Soundtrack for a Revolution

h4Product Description/h4pA fresh and exhilarating take on one of the most important social movements in American history, SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION explores the civil rights struggle through the powerful and stirring songs that inspired a generation. In this deeply moving documentary, legends of the fight for equal rights such as Congressman John Lewis, Julian Bond, Ambassador Andrew Young and Martin Luther King Jr.'s widow, Coretta Scott King, testify to the indispensable role that songs of rebellion and hope played in helping activists fight against brutality and injustice./ppIn riveting studio performances, top contemporary artists including John Legend, Wyclef Jean, The Roots and Joss Stone reinvigorate and reinvent timeless songs like We Shall Overcome and Wade in the Water./ppThrough a creative combination of historical footage, deeply personal interviews and heartfelt performances, SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION makes an original, emotionally stirring contribution to the civil rights story. This stunning film is a testament to the vitality of music in the lives and times of those who strive for justice./ph4Special Features/h4ulliFull musical performances from John Legend, Wyclef Jean, Joss Stone, Mary Mary, Blind Boys of Alabama Anthony Hamilton, Richie Havens, The Roots and Angie Stone/liliTwo bonus musical performances from the Carlton Reese Memorial Unity Choir/liliDeleted scenes and interviews/liliBehind-the-scenes photo gallery/li/ul

In this musical documentary, iNanking/i directors Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman showcase the anthems that fueled the civil rights movement, recounting major developments through newsreel footage and first-person recollections. Congressman John Lewis, an aid to Martin Luther King Jr., explains that the music "created a sense of solidarity" during the sit-ins, marches, boycotts, and freedom rides that took place throughout the South. Other speakers include singer/activist Harry Belafonte, Ambassador Andrew Young, and NAACP leader Julian Bond. (Reverend Samuel Billy Kyles provides the best quote when he says, "I never understood why graveyards had to be segregated. Dead people get along well.") To illustrate their words, modern-day musicians perform the spirituals and protest songs that sustained these speakers, who also sing a few favorites, like "This Little Light of Mine," during their interviews. Two of the finest performances come from Richie Havens ("Will the Circle Be Unbroken?") and the Roots with TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone ("Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round"), while the film ends with a group rendition of "We Shall Overcome." Extra features include additional interviews and 10 full-length numbers from the likes of Joss Stone ("Keep Your Eyes on the Prize") and Anthony Hamilton and the Blind Boys of Alabama ("This May Be the Last Time"). iSoundtrack for a Revolution/i covers much the same ground as iLet Freedom Sing: How Music Inspired the Civil Rights Movement/i, but it still offers a stirring account of an inspiring chapter in American history. i--Kathleen C. Fennessy/i