Here's a quick rundown of two music documentaries you should watch. They are currently streaming, too.
By: Phil Akre
I recently finished an episode in Netflix's 'ReMastered' series. This part of the series focuses on the tragic and mysterious death of soul icon, Sam Cooke.
In my opinion, it's informative in more ways than one, but more on that later. I was left thinking about just how powerful and provocative a good documentary can be. So, here are two selections that you should consider watching.
ReMastered: Who Shot the Sheriff? A Bob Marley Story (Netflix)
To give you an idea of how thought-provoking this one is, I'm currently in the middle of Roger Steffens' (Bob Marley biographer and reggae archivist) book, So Much Things to Say: The Oral History of Bob Marley. It's a great read.
This episode in the 'ReMastered' series focuses on the attempted assassination on Marley's life in 1976. More so, it explores who may of been behind it and the effects on Marley's outlook on life. To this day, no one has ever been formally charged.
It's jarring to consider what would have happened had Marley been killed. Jamaica would have dived into even darker, violent times. Exodus, TIME's Album of the Century, would have never been made. This selection illustrates the two factions in Jamaica, the JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) and PNP (People's National Party), that stirred the unprecedented violence.
The episode does a good job of illustrating Marley's status at the time of the attempt, as well as the savage political violence that plagued Jamaica in the late 1970's. If you're a fan of Marley's music or appreciate what he stood for, check this one out. You'll be surprised at how much you learn.
ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke - A Sam Cooke Story (Netflix)
Another episode of the same series, this chapter looks at the significance of Sam Cooke's shocking death. As someone who didn't know a ton about Cooke before, this episode shed light on not only his death, but why it still matters today.
Over the course of the episode, we look at Cooke's tragic death through the lens of the political, social and music landscapes of the early 1960's. Its biggest strengths come in giving context to America's racial tensions that existed, how Cooke was a vocal presence and why it was a threat to some.
One quote that the doc examines comes from Muhammad Ali, "If this (Cooke's death) had been Frank Sinatra, the F.B.I. would have launched an investigation." It speaks volumes to the episodes purpose, highlighting why the shooting was so random, and also highly questionable.
The circumstances surrounding the 33-year-old's death remain unanswered today. This episode brings the issue back into the forefront and begs the question to the audience; Why didn't Cooke's death matter back then?
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Phil is currently a junior at Quinnipiac University where he studies advertising and integrated communications with a journalism minor. You can find him on twitter here.