The People Speak (film)

Last updated
The People Speak
DVD cover of The People Speak.jpg
DVD cover
Directed by Howard Zinn
Chris Moore
Anthony Arnove
Written byHoward Zinn
Anthony Arnove
Based on
A People's History of the United States
by
Produced by
Music by Pieter A. Schlosser
Release dates
  • February 2009 (2009-02)(MoMA)
  • December 13, 2009 (2009-12-13)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The People Speak is a 2009 American documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans. The film gives voice to those who, by insisting on equality and justice, spoke up for social change throughout U.S. history and also illustrates the relevance of this to today's society.

Contents

The film is narrated by historian Howard Zinn and is based on his books A People's History of the United States (1980) and, with Anthony Arnove, Voices of a People's History of the United States (2004).

The People Speak was directed by Chris Moore, Arnove, and Zinn.

Production

The film was shot on location in Boston, in front of live audiences at Emerson's Cutler Majestic Theatre in January 2008 and at Malibu Performing Arts Center, Malibu.

Cast

Screenings

Clips from the film were screened at the Democratic National Convention in August 2008 and at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2008. [1] The movie opened MoMA's Documentary Fortnight in New York in February 2009 and was screened on April 16, 2009 at the Atlanta Film Festival. [2] [3] In November 2009, the movie premiere was held at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York.

The People Speak premiered on The History Channel on Sunday, December 13, 2009.

Reviews

The film was well received by the critics. The Los Angeles Times described it as "Striking, exhilarating... the performances are thrilling". [4]

USA Today reported Damon as saying: "This is the perfect format for a history lesson. You’re getting the actual historical text verbatim, so there’s no spin, performed by these great actors. History is intimidating. There’s so much to know. If I could go back to college again, I would be a history major." [5] According to the newspaper, Springsteen taped at his ranch in New Jersey while Brolin was at work and Brolin said: "They ended up spending five or six hours. And I got this little card from Bruce Springsteen that said: ‘Josh, thank you so much for making my childhood dream come true. I had the greatest day of my life.’" [5]

Soundtrack

The People Speak soundtrack on Verve Records features Bruce Springsteen, who performs with just a guitar and harmonica in his New Jersey home recording studio, and John Legend who sings solo backed by a piano at a Boston theatre, as well as others (including Taj Mahal, Allison Moorer, The Black Crowes' Rich Robinson and X's Exene Cervenka and John Doe) at the Malibu Performing Arts Center, where they perform both vintage and recent protest-music classics.

Springsteen reprises the John Steinbeck/Woody Guthrie-inspired "The Ghost of Tom Joad" from his 1995 album of the same name; Dylan sings Guthrie's "Do Re Mi"; and two early Dylan songs "Masters Of War" and "Only A Pawn In Their Game" are performed by Eddie Vedder and Rich Robinson, respectively.

One of the best-known songs of the Great Depression, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?", is sung by Moorer; Newman is at his piano for "Sail Away", the title track from his 1972 album; Legend performs Marvin Gaye's 1970s anthem "What's Going On"; Mahal plays "Blues With A Feeling"; and Cervenka and Doe revive X's roots rocker "See How We Are" from 1987. More recent protest songs are Fiasco's "American Terrorist", first heard on his 2006 debut album; Pink's "Dear Mr. President," heard on her album of that same year; and Browne's "The Drums Of War", which debuted on his 2008 album Time the Conqueror .

The soundtrack, on Verve Records, features new songs by Allison Moorer, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder, Exene Cervenka, Jackson Browne, John Doe, John Legend, Lupe Fiasco, P!nk, Randy Newman, Rich Robinson, and Taj Mahal.

The People Speak – International

The People Speak UK

Colin Firth developed the British version of the film together with History UK and the film's US producers Anthony Arnove and Chris Moore. Like the original, the UK version draws on writings that have influenced British history and it includes performances by British screen and stage actors. Performers include Ian McKellen, Joss Stone, Saffron Burrows, Mark Strong, Celia Imrie, Noel Clarke, Sir Ben Kingsley, Mark Steel, Stephen Rea and others.

