And that's a difficult thing to do once you smile at the very end. And for this to balance out the darker subjects such as the inevitability of death, time running out and the oblivion and nothingness that awaits us all, is what makes this man's story so courageous. From astronomy to having jobs such as being an English teacher at a school, this is what makes a great character. But after a while, it sinks in and makes itself feel very comfortable alongside Johnson's direct opinions on his life coming to a close.īut the best moments are when Johnson's own hobbies are brought to light. Of course, this visual flare can be annoying as hell for some, and it is a style to get used to. Murnau, Ingmar Bergman, Jean Cocteau and Andrei Tarkovsky get the Temple treatment. Films by big name directors such as David Lean, F. Visually, to support what Johnson is saying, Temple snips in clips from famous films and peppers them in throughout. But that doesn't mean to say that Temple doesn't chip in with what Johnson is expressing through large subjects of life and existence. Temple simply points the camera at Johnson and lets him take centre stage. This is a film that belongs to Johnson, and he carries it from beginning to end with no sweat, no tears, no arguments and no mucking about. But with that said - he's a lovely bloke! He is one hell of a charismatic human being, and to see him bow out as the film goes on with a grin on his face and his trademark Telecaster in hand, on what was supposed to be his last ever tour is awe-inspiring. Yes, Wilko Johnson is the last person you would want to bump into in a dark and dreary alley in terms of appearance. For one, Johnson's dark and dry sense of humour, commanding energy as he frolics around on stage and his iconic glaring eyes is strangely infectious. And having seen this film on the same day that my uncle died - a person who I was also and still am close to in memories - makes it an extra bit special for me.Īnd it is a film that put a genuine smile on my face right until the very end. To see a figure that I admire in the UK music industry talk about his experience with this horrifying disease, as well as express his feelings of being lost after the passing of his wife from the exact same disease, makes me relate to him so much more as a person. But at the time, obviously, it was one of the hardest obstacles that I have overcome in life so far.
I'm not going to overload this review with personal details, nor am I looking for sympathy, that's not my intent - all that needs to be known is this odd coincidence and that's that. You see, last year on October 15th, 2015, my uncle passed away after a 3 and a half year battle with cancer. But in all honesty, I couldn't have watched The Ecstasy of Wilko Johnson on a better day. Those expecting a typical music documentary will be disappointed. Of course, I knew about Johnson's pancreatic cancer diagnosis in early 2013, and I knew that The Ecstasy of Wilko Johnson encapsulates that one year of death being imminent for him, what it means to be alive, and his incredible survival story. I like Julien Temple an awful lot, and I like Wilko Johnson in his spree with the UK blues rock band, Dr. When I saw that the randomizer had landed on this for today (October 15th), I was ecstatic. I would just like to start this review of The Ecstasy of Wilko Johnson on a personal note.
Wilko looks back on the year he received his death sentence and declares it to have been marvellous.
When everyone thought we were about to lose Wilko Johnson, I reviewed Julien Temple's film about Dr Feelgood, Oil City Confidential and had this to say. ★★★★ review by Mark Cunliffe on Letterboxd.
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