Paul Williams Still Alive
Sun. 07/01 | 5:15PM @ Gene Siskel Film Center (map)
- Event Details
- 2011, Stephen Kessler, USA, 87 min. “A remarkable achievement...thoroughly satisfying, always engaging and unusually perceptive.” —Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter “Wonderfully weird, surprisingly moving.” —Katie Walsh, The Playlist Composer-singer-actor Paul Williams was an inescapable icon of the 1970s--on quiz shows and talk shows (over 50 “Tonight Show” appearances!), in movies ranging from the cultish (PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE) to the cheesy (BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES), and in a string of hit songs (“We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainbow Connection,” “Evergreen,” etc.) with uncommon emotional depth. Then he dropped off the radar. Director Kessler, a childhood fan, thought Williams was dead until he found the singer pounding the comeback trail after battles with drugs, alcohol, and arrogance. This enormously entertaining and often moving documentary effectively combines Kessler’s awkward attempts to befriend the wary Williams and an in-depth portrait of an impressively substantial survivor. HDCAM video. (MR) Paul Williams will be present for audience discussion at the Saturday screening. Steve Prokopy (aka “Capone”), Chicago editor for Ain’t It Cool News will moderate the discussion.
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