The documentary aired on History UK on October 31, 2010.

The People Speak Australia

The Australian version was filmed by Foxtel and The History Channel Australia on 9 July 2012 at Carriageworks in Redfern, Sydney in front of a live audience. [6] It was produced by WTFN Entertainment and directed by Phillip Tanner. It was aired on The History Channel Australia on 2 December 2012. [7]

Australian performers include Alex Dimitriades, Asher Keddie, Chris Haywood, Claudia Karvan, Dan Wyllie, David Wenham, Jack Thompson, Madeleine Madden, John Jarratt, Leah Purcell, Magda Szubanski, Rebecca Gibney, Ryan Kwanten, Sam Worthington. There were musical performances by Christine Anu, Julia Stone and Tex Perkins. Narration was by Thomas Keneally. [7]

The People Speak – Education

An educational version of The People Speak is in production, in association with Voices of a People's History of the United States.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">X (American band)</span> American punk rock band

X is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles. The original members are vocalist Exene Cervenka, vocalist-bassist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom and drummer D. J. Bonebrake. The band released seven studio albums from 1980 to 1993. After a period of inactivity during the mid-to-late 1990s, X reunited in the early 2000s and continues to tour as of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Springsteen</span> American rock musician (born 1949)

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", he has released 21 studio albums during a career spanning six decades, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Springsteen is a pioneer of heartland rock, a genre combining mainstream rock music with poetic and socially conscious lyrics that feature narratives primarily concerning working class American life. He is known for his descriptive lyrics and energetic concerts, which sometimes last over four hours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Vedder</span> American singer (born 1964)

Eddie Jerome Vedder is an American singer, musician, and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist, primary lyricist, and one of three guitarists for the rock band Pearl Jam. He was previously a guest vocalist for supergroup Temple of the Dog, a tribute band dedicated to the late singer Andrew Wood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exene Cervenka</span> American singer (born 1956)

Exene Cervenka is an American singer, artist, and poet. She is best known for her work as a singer in the California punk rock band X.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Doe (musician)</span> American singer, songwriter, actor, poet, guitarist and bass player

John Nommensen Duchac, known professionally as John Doe, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, poet, guitarist and bass player. Doe co-founded LA punk band X, of which he is still an active member. His musical performances and compositions span rock, punk, country and folk music genres. As an actor, he has dozens of television appearances and several movies to his credit, including the role of Jeff Parker in the television series Roswell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glen Hansard</span> Irish musician (born 1970)

Glen James Hansard is an Irish singer-songwriter and musician. Since 1990, he has been the frontman of the Irish rock band The Frames, with whom he has released six studio albums, four of which have charted in the top ten of the Irish Album Charts. In the 2000s, he was one half of folk rock duo The Swell Season before releasing his debut solo album, Rhythm and Repose, in 2012. His 2015 second album Didn't He Ramble was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album.

<i>Under the Big Black Sun</i> 1982 studio album by X

Under the Big Black Sun is the third studio album by American rock band X, and their major-label debut. It was released on Elektra Records in July 1982 and reissued on Rhino Records in 2001 with bonus tracks. It was re-released in its original format by Fat Possum Records in 2018.

<i>More Fun in the New World</i> 1983 studio album by X

More Fun in the New World is the fourth studio album by American rock band X, released in 1983 by Elektra Records. It was reissued with four bonus tracks by Rhino Records in 2002 and was the final X album produced by Ray Manzarek. The band supported the album with a North American tour.

<i>Live at the Whisky a Go-Go</i> (X album) 1988 live album by X

Live at the Whisky a Go-Go on the Fabulous Sunset Strip is the seventh album and first live album by American rock band X, released April 29, 1988 by Elektra Records. The album was recorded on December 13, 15 and 16 in 1987 at the Whisky a Go Go nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allison Moorer</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1972)

Allison Moorer is an American country singer-songwriter. She signed with MCA Nashville in 1997 and made her debut on the U.S. Billboard Country Chart with the release of her debut single, "A Soft Place to Fall", which she co-wrote with Gwil Owen. The song was featured in Robert Redford's The Horse Whisperer and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1999. Moorer performed at the Oscars ceremony the same year. She has made ten albums and her songs have been recorded by Trisha Yearwood, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Steve Earle, and Hayes Carll.

