Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?) (2010)

Better Late Then Never

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

The first must-see film of the year.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

As a young man, I well remember Harry Nilsson and his supreme talents as a singer and songwriter. But, I was not aware of how he wasted those talents -- and, in the end, his own life at only age 52 -- through a decades-long alcoholic spiral. It was interesting to see people like Jimmy Webb, Perry Botkin and Mickey Dolenz alternately describe Harry's journey as a thrill ride and descent into hell. Of all the interviews, I thought producer Richard Perry's was the most detailed and intelligent synopsis of Harry's career suicide and ultimate death wish. But, in the end, I was struck at the paradox of Harry being described as a great father, even though he walked out on his first son (and the son's mother) and left behind six young children. What a selfish bastard.

Well I know his songs but had never heard of this singer/songwriter's name. This documentary was a revelation for me and if you give it 2hrs of your time it will be for you too. The number of high profile contributors is evidence itself of the scope of influence of Harry Nilsson. But a man who is hardly known outside of the music industry and his close circle of friends and collaborators. Using archive footage, recordings and recollections from the great and good this extra long portrait is long overdue and rightly deserved. I now know why Harry was often known as America's unknown 'Beatle' and like many other rock stars self destructive, very much in the same vein of Elvis, Cash and to some degree Lennon himself.

I agree with all above that this must be released on DVD. It is not fair that so many crap documentaries about crap bands get made and released on DVD everyday yet a film about someone as prolific and influential as Harry is not. I know there is a market for this movie. Harry is much loved by his long time fan base and has become a "buzz" artist in underground pop. He is touted all over the place. A campaign must be mounted. At least we can watch clips on Youtube(which isn't quite the same).I own The Point and recently demos of the soundtrack for "Popeye" popped up on line (which are truly amazing. So little is out there on him. Harry deserves his due!

Sony Pictures Classics, I'm looking at you! Sony's got the rights to Harry records -- you need to distribute the film and you'll get radically increased sales of his back catalog! Anyhow, this is a great study of a fascinating musician, woefully underknown, full of great stories, greater music, and it could have been 3 hours longer and I'd have loved it even more. Saw it at the American Cinemateque Mods & Rockers Festival at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, where it played to a packed house. They were turning people away at the door! I went to many of the Mods & Rockers festival films, and let me assure you that no other film came even close to selling out, let alone turning people away. See it in the theatre, buy the DVD, and make sure some slow-on-the-uptake company [*cough SONY cough*] picks it up ASAP!