Hendrix (2000)

I saw this movie without any expectations...and I was glad not to have had any...one point which especially disappointed me was the conflict behind the scenes Hendrix experienced with Chas Chandler and Michael Jeffry...Chas, in the movie, was more like Michael Jeffry was in real life and the other way around. The movie however shows very well what the business aspect of the whole music-industry did to Jimi and his ideas and how it destroyed him. Furthermore it was a shame they did not show what the Band of Gypsies actually achieved and how good Hendrix played with those guys...as it is well known that the 1970 new years eve concert at the Filmore East was one of the best Hendrix ever did. Besides that...what a shame shame shame that not one single original recording was used. The acting was pretty OK...besides the concerts and the guitar imitations. I only had some interest going throughout the movie due to my pre-handknowledge to Hendrix and thats about it...not a movie it would see once more. 3 out out of 10 but only because it good that his memory it's kept alive.

Wood Harris portrays Jimi with respect and determination, but doesn't quite PORTRAY him. Then again, how many actors could? I don't think Mr. Harris had ever experienced LSD when he attempted to deliver Jimi's oratory at Monterey; his effort was...well, kinda silly. Some of the other dialogue is also clumsy but this was a demanding role. I'm aware of some Hendrix career history and inclined to believe that the movie is basically accurate throughout (as with Gotti HBO movie).Although the music isn't too bad, I have to wonder why they didn't use actual Hendrix tracks? And why does the guy who plays the role of Little Richard look nothing like him? Was Michael Jeffrey really such an a-----e in real life? The real Chas Chandler seems like an unsympathetic and driven producer on the Electric Ladyland DVD...yet he and Jimi were said to be a great music partnership. Billy Zane does a fine job as Michael Jeffrey I guess, considering that I really don't know what he was actually like! Oh well.

A very lame, cheap & disappointing production. If this was a tell-all about the Monkees it would be embarrassing, but we're talking about the greatest instrumentalist of rock music, one of the true genius of 20th century art. What's lost in this film is Hendrix' MUSIC. He was an amazing songwriter, but you won't find any idea of that here. If your introduction to Hendrix is this movie, you'd think he was nothing more than a glorified karaoke artist. The film has the actor performing "Hey Joe," "Wild Thing," "All Along the Watchtower," "Star Spangled Banner" ... getting the drift yet...? ALL cover songs, not a single song or composition actually written by Jimi. Obviously the Hendrix estate / copyright owners had nothing to do with this production. Then there's the Woodstock conceit, with Jimi wailing in front of the half-million. Anyone who knows Woodstock or Jimi knows he played in front of the last remaining 40,000 straglers on the Monday morning when near everyone had left. Most of the acting was okay, but the rest is a waste.

decent film all things considered. obviously low budget. learned a lot about hendrix. highly recommend for those who know very little about him. lack of hendrix real music is weakness. but writer using hendrix own original words, which i recognized from hendrix writings, is a plus. those who say it isn't authentic don't know jimi's own words when they hear them. i suspect they are malcontents who probably never really listened to jimi and who he was in all his complexity. suggestion: go back and watch the doggone movie closely. a lot of truth in there. in jimi' own words.