Chuck Berry - Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll (1987)

I liked this film. Well done and interesting but it could never be complete. Wouldn't play to a caring crowd.It was a long time ago in a bar in Minneapolis called the Cabooze that I saw this fellow that I admired so. His band came in a Grayhound and he came in a limo just 20 minutes from show time(10pm)..warm up band was done and he came into the back room office with two young women that couldn't have been more than 14years old tops, flopped himself down on our couch and tells us that unless we pay an additional $2500 for his services he won't go on the stage. I counted out his money, he played two hours for $5000 and left for the big gig in Chicago. The two young women spent the show in the limo and as far as it goes that was it. All hail rock and roll...deliver me from the days of old...Chuck as great as they were I never spent one dollar for your music OR quit telling this story...told ya one day it would bite you in the ass...and these are my teeth

Its a real shame Chuck Berry did this documentary. It finally shows the world what a complete egomaniac this guy is. A documentary is supposed to show a warts and all look at the topic, obviously Mr. Berry has a few truths to be hidden. We all know about the jail terms, the concerts without rehearsals, playing with local bands who do not know the song score until the actual performance,the womanising, not willing to play a gig until the promoter throws cash into his greedy little hands. What a guy, he is married and on the road takes his mistress and anybody else he can get his hands on. Chuck Berry's guitar as Keith Richards admits always out of tune, timing out the door, how did this guy survive in the music world for so long is beyond me. The only saving grace of this documentary is he finally got himself a professional backing band.

Saw this film when it first came out and have loved it ever since. Chuck Berry obviously has a huge chip on his shoulder and takes it out on K.Richards before and during the big sixtieth birthday bash/show in St.Louis, and at times one has to feel a little badly for the guy? All he's trying to do is get Chuck more recognition for his lifes work, but this doesn't seem worthwhile to egomaniac Chuck. He go's so far as to change the arrangements of the tunes rehearsed for the show, right on stage that night, and makes Richards sweat the whole night through! Gaps in solos can be heard clearly on the soundtrack, and these weren't recording flubs but rather Chuck Berry made screwups, designed to discredit Mr.Richards and the show. Still the music thrill's and even Berrys antics couldn't derail the band Richards put together for this one. For anyone that loves real rocknroll the way it was meant to play, go out and pick yourself up a copy. You'll love the allstar cast rockin band that plays away the night in St.Louis celebrating Berry's 60'th at the end of the film and all the interviews and stuff along the way. Etta James's performance of rocknroll music a Berry classic, is as electrifying as anything ever performed on stage as is Linda Ronstadt's back in the Usa. Man I wish I could have been there?

Forget Frank Sinatra…Keith Richard's amazing ‘Hail Hail Rock and Roll' leaves no doubt about who is the most important influence on contemporary music.Taylor Hackford, who did the wonderful music narrative ‘The Idolmaker' directs this documentary, which includes a great live concert accompanying. The glue that holds the deal together, though, is the presence of Richards, as producer and musical director. His exchanges with Berry, filmed as is, concerning the film's content are classic. A Bruce Springsteen recount of his early days opening for Berry at a concert in New Jersey is worth the price of admission alone.Great interviews with Roy Orbison, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Jerry Lee Lewis, and the comedy team of Little Richard and Bo Diddley.Wonderful film, beautiful honest portrait of a very complicated musical genius.