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Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002)
IMDb Rating 7.7
Front Cover Actor Back Cover
Andre Braugher Narrator [Voice]
Richard 'Pistol' Allen Himself
Jack Ashford Himself
Bob Babbitt Himself
Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin Himself (archive footage)
Eddie 'Bongo' Brown Himself (archive footage)
Bootsy Collins Himself
Johnny Griffith Himself
Ben Harper Himself
Joe Hunter Himself
James Jamerson Himself (archive footage)
Bob Babbitt (II)
Ben Harper (II)
Plot
Based on the book of the same name by Allan Slutsky, Standing in the Shadows of Motown is a historical tribute to the unsung heroes responsible for some of the greatest hits of pop music. Part documentary and part concert performance, this film is an introduction to the intriguing personas of the Hitsville studio band originally assembled by Berry Gordy in 1959. Over 40 years later, the remaining members reunited in their home base of Detroit, MI, to tell their stories, remember their departed bandmates, and put on a concert. The creation of the Motown sound is told through in-depth interviews, archival footage, and reenactments. Personal stories are intercut with live tracks from the concert performance featuring the Funk Brothers live on-stage along with popular vocalists interpreting some of their biggest hits. Some of the guest singers stick around for conversation with the musicians and offer a contemporary perspective, including Joan Osborne, Me'Shell NdegéOcello, and Ben Harper. The film follows the group's contributions through the '60s up until Gordy moved the label to Los Angeles in 1972. — Andrea LeVasseur
Movie Details
Genre Documentary; Music
Director Paul Justman
Producer Paul Justman; Sandford Passman
Writer Walter Dallas; Ntozake Shange
Studio Artisan Entertainment
Country USA
Language English
Audience Rating PG
Running Time 108 mins
Movie Release Date 5/11/2002
Color Color
Personal Details
Format DVD
Seen It No
Index 306
Collection Status In Collection
Purchase Date 8/17/2004
Product Details
Region Region 1
Screen Ratio Widescreen 1.85:1 Color (Anamorphic)
Layers Single Side, Single Layer
UPC (Barcode) 012236137801
Release Date 4/22/2003
Subtitles English; Spanish
Packaging Keep Case
Audio Tracks ENGLISH: DD-EX 5.1 [CC]
ENGLISH: Dolby Digital Stereo [CC]
ENGLISH: DTS 6.1 [CC]
Nr of Disks/Tapes 2
Extra Features
Disc 1 Features
Trivia Track
Audio Commentary with Director and Producer
Song Selections/Performances
How it All Began
  • The Photo that Started It All
  • The Video that Started It All
    BMWFilms.com Presents The Hire: A Series of Short Films (Hostage, Ticker, Beat Down)

    Disc 2 Features
    Dinner with the Funk Brothers
    Multiangle Jam Sessions
    Deleted Scenes
    The Ones that Didn't Make It
    At Long Last Glory
    Funk Brothers Video Biographies
    Music Video Montage
    Selected Discography
    Honorable Mentions
    Hi-Resolution - DVD-ROM Playable Version
    Interactive - Virtual Recording Studio
    		•
    Links
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