Phil Ochs doc on PBS
"Phil Ochs:There But for Fortune" premieres on "American Masters" this Sunday
Phil Ochs doc on PBS
Steven Rea, Inquirer Movie Columnist and Critic
A beautiful documentary about the late, great folk singer Phil Ochs -- Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune – has its television premiere this coming week on PBS’ American Masters. Locally, WHYY will broadcast Kenneth Bowser’s compelling biography on Monday, Jan. 23, at 10 p.m. Interviewees include Joan Baez, Sean Penn, Pete Seeger, Tom Hayden, Michael Ochs (Phil’s brother and, for a time, his manager) and the late Christopher Hitchens, who speaks with characteristic passion and eloquence about the ‘60s protest singer and folk icon. Ochs, once considered an equal to Bob Dylan, took his life when he was 35 – despondent over the downturn in his career.
If you didn’t see There But for Fortune when it screened at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute last year, now’s your chance. Check out the doc’s official site here.
I bought a copy of it a few months back and it's great. The film captures the feelings and moods of the times, while giving Phil some much over due credit for his genius.— 42Homestead- What a great, great songwriter. And what a great loss to us when he committed suicide. Glad to see him getting recognition.— Jen D
Steven Rea's previous blog posts can be found here. Read his most recent columns and reviews, here. He also curates the movie stars and bicycling photo blog, Rides A Bike. Reach Steven at srea@phillynews.com.