David Francis Baerwald is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and musician.

<i>Live at Easy Street</i> 2006 live album (EP) by Pearl Jam

Live at Easy Street is a live EP by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam that includes songs taken from a surprise in-store performance at Easy Street Records in West Seattle on April 29, 2005. The EP was released on vinyl to celebrate Record Store Day on April 13, 2019.

Voices of a People's History of the United States (ISBN 978-1583229163) is an anthology edited by Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove. First released in 2004 by Seven Stories Press, Voices is the primary source companion to Zinn's A People's History of the United States. The book parallels A People's History in structure and is made up of various primary sources with short introductions to those sources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Dee Graham</span> American musician, guitarist and songwriter

Jon Dee Graham is an American musician, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas, United States. Graham was named the Austin Musician of the Year during the South by Southwest (SXSW) music conference in 2006. He was inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame three times: as a solo artist in 2000, again in 2008 as a member of The Skunks, and again in 2009 as a member of the True Believers.

<i>Body of War</i> 2007 American film

Body of War is a 2007 documentary film about Iraq War veteran Tomas Young. Bill Moyers Journal featured a one-hour special about Body of War including interviews with filmmakers Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue.

<i>Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran</i> 2008 soundtrack album by Various

Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran is an album produced for the documentary film Body of War, directed by Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue. Curated by Iraq war veteran Tomas Young, it was released by Sire Records on March 18, 2008, two days before the fifth anniversary of the United States' invasion of Iraq. Body of War was produced by Michele Anthony, Eddie Vedder, Ellen Spiro, Nicole Vanderberg, Michael Goldstone, Holly Adams and Kelly Curtis.

<i>Folkways: A Vision Shared</i> 1988 compilation album by Various artists

Folkways: A Vision Shared – A Tribute to Woody Guthrie & Leadbelly is a 1988 album featuring songs by Woody Guthrie and Lead Belly interpreted by leading folk, rock, and country recording artists. It won a Grammy Award the same year.

"My City of Ruins" is a popular 2000s song written and performed by Bruce Springsteen and included on his 2002 album The Rising. It was released as a single in New Zealand in 2011, charting at #17.

<i>Alphabetland</i> 2020 studio album by X

Alphabetland is the eighth studio album by American punk rock band X. Released digitally in April 2020, it is their first studio release in 27 years and the first with their original line-up in the past 35 years. X released the album with no prior announcement to coincide with the 40th anniversary of their debut album Los Angeles and credited songwriting to all four members for the first time in their career. The release has received positive reviews from critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Destroying Angels (song)</span> 2018 single by Garbage

"Destroying Angels" is a 2018 stand-alone single released by alternative rock band Garbage with John Doe and Exene Cervenka of the American punk rock band X. The song was written and recorded for 2018's Black Friday Record Store Day event in North America, with a digital release worldwide the following year.

References

  1. ↑ Cieply, Michael (5 September 2008). "More Fun, Less Politics, at Toronto Film Festival". The New York Times . Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  2. ↑ "Documentary Fortnight 2009: MoMA's International Festival of Nonfiction Film and Media – MoMA". The Museum of Modern Art.
  3. ↑ "Atlanta Film Festival 2009 : The People Speak". atlanta.bside.com. Archived from the original on 2009-04-03.
  4. ↑ McNamara, Mary (12 December 2009). "'The People Speak'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  5. 1 2 Freydkin, Donna (12 December 2009). "Josh Brolin's 'The People Speak' relates history 'verbatim'". USA Today . Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  6. ↑ "The People Speak: Australia's Finest Actors and Musicians Come Together". Foxtel . Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  7. 1 2 Knox, David (4 November 2012). "Airdate: The People Speak". TV Tonight . Retrieved 2 December 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.