Paul Simon: Born at the Right Time

Director: Susan Lacy, Susan Steinberg

Institute History

  • 1993 Sundance Film Festival

Description

This is an exquisite portrait of the prodigious talents of singer/songwriter Paul Simon. a road map to the heart and soul of an artist chasing the demons of his self-worth, proving time and again that he is good. Simon continually extends his creative reach. so that the act of discovery, musically and emotionally, is what unites his work, life and journey.

Highlighted by wonderful reminiscences from Simon and Art Garfunkel, who started out as the singing duo Tom and Jerry as teenagers in Queens. Paul Simon captures the poignancy and magic that was clear in their collaboration. Paul gave Art drive, and Art gave Paul a voice and confidence. Together they made one perfect person. As director Mike Nichols observes. "They were grafting a New York-Jewish sensibility into a surfboard world."

But this is only one stop on the tour of Paul Simon's creativity. After Simon and Garfunkel broke up in 1969, career and personal crises prompted Simon to reexamine his path. It was the joy and spirit of African music that brought Simon out of his creative and personal slump. "Graceland.' With its mix of polyphonic rhythms and liberating lyrics, resulted, a high-water mark for Simon and his creative energy. The international road less traveled has been a bumpy one, though. Simon has been labeled a blatant carpetbagger in spite of the difficulties he underwent getting "Graceland” made. The exuberance with which Joseph Shabalala and Ladysmith Black Mambazo perform with Simon onstage and interact with him offstage is testimony to the authenticity of their relationship, musically and spiritually.

Featuring performances from China, Brazil. South Africa and the United States. Paul Simon proves that music speaks an international language. This United Nations band has so much fun. Not least among them is Simon himself. dancing and singing like a man fulfilled.



Friday Jan 22 10:00 am
Holiday Village Cinema I

Sunday Jan 24 10:00 pm
Holiday Village Cinema I

Thursday Jan 28 4:30 pm
Holiday Village Cinema III

Saturday Jan 30 1:00 pm
Egyptian Theatre

$6.00

— Lawrence Smith

Screening Details

Credits

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