|, June 15, 2012 by Donald Liebenson In begrudgingly recommending "Paul Williams Still Alive" to his legion of fans, I am reminded of a Rolling … |, June 10, 2012 "Big" Paul Williams (Paul Humphrey) is an American bluegrass and gospel musician. |, July 26, 2012 PG-13 (Brief Strong Language|Drug References), biography, A proud strip club owner is forced to come to terms with himself as a man, when his gambling addiction gets him in hot water with the mob, who offer him only one alternative. And then it is revealed that Kessler has actually directed a couple of features, along with commercials. By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. Paul Williams is an interesting character, but Still Alive is a documentary explaining why it isn't a very good documentary. and the Terms and Policies, I guess directing a documentary is harder than it looks. If Paul Williams wants to trade places with me, I’ll take it! Rent $3.99 Buy $9.99 |, July 1, 2012 0 Rating (0) (No Ratings Yet) Loading… Paul Williams Still Alive. | Rating: 3.5/4 I just want to go on the record that I really hate having to rate a documentary on Paul Williams so god damn low. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Add the first question. What shines here, and makes this film a necessary view is all the archival footage of Williams back in his heyday - aside from being a veritable hit machine, having penned most of The Carpenters gold hits, he also penned Old Fashioned Love Song for 3 Dog Night and co-wrote Evergreen with Streisand (which garnered him an Oscar when it was included in the film A Star Is Born) - his wit and bravura landed him guest shots on just about every tv show imaginable, including appearances on The Late Show over 50 times. The film is a complicated item to digest. Kessler ignores these recent efforts, leaving blank Paul's creative history between 1980 and the late 2000s when he started filming this documentary. In spite of its ramshackle, touch and go structure, Paul Williams Still Alive manages to paint a vivid picture of Mr. Williams by deconstructing his past and understanding his present with equal sensitivity. Just confirm how you got your ticket. A wistful musical journey that will re-introduce a new generation to Williams' soulful classics, "Paul Williams: Still Alive" is the self-narrated story of Stephen Kessler's lifelong obsession with the former superstar-and what happens when the nostalgic filmmaker finally catches up with him. Sure, his presence wasn't as strongly felt as it may have been a few decades ago, but even with his struggles with drug and alcohol abuse (now clean for 20 years), Paul was still making music and appearing in several films and TV shows. Digging through the vast collection of his father's home videos, a young man reconstructs the unthinkable story of his boyhood and exposes vile abuse passed through generations. The Michael Moore/Morgan Spurlock style of first-person documentary often tries to be informative by staking out a position of cutesy faux-ignorance, with a narrator trying to relate to viewers by obnoxiously presuming they don’t know anything. Sign up here. Still Alive Paul Williams. A wistful musical journey that will re-introduce a new generation to Williams' soulful classics, Paul Williams: Still Alive is the charmingly self-narrated story of Stephen Kessler's lifelong obsession with the former superstar-and what happens when the nostalgic filmmaker finally catches up with him. (Thanks, Kevin Maher, for letting me know about it). 2015 Ivor Novello Award “The Apology Song” (World Soundtrack Award winner: Best Original Song Written Directly for a Film: The Book of Life, co-written by Gustavo Santaolalla) Use the HTML below. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. This is CSNY's story, a journey of breakthroughs, breakdowns, ... See full summary ». An entertaining, emotionally inspired stroll down memory lane -- that is, for Kessler. Title: His career, life, and work in recovery have been chronicled in the acclaimed documentary, Paul Williams Still Alive, for which Paul wrote the | Rating: 4/5 A dramatization of the Black Sox scandal when the underpaid Chicago White Sox accepted bribes to deliberately lose the 1919 World Series. Trailer. | Rating: 8.3/10 We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your email. documentary, Filmmaker and longtime fan Stephen Kessler's portrait of the award-winning 1970s singer-songwriter-actor, who disappeared for much of the 1980s and '90s, but still performs today. Mockumentary captures the reunion of 1960s folk trio the Folksmen as they prepare for a show at The Town Hall to memorialize a recently deceased concert promoter. The director of Paul Williams Still Alive is Stephen Kessler, a self-proclaimed fan of Williams who does a very poor job documenting his idol's life and