Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) is a documentary about the life, career, and legacy of the members of Sly and the Family Stone with particular focus on the band's front man Sly Stone.
Through talking-head interviews, concert footage, archival interviews with Sly, archival news, and some animation the band, its members, but more importantly the music are explored and celebrated. An overdue look at a great and influential figure and band. The best parts are when one of their songs is broken down in an animation sequence and when two talking-heads breakdown their sample of one of their songs. Basically the shop talk is excellent and the film is patient and generous in exploring the band's discography. The investigation into Sly himself, the burden of his Black Genius, as well as his addiction is compassionate and thoughtful if not ultimately particularly deep. But that's OK because it's the music, the sound that is really elevated and focused on, its a music doc not a biography. As an aside it is interesting that this film and many others like it, when discussing artists or public figures with addiction, fail to understand a most fundamental fact about the disease, which is, it can happen to anyone. We all have within us a certain threshold when it comes to substance use, for some its very high, for some(like myself) its very low, but there is a point beyond which the disease is triggered, like a circuit breaker. Sly may have started using for various reasons and circumstances(which the film discusses) but the disease, once active, renders those things relatively moot and the addict is solely focused on the acquisition and ingestion of the preferred substance.
An inspiring rumination on a legendary band with moments of transcendence propelled by the music. Should have had a theatrical release.
Currently streaming on Hulu.
Don't Miss It.
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