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Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Runnin' Down A Dream
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jmdobies's Review
Bogdanovich's DVD Documentary About Gainesville's Favorite Sons
married, psychotronic genius, a storyteller, forty something, Lover of quirky, unique films, Radio Host, TV Personality, a writer
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25
2008
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Runnin' Down A Dream —
Runnin' Down a Dream, directed by Peter Bogdanovich, presents the story of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers over a remarkably fast-moving four hours, propelled by a stellar soundtrack of the band's greatest hits. Apparently, there's a six-hour cut of the movie, and I'd love to see the other two hours.Bogdanovich made his name in the late '60s and early '70s as an independent filmmaker (Targets, The Last Picture Show, Paper Moon), before a lengthy decline phase that lasted the better part of two decades before he bounced back with films like The Cat's Meow (2002) and an acting role as Tony's shrink's shrink in The Sopranos.
Runnin' down a Dream shows another side of the filmmaker, as he has asssembled an epic documentary about one of the Great American Bands and their laconic leader that tells their tale from their teenage days in Gainesville, Florida, through the ups and downs of the '70s and '80s to their current status as elder statesmen of rock.
Fans of the band will be ecstatic over all of the rare footage on display, and non-fans should be mightily impressed by the quality and consistency of Petty's music over the last three decades.
In addition to the two discs containing the doc, there's also a bonus CD of rare tracks, and a DVD of the Heartbreakers' 30th Anniversary concert in Gainesville from 2006. This only adds to the various live Petty DVDs that have been released over the years, which also include High Grass Dogs, Live at the Olympic, and the band's great appearance on the Soundstage TV program. The show includes an excellent cross-section of hits and album cuts, as well as choice covers of "I'm a Man" and Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well." Speaking of the Mac, special guest and honorary Heartbreaker Stevie Nicks shows up to duet with Tom on "Stop Dragging My Heart Around," and also to completely ruin "I Need to Know," one of the band's best songs. She hangs around to bang a tambourine and add superfluous backing vocals to much of the last half of the show.
A worthy addition to any rock 'n' roll fan's DVD library, Runnin' Down a Dream is one of the best music documentaries ever made.
Available from Warner Home Video in the deluxe four-disc edition (recommended, but now out of print) and a stripped down two-disc edition released in 2008. The deluxe edition can be found fairly easily, though, and for not much more than the no frills version.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Runnin' Down A Dream is recommended by jmdobies
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