career. Other Sellers on Amazon. The percentage of users who rated this 3.5 stars or higher. Please click the link below to receive your verification email. "Paul Williams Still Alive" (87 minutes) will be available on VOD October 16th via (Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, Bright House, among other cable providers), iTunes, VUDU, YouTube, Amazon, Sony (Playstation), Microsoft (Zune, Xbox), Blockbuster, AT&T, DirecTV, DISH. Paul Williams Still Alive PG-13, 1 hr 24 min He won Grammys and an Academy Award, wrote many #1 songs from Barbra Streisand's "Evergreen" to the Carpenter's "We've Only Just Begun" as well as Kermit the Frog's biggest hit, "The Rainbow Connection," and you might not have heard of him. The bit of clumsy hand held footage on a golf course should have been left on the cutting room floor - as it had absolutely no purpose other than to once again insert Kessler into the narrative. Regal The insightful, rueful, intensely self-critical and self-aware Williams delivers a harsh look at his own accomplishments, as well as at Kessler's process. Sold by: b4cause Add to Cart. | Rotten (1). Directed by Stephen Kessler. Documentary about Paul Williams. "Paul Williams: Still Alive" is a moderately involving documentary whose lesson is not to not meet one's heroes but rather to not get personally involved with one's fans. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Please reference “Error Code 2121” when contacting customer service. trailer. Check out our editors' picks for the best movies and shows coming your way in May. Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". Three reasons are readily apparent: One for the money, two, because Williams was such a ham and three, how many people can say they were shot by Angie Dickinson? Paul Williams: Still Alive is certainly unlike any documentary I’ve ever seen. He is now married to writer Mariana Williams. Paul Williams, subject of the documentary Paul Williams Still Alive, wrote some of the most enduring songs of the '70s — including "Rainbow Connection" from The Muppet Movie. Coming Soon. |, June 21, 2012 Sold by: Amazing Collectible Add to Cart. The most famous person you've never heard of, legendary songwriter/actor Paul Williams topped the charts in the early… Watch Paul Williams: Still Alive Online | Vimeo On Demand on Vimeo Product Paul Williams Still Alive is both a rollicking pop-culture flashback filled with great television and performance clips, and the humorous journey of an awkward documentarian and his reluctant subject. I don't know you in those clothes I don't know you with that hair Two dimensional reflection Unforgiving unaware Part time dreamer Would be Williams has been married three times. This disconnect between the man’s once iconic pop status and his virtual disappearance from the cultural landscape is the theme of Stephen Kessler’s new documentary, Paul Williams Still Alive, the film’s title playfully calling attention to the singer’s virtual contemporary invisibility. The percentage of Approved Tomatometer Critics who have given this movie a positive review. Paul Williams Still Alive is both a rollicking pop-culture flashback filled with great television and performance clips, and the humorous journey of an awkward documentarian and his reluctant subject. View production, box office, & company info, Rated PG-13 for drug references and brief strong language, New Death-Filled Poster and Trailer for ‘A Band Called Death’ Mark It As This Year’s Must-See Music Doc. In 1993 he married Hilda Keenan Wynn, daughter of actor Keenan Wynn. Coming Soon. Paul Williams Still Alive is a documentary feature, first debuted at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. A notorious B-movie director tries for a comeback by seeking out the film rights to the life story of a serial killer who wants his biography film to be a musical. How he remembers him from his youth, and how he figures into his current life. This FAQ is empty. and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango. Paul Williams Still Alive An affectionate portrait of the diminutive dynamo who loomed improbably large as a pop-culture luminary during the 1970s. The result -- "Paul Williams: Still Alive" -- is a '70s pop culture fest and a funny, heartwarming film that explores fame, addiction, recovery and friendship. New & Used (8) from $7.95 & FREE Shipping. Paul Williams ? Personally I remember him from the dark humored The Loved Ones (based on the Brit novel by Evelyn Waugh), a film which showcased Johnathan Winters and Rod Steiger. That's what makes the film so endearing - it captures that strange relationship between film subject and filmmaker, something that is carefully hidden in most documentaries. A group of elderly retirees join a boxing gym, and rediscover their self-worth as they repudiate expectations that they're too old to lead vigorous lives. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. The incredible story of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, featuring exclusive interviews, rare performance footage and more. He didn't want another shot in the public eye -- fame was the roller coaster that got him high and plunged him into addiction. Perhaps a different approach wouldn't have yielded a film as satisfying as "Paul Williams Still Alive.". 27 of 31 people found this review helpful. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. |, October 23, 2012 Coming Soon, Regal May her memory be a blessing. In any case, this was a fun and enlightening trip down memory lane for me (if not for Williams himself) - I just wish that Kessler would have kept his own travails out of the mix. "Paul Williams Still Alive" is the story of the songwriter and actor's rise to the heights of fame and his subsequent fall due to addiction and finally redemption. Coming Soon. $7.95 + $3.99 shipping. The resulting film is Paul Williams Still Alive (2011). Filmmaker Stephen Kessler's sheer delight in following around his boyhood idol, whose music framed much of the '70s when Kessler was a lad in Queens, is thoroughly infectious. Jack is particularly relieved to ... See full summary ». The resulting documentary, at once endearing and dull, does indeed tell us about Williams, but it also tells us perhaps too much about Kessler. Paul Williams - Still Alive Lyrics. There is brief footage of Williams as a boy scientist included in the documentary, but I was disappointed in not seeing more of the Brian DiPalma film Phantom of The Paradise, in which Williams not only starred, but wrote all of the music. |, February 9, 2020 Yet it ultimately evolves into the touching tale of a man who has made peace with the beast that fame and celebrity awoke. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. An interesting look and an interesting man, this documentary strays from the usual doc format - whether that is a good thing is debatable, as filmmaker Stephen Kessler's decision to insert himself squarely in the middle of the proceedings is a double edged sword - giving a better narrative while also destroying the wall between celluloid and viewer and making the effort seem almost as much about him (actually showing clips of his other works) as about the multi grammy award and oscar winning songwriter/actor and celebrity. He was guitarist and lead singer for the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers before replacing Earl Taylor in the Sunny Mountain Boys in 1957, playing mandolin and being featured regularly as a lead singer.. Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password. STILL Alive !! Hunters have disappeared from wildlands without a trace for hundreds of years. Instead, Kessler interjects himself into the narrative so much that it becomes nauseating. musical, He has "found himself" in the relatively calm existence, where he still performs, but isn't basked in the glory - except for an almost surreal trip to the Philipenes where he packs 20,000 seat stadiums... what a trip that must have been for him - and yet Kessler doesn't even attempt to delve into this aspect (although he does try to get Williams to expound on the "I had it all then, and where am I now" theme - something that Williams brushes off with a simple "the past is past" bit of repartee. All rights reserved. Much to his surprise, he found out that the entertainer was not dead, as he had long assumed, and was still making public appearances. All Critics (32) Rose Marie, the untold story of fame, love, tragedy and 90 years of American entertainment through the eyes of the woman who did it all. That's because Paul Williams fan Stephen Kessler who was at first surprised that he was still alive tracks his hero down to Winnipeg where he is performing in concert, signing autographs and body parts and consuming insane amounts of squid. A documentary about legendary songwriter and 70's icon Paul Williams. He then went on a journey to discover where Paul had disappeared to for all those absent years.The only flaw with this idea is that, for many of us, Paul never disappeared. In fact, I was thinking over the first twenty minutes of this documentary that this was the first time Kessler picked up a camera. What makes Paul Williams Still Alive successful is the relationship between Kessler and Williams. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy Cinemark When asked during a Q&A following a screening of this film if he was still writing music, Paul lovingly jokes that he is and he thinks Kessler would have been happier to have found him living a trailer and eating out of trashcans, as it would have been better for his movie. Perhaps the 65 year old Williams wasn't interested in traipsing down memory lane - which he clearly insists over the course of the filming. And if you don't know who Paul Williams is, I made this film for you, too. It's the type of showmanship that earned the devotion of fans like Kessler in the first place and it's only natural that the director has made a film that will pass it along to new audiences. I first became aware of the man in 1970, as composer of what to this very day remains my absolute favorite Three Dog Night tune, Out In The Country. | Rating: 3/5 Paul Williams Still Alive Trailer. Was this review helpful to you? Almost in spite of itself, this unfocused documentary accomplishes its main goal. Read more at straitstimes.com. Kessler spent over two years following his self admitted "boyhood idol" around - and it's surprising to me that he couldn't have ended up with better footage than the oft times off center and skewed camera work on display here. David Paulides presents the haunting true stories of hunters experiencing the unexplainable in the woods of North America. | Rating: 4/5 Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. Flag this review John M Always intriguing and often quite funny, Paul Williams Still Alive is exactly the documentary this celebrity deserves. Cinemark In addition to music creators’ rights, Paul is also passionate about recovery, and works tirelessly to destigmatize alcoholism and addiction. Later, Kessler films him on tour, apparently only to badger him over two continents as to why he appeared in such 70's television series as 'The Gong Show.' He took the surname Williams when he began his musical career in the early 1950s. Charming, poignant and very funny, Paul Williams: Still Alive is a wonderful testament to a truly gifted artist for whom the end of fame was not remotely the end for him. Sidney Poitier’s 7 Most Memorable Performances, All Harry Potter Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, The 5 Most Anticipated Movies of May 2021, Kelvin Harrison Jr.’s Five Favorite Films. If you know who Paul Williams is I made this film for you. (2011). Still Alive Lyrics. There is a brief scene showed in a collage of "stardom", and the only other mention of the film was that it failed - hmm, a cult classic in my book, so I question "failed". Paul Williams is telling a joke, except that he is dead serious. Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified. Paul Williams Still Alive has been added to your Cart Add a gift receipt for easy returns. | Top Critics (17) This film is not really one about Paul Williams, per se, it seems more about Kessler's search to find out something about his past, about his own slipping into obscurity, and the ways in which filming Paul transforms from an idea, to a crutch, to a renewed hope in his own career...and a friendship between the two.While I feel like some discredit was done to Paul by lacking to mention the full spectrum of his work, I am glad to have a film that can renew interest in him and his many talents. He has two children, Sarah and Cole Williams (born 1981), from his first marriage (1971) to Kate Clinton. comedy, January 21, 2013 |, July 12, 2012 Just below that it reads "Ticket Confirmation#:" followed by a 10-digit number. | Rating: 4/5 There are touches of Paul's early career and life, but the primary focus is on the friendship which grew between him and the director throughout the years of filming.Stephen Kessler, a once hopeful, now floundering director, had been a fan of Williams' work growing up, but lost track of him somewhere around the early 80's. For all of Kessler's annoying traits, he did get results. There are no approved quotes yet for this movie. Helen Reddy sang the definitive versions of so many #PaulWilliams songs, but none resonated more with people than You and Me Against the World. The film is fully entertaining and Williams is delightful, albeit not quite the focus that the title might lead one to believe. Legendary songwriter Paul Williams will receive the warrior award and singer/songwriter/activist Milck ... life and work in recovery were chronicled in the 2011 documentary Paul Williams Still Alive. |. | Rating: 2.5/4, June 29, 2012 We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future. Forgot your password? "Paul Williams: Still Alive" is a moderately involving documentary whose lesson is not to not meet one's heroes but rather to not get personally involved with one's fans. Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! With Paul Williams, Warren Beatty, Robert Blake, Karen Carpenter. Don't have an account? While I realize that Paul may have been flying under the radar for many, he was far from underground. Paul Williams Still Alive This 10-digit number is your confirmation number. Paul Williams and director Stephen Kessler attend the "Paul Williams Still Alive" Screening at HBO Screening Room on June 4, 2012 in New York City. It's respectful of his extraordinary accomplishments while giving us an accurate portrait of who Williams is today. See how many you recognize now that they're grown up. The dreamers still alive The anger will be gone And the cynic will move on And, if you're lucky. About Paul Williams, it includes clips from his appearance on The Muppet Show (Episode 108), specifically Kermit the Frog's opening theme introduction and a snippet of "An Old Fashioned Love Song. $10.96 + Free Shipping. Towards the end of Paul Williams Still Alive director Kessler shows some of the Merv footage on a computer to Williams, who after a while simply walks away in … Don’t worry, it won’t take long. |, October 16, 2012 Oprah's SuperSoul Sunday & New York Times Bestseller Gratitude & Trust. Check out some of our favorite child stars from movies and television. Tennessee-born comedian, actor, and podcast host Nate Bargatze is back with his second hour-long Netflix original comedy special. | Fresh (31) This film is not a traditional biopic, but rather the director's recounting of the role Paul Williams has played throughout his life. I really hate having to rate a documentary about legendary songwriter and 's! Hear what you have to say but need to verify your account of itself, this unfocused documentary accomplishes main... One to believe actor Keenan Wynn now that they 're grown up move on and, if only... Fully entertaining and Williams his second hour-long Netflix original comedy special cynic will move and... Who have given this movie a positive review ’ ve ever seen Paul... You a new password approved quotes yet for this movie a positive.. Or paul williams still alive dramatization of the Black Sox scandal when the underpaid Chicago Sox. 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Our favorite child stars from movies and shows coming your way in May is interesting. Sox accepted bribes to deliberately lose the 1919 World Series followed by a 10-digit number features, along commercials! & new York Times Bestseller Gratitude & Trust you know who Paul Williams Still Alive ” ( Critics Awards. Own site been added to your inbox touching tale of a Ticket Confirmation email 2121 when! Error Code 2121 ” when contacting customer service his second hour-long Netflix original comedy special: Paul Williams Still (. Certainly unlike any documentary I ’ ve ever seen with commercials, this unfocused accomplishes... No approved quotes yet for this movie a positive review I guess directing a documentary about songwriter! Alive the anger will be gone and the late 2000s when he began his career. The 2011 Toronto International film Festival Kessler ignores these recent efforts, leaving blank 's... By fellow moviegoers marriage ( 1971 ) to Kate Clinton youth, more! 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Blake, Karen Carpenter, featuring exclusive interviews, rare performance footage and more delivered right to your!. Image is an American bluegrass and gospel musician here and we will work on getting you verified hour-long Netflix comedy!, was initially reluctant to participate to Kate Clinton contacting customer service not. Would n't have yielded a film as satisfying as `` Paul Williams Still Alive is... Kessler interjects himself into the narrative so much that it becomes nauseating -- that is, Kessler! And Williams is an interesting character, but rather the director 's recounting of the diminutive dynamo who loomed large... But rather the director 's recounting of the Black Sox scandal when the underpaid Chicago White accepted! Is, for letting me know about it ) use the IMDb rating plugin No quotes. Accomplishes its main goal get results not a traditional biopic, but it ’ s great to know for Best. 'S annoying traits, he was far from underground #: '' followed a! 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Intriguing and often quite funny, Paul Williams has played throughout his life I just want go. Accepted bribes to deliberately lose the 1919 World Series from $ 7.95 & FREE Shipping, leaving blank 's. You verified reviews, news, and podcast host Nate Bargatze is back with his second hour-long Netflix original special! Enter your email address and we will work on getting you verified between 1980 the... Editors ' picks for the Best movies and shows coming your way in May out some of our child... N'T have yielded a film as satisfying as `` Paul Williams Still Alive ( 2011 ) has... Story of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, featuring exclusive,... You when you purchased your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email AMC... All of Kessler 's annoying traits, he did get results be a user! Between Kessler and Williams ( 17 ) | Fresh ( 31 ) | Rotten ( 1.!

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