Sing Your Song (2012)

Perfect cast and a good story

Let's be realistic.

Lack of good storyline.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Impressively directed by Susanne Rostock - "Sing Your Song" (filmed in 2011) is an in-depth bio-documentary closely covering the life and times of singer/actor/social activist, Harry Belafonte (who has been dubbed the "King of Calypso").Through stills, archival footage, and interviews (especially with Belafonte, himself, 83 at the time) - "Sing Your Song's" story shows us a man whose glamorous career as a performer had often taken a backseat to the pressing issues of dealing with racism and segregation against blacks not only in the USA, but in other places around the world, as well.Yes. I certainly recommend this documentary to all.

I've seen several pieces entitled "Sing Your Song". This morning, I think I found the most affecting one. It is dated 2011 and ends in a way that invites more.In the documentary, Belafonte captures the heart and soul of the Civil Rights Movement and embraces subsequent efforts to bring the world back to loving acceptance. I was there for the Civil Rights movement and can almost touch the feelings stirred up by the pastiche of images and sounds. I remembered, and then I learned. I learned how the attempts to keep us separated from one another are playing out in today's world. And I learned how frustrating is the journey to find a unifying idea that will touch today's people. God bless Harry Belafonte, because he keeps trying to find that idea/ideal. He reaches more of us than he knows.It isn't perfectly made - too much material, too little time. But see it for its impact on your spirit, and then begin to think what you can do.

I've just viewed this superb documentary - it brings forth the remarkable life and man that is Harry Belafonte in a vivid and compelling manner. Sadly, however the entire widescreen (16x9) framed production presents it's archival clips and sequences (from early TV, movies, and news footage) in a hodgepodge of correctly re-adapted but otherwise visually distorted ways with no rhyme or reason. Much of the production is from archival sources - and so it's horribly distracting to see much of the footage in a vertically challenged way - stretched to fit the 16x9 frame. There is actually a shot of the sun that appears oval !!!! This is the sort of thing that is maddeningly now prevalent in so much of what is produced today -- but I didn't expect to see so much of it in a fine professionally produced and prestigious documentary such as this one.

"Sing Your Song" opened this years 11th Sundance Film Festival and was certainly an outstanding start! The film received a heart felt ovation at its conclusion. I had the experience of seeing Harry Belafonte in 1954 when he toured with dancers Marge and Gower Champion in "Three for the Show". Shortly afterward I saw him in the film "Carmen Jones" only to learn that his singing voice had been dubbed! From time to time I would see him in a film or on a TV presentation or hear some of his recordings. Not until seeing "Sing Your Song" did I have any idea of the greatness of this man. This is an outstanding documentary that gives the viewer a portrait of an artist who had dedicated his life to help people all over the earth. I've always enjoyed Harry Belafonte as an artist, but now I respect and admire him for being someone who has done a great deal to lift up the downtrodden. This is a film that will touch the heart and inspire one to do more to help their fellowman. A GEM!