watching the film.
christopherjkoelle
*Spoiler Alert*The man, the myth, the legend. Searching for Sugar Man depicts the story of Sixto Rodriguez; an expert musician and vocalist, yet most importantly a prominent social advocate. Even from the beginning of the film, his soundtrack is on display as a car winds down a road to a soulful tune. In South Africa his prestige rivals that of The Beatles and Creedence Clearwater Revival for power Vietnam-era music in South Africa, yet why hadn't he been a worldwide phenomenon until recently?Born in Detroit, he grew up in a modest environment that demanded hard work for success. He personified this attitude by working in construction, yet he also lingered around bars at night performing his original music. People were mystified from his anonymity, describing him as a figure that wandered from bar to bar in the downtown area. Nonetheless, the music he produced was lyrically brilliant and stuck the heart of the listener. This caught attention from record labels that wanted to get him out to the masses, yet after a couple attempts at an album it never quite caught on in the United States. Instead, Rodriguez somehow became a star in South Africa during the height of the Apartheid where his songs about humanity and love resonated with listeners. He embodied the resistance to the oppressive government, and the common people of South Africa yearned to know what their idol was up to. This task proved to be difficult as there were no leads to his whereabouts. Stories circulated describing Rodriguez killing himself on stage by lighting himself on fire or putting a gun to his head. His ghastly presence seemed to be factual, until a record store owner named Sugar (after Rodriguez's hit Sugar Man) received information that stated otherwise.Living alone in the downtrodden outskirts of Detroit, Rodriguez had been going on with his daily life long after he tried the music business. He had no idea of this fame in another land, yet Sugar and his colleagues invited him to South Africa to show him what he means to the country. As the ghost of Rodriguez is revived, you will also feel refreshed in this story of a man who unknowingly touched the spirit of millions.
AD
