Product Description

Detroit, Michigan, 1959. Berry Gordy gathers the best musicians from the city's thriving jazz and blues scene for his new record company: Motown. For the next 14 years these players are the heartbeat on "My Girl," "Baby Love," "Ooo Baby Baby," "Bernadette," "I Was Made To Love Her," "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," "Dancing In The Street," and every other hit from Motown's Detroit era. By the end of their phenomenal run, the unheralded group of musicians plays on more Number One hits than the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles combined, making them the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music. They call themselves the Funk Brothers. But no one knows their names...this is their story.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2479 in DVD
• Brand: STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN
• Released on: 2003-04-22
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 116 minutes

Amazon.com
Standing in the Shadows of Motown is a must-see film for any fan of the Supremes, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, or any other classic Motown stars. This swinging documentary celebrates the Funk Brothers--the team of studio musicians who powered dozens and dozens of hit Motown songs--by combining reminiscences, reenactments, and clips from a recent concert put on by the Funk Brothers, featuring singers like Chaka Khan, Ben Harper, and Joan Osborne on classic tunes like "What's Going On," "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," and "Heatwave." This crafty gang of elderly musicians will charm your pants off with a slew of entertaining anecdotes. Though it seems that there's a lot of dirt they're declining to dish, the movie deftly outlines the history of Motown, surely the most significant music label in American history--the label that turned segregated "race music" into chart-topping success. A soulful delight. --Bret Fetzer

From The New Yorker
The tambourine has never been used to greater effect than in the Motown singles of the sixties, and this documentary about the musicians who played on those tracks is a beautiful tribute to the exquisite finesse of the Motown sound. The director Paul Justman interviews close to a dozen of the Hitsville U.S.A. house band, loosely known as the Funk Brothers, and their anecdotes and repartee are very sharp, very funny. When these old-timers sit around and begin, piece by piece, to play "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," the result is incandescent-and so is the film. -Bruce Diones
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

For those who questioned why.......
I read a few reviewers questioning why the production didn't involve the original singers to sing the songs. Please note that this documentary is about Funk Brothers. By using contemporary singers to accompany the original rhythm section, the film proves to the viewers how Motown music is in it's musicians, especially the rhythm section. Also if Diana, Stevie, or Smokey would get on stage to sing a song or two, they'd definitely demand star treatment. This will DEFEAT THE PURPOSE.

For those who demand to know more about The Temps, Tops, Supremes, and Miracles etc., please either read their autobiographies, watch made-for-TV movies, or listen to their box sets. This movie is about the Funk Brothers, not Motown singers. This film is to celebrate the brothers' contribution to American pop music and to finally validate their hard work, creativity, and how they influenced generations of future musicians.

If you watched a documentary, at least be aware of the subject matter before you criticize the production.

Got Soul...?
"Standing in the Shadows of Motown," is an absolute delight. It's the story of the "Funk Brothers," an integrated group of musicians who were the soul behind the soul. As the house band for Motown they were the sound that propelled more number one hits than the Beach Boys, the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and the great Elvis combined. These guys invented the groove. The movie is a straightforward collection of conversations, documentary concert footage, and reunion concert footage, with a few dramatized bits thrown in for texture and comic relief. At the beginning of the movie, someone said that "Deputy Dawg" would have sounded good backed up by the "Funk Brothers." The point is proven by the reunion footage that has good singers giving outstanding performances with the most laid back band in the world. By the end of the movie you not only like and admire these guys, you get to see how much they liked each other. They had to. Not only were a few of the personalities troubled, but it seems they never stopped working, and had to supplement their Motown payroll with gigs around town. See this movie, see who was standing behind the top soul singers of the 60's and 70's, and enjoy the groove.

The Untold Story
Finally, the story of the fabulous musicians of Motown is starting to be told. The movie spends a little too much time lamenting the fact that the Funk Brothers are unknown, but then spends the rest of the move celebrating the triumphs and challenges of the greatest hit machine the world has ever seen. Great stuff!

As a musician, I had two reactions to this movie:

1) Make it longer! I want to know and hear everything!

2) Wow, Motown music was MUCH more complex than I ever imagined when I was listening on cheap radios in my youth. These guys were basically jazz musicians, and the productions were very complex. If I had realized the level of musicianship that went in to these songs, I wouldn't have been so eager to do simple rock n' roll cover versions in my high-school and college bands. Doesn't mean the music isn't great, however.

Here's hoping that the Funk Brothers realize the fruits of the success that they obviously deserve. Enjoy the music!