Sing Your Song (2012)

Not even bad in a good way

An absolute waste of money

Absolutely Fantastic

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

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.

This documentary, directed by Susanne Rostock, is a detailed look at the great entertainer Harry Belafonte's career as well as his tireless social activism.Born in Harlem into a broken family, Belafonte began working as a janitor's assistant. One day, he was given, as a gratuity, two tickets to the American Negro Theater. He was totally enthralled and eventually became a member himself, along with Sidney Poitier and Brock Peters.Belafonte started to go to the NYC club the Village Vanguard, where he began to be influenced in his singing style by Huddie Ledbetter and Paul Robeson. As Robeson told Belafonte, you will find your own style and then you can "sing your song".Given an opportunity to perform in a Broadway play for the first time, in "3 For Tonight", Belafonte was an instant sensation and even won a Tony award. He began to tour nationally in various shows, but it was here that he came across the horrors and humiliations of racism against blacks. This would spark his eventual activism and later he would become a stalwart of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's.His record "Scarlet Ribbons" won him national recognition and later his calypso sounds such as "Day-o" would enable him to become a world famous performer. Surprisingly, he would also become a teenybopper idol at the time.Alongside his artistic fame came Belafonte's brave and tireless efforts to help those in need. In addition to his leadership in the Civil Rights movement, he also became involved in the African independence movements, Native American rights, Ethiopian campaigns to help starving children, as well as trying to help those in Haiti. Still now, in his 80's he's working to end gang violence, change the skewed minority numbers in prison, and advocating for youth activism.The film doesn't go too deeply into Belafonte's personal life but does have some interviews with his children and former wives, as well as some home movies. There are plenty of wonderful film clips of Belafonte's performances on stage, TV, and movies which brought back lot of memories for me.All in all, I thought the documentary did a fine job at presenting this remarkable American icon and activist. I was engrossed throughout and felt I learned quite a bit as well.

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!