Scott Walker: 30 Century Man |  | Director: Stephen Kijak
Actors: Marc Almond, Sara Kestelman, Ute Lemper, David Bowie, Brian Eno
Studio: Oscilloscope
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.99
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Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 53652
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 0
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Running Time: 95 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: OSCD008D
UPC: 896602002081
EAN: 0896602002081
ASIN: B00227A81A
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: June 16, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | SCOTT WALKER: 30 CENTURY MAN (DVD MOVIE) |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Studio: Oscilloscope Pictures Release Date: 06/16/2009 Run time: 95 minutes
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 6
Great look into the world of Scott Walker April 5, 2010
M. White (Northeast - USA)
I have been listening to Scott Walker for many years and it is certainly not a stretch to say, that in terms of pure vocal ability and interpretive skill, he could be considered the finest male vocalist of the pop era. This documentary-style DVD fills in a lot of what has been missing (for the general public, at least) from Scott's complete story. I found the performance clips, especially from the 60's, to be worth the price of the video alone. Walker, although a self-proclaimed nervous performer (and in several performances you can actually see his hands shaking), performs with a kind of cool sophistication that you rarely saw pop singers display in that era. The 2006 interview with Scott, which is the focal point of this DVD, is very revealing and paints a picture of an artist who, although steadfast in his vision relative to his art, has paid a very high price for that vision. In my opinion, some of the peripheral characters in the DVD are, quite frankly, insignificant to this effort (particularly the insignifcant Marc Almond and syncophant David Bowie, who always manages to make anything and everything he talks about "all about him"). That being said, the reverence and respect that artists like Johnny Marr, Gavin Friday, and Jarvis Cocker speak of Scott with is what gives the film its emotional power. Most impressive is Brian Eno. His insightful commentary on everything from contemporary music criticism to music/commerce/marketplace contradictions to his own acute observations and assessments of Scott's work are priceless. This is a must see for anyone who still believes in artists like Walker who are, quite literally, willing to give everything for their art.
John du Prey - Classical Review February 1, 2010
Wayne D. Olson (Bloomington, MN)
Highly recommend this definitive tribute to the brilliant singer-producer, Scott Walker. It takes time to understand how an artist develops throughout his life by taking necessary risks and perhaps delving into non-traditional paths, as Scott did. Yes, I think it was highly intuitive, the way he emerged in different artistic forms, styles, and within conceptual variances. He would know.
Walker has revealed honestly his motives and intent throughout the years; for those of us who followed him closely. We wanted to stand by him, through "thick or thin." The artist credo, pursuit of the exceptionnel...even while he experimented with the nuances in voice, crescendo, theme, and language shifts. He understood the intricacies, and stayed the course as a major artist.
Perhaps, there was a "time warp" for Scott Walker, an isolation. He understood the full range of his voice, production expertise, producer mantle, and he took full strides into vocal and orchestral arrangements that would be considered alien to another established artist: but to him, it was familiar ground, within his bold exploration of other musical compositions.
I am indebted to him as an artist. Grateful his accomplishments were captured, sur ce point.
Scott Walker Alive and Better Than Ever September 2, 2009
M (CA USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was a huge fan of Walker Brothers in my teenage era. Especially Scott. I spent my last yen to go to see him when he did Solo Tour in Japan in late 60s. Then I got busy worring about day to day living and forgot about Scott. 40 years later, this video reconnected me to Scott and his awesome new stuff he is creating. Very interesting!!! So happy to know that he is alive and pretty much active and even better! Still looks almost as cute as he was 40 years ago.
Fascinating July 12, 2009
FastFilm (Los Angeles)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
The subject is American, but his pre-eminence is strictly European. Fans of "Absolutely Fabulous" should remember Patsy's older sister claiming she was the subject of a Scott Walker song; fans of director Minghella's first (and best) film "Truly Madly Deeply" (comedy-tragedy-ghost story: deserves own eventual blog) should remember the woman and her ghostly dead lover singing a raucous cover of "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" while fans of oldskool retro-60's classics on classics radio should recall "Make It Easy On Yourself" plus many anthemic others done with the same sonorous baritone over an orchestral sweeping vista.
The film is "30 Century Man" and the subject is Scott Walker. Once upon a time in the 1960's, three typical tall, skinny Sunset Strip denizens with long hair and bangs past their eyebrows plus failed C.V.s as musicians moved to England, wherein the intrinsic lack of tall, skinny Sunset Strip denizens with bangs past their eyebrows would allow them to actually stand out. And they did, to eventual mega-stardom. Precursors of the Ramones' hat trick, these unrelated chums named themselves the Walker Brothers, surrendered to mainstream pop, and had enormous hit after enormous hit there, with their flagship sound of Scott Walker's baritone crooning. However mushy the MOR slop tended to be, at least it was interesting having "one of our own" youth culturers singing this way, and all three looking so shaggable. Believe me, David Bowie was listening INTENTLY to this particular sound, and you can hear it every concert he sings to this day.
Huge hits written by the era's best other songwriters, genuine Beatles-esque fan mobbing, compromises, breakdowns, supstance abuse, what photographer/director Larry Clark called "the usual betrayals in the music biz," then it gets weird. Prettiest boy and main voice Scott derails, joins a monestary, emerges as a Jacques Brel interpreter, then a techno-artist songwriter before there actually is techno, then avant-garde orchestrator cum performance artist for music that has no categorizing description, all of which he warbles the highest brow intellectual themes over. He releases his work maybe once a decade. This is the story of Scott Walker, a man rightly called the most enigmatic figure ever in the history of popular music, depicted from infancy to 2006 in "30 Century Man."
Director Steven Kijak gives us "listening heads" instead of the talking variety, what with David Bowie coming aboard, Radiohead, Brian Eno and others chatting about Walker's influence upon their own work. Even 60's compatriot Lulu inquires to the only director that's managed to snag an interview with Walker if he's still gorgeous (A: yes, in a tall, skinny, bit of receding hairline, wildly creative, intellectual mien way. Plus he's sober now for decades. The guy laughs a lot for a supposed morbidly reclusive type, too.) Many depicted fans of old don't "get" his newest work, voicing Luddite disdain for something so far ahead of what's going on now (whenever "now" is: that's the beauty of the avant garde) that they fail to embrace pure innovation for its own sake.
You'll see recent footage of him orchestrating in the studio (replete with a percussionist pounding a huge side of pork, or recording sounds under a wooden box,) and explaining his difficult themes with assured ease and aplomb. Thank God Scott Walker is still around, for this is one former pop star turned composer who is actually working at the peak of creative powers right here, right now, a massive acheivement for anyone, but especially former popstars. Trent Reznor should be so lucky when he's Walker's age. Check out "30 Century Man" now on dvd to watch a fascinating musical journey.
 A Mystery Man of Music July 1, 2009
George C. Hutton (Melbourne Fla)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I use to play the Walker Brothers "The Sun Ain't Gonnna Shine Anymore"
on 45 in my room as a 12 year old kid. It was then that I realized that
Scott Walker has one of the strongest voices EVER. He left the group at
their peak, to pursue a solo career. He has put out several solo projects
where he interupts other peoples songs with dark passion, but strong
communication skills (sounds like a Vampire ?) anyway he has been compared
to Jazz Greats; Johnny Hartman and Billy Eckstine, which is great, but he is much more of a experiementalist. I have to admit I enjoy his earlier
works more than his most recent efforts, but I would drive from Miami to NYC just to hear him live. This Video captures his story, life, music etc
if you watch it, and go hmmmmmm, becareful, like the Vampire, once you invite him in, you'll never be able to get him out of your head.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 6
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