DVDS

Hired Gun.

Hired Gun. color & b/w. 98+ min. Fran Strine, dist. by Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, www.hiredgunfilm.com. 2017. DVD $12.99 (Rental: $4.99). MUSIC
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Director Strine's debut documentary does for rock and heavy metal session and touring musicians and replacement band members what the Academy Award-winning 20 Feet from Stardom did for backup singers. The film allows these artists to exhibit their contributions to popular music history, share their stories, and shed light on the personal and business relationships between famous artists and their less recognizable support players. Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp's drummer), Jason Newsted (former Metallica bassist), Eric Singer (KISS drummer), and many others have plenty of perspective regarding being hired, getting fired, and dealing with superstars. This simple production consists of a long string of new interviews, live and in-studio performance clips spanning decades, and archival photographs, but, unfortunately, offers far too brief snippets of the musicians' work. Bonus features include additional interview clips.
VERDICT Musicians and rock and heavy metal fans are sure to relish this mostly positive, sometimes bitter, but always illuminating peek behind the rock industry curtain.
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