 |
  
Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready.... |
|
Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready.... |
| Subscribe
About Us Features News Album
Reviews
|
Tupac: Resurrection (documentary) Stars: the late Tupac Shakur, with appearances by Afeni Shakur, Suge Knight, Dr. Dre, Biggie Smalls Director: Lauren Lazin Music: Tupac Shakur with additional music by Eminem Paramount Pictures/MTV Films-Amaru Entertainment Running Time: one hour and fifty minutes Rating: R When rapper Eminem's film, 8 Mile came out, I was sent to review it and began by saying, here I am, a church organist, reviewing a rap film. Well, folks, it's happening again. This church organist/film critic is taking on the late rapper Tupac Shakur's life as documented by Lauren Lazin. I became acquainted with Shakur's work as an actor in Gridlock'd and thought him talented with a great acting career ahead of him. Alas, it was not to be, as Tupac Shakur was gunned down in Las Vegas, September 1996. He died days later. This documentary takes the audience from the beginning of Tupac's life to the sudden end. Tupac Amura Shakur was named for an Inca chief and his name means "brave warrior." Tupac's mother, Afeni Shakur, was active in the Black Panthers, and Tupac grew up surrounded by strong women, fighting for their cause. His ease with women appears on the film footage, both in positive and negative aspects. Tupac was educated at the Baltimore School for the Arts, studying poetry, dance and music. From the beginning, he was articulate and liked to be on center stage with an appealing smile and miles of talent. In his late teens, because of home problems, he left and became involved with drug dealers. As he explains, he did poorly selling drugs, so the dealers paid him to stay away and in essence funded his education in music. Eventually, he was involved with Digital Underground and became a hit rap star. Along with fame comes responsibility. Though he doesn't really sidestep his issues, throughout his short life, he was battling lawsuits from women and for being in street fights. He was once arrested by the police for jaywalking, then filed a wrongful suit against the department for millions, but settled for $42,000. Tupac ended up serving time in a New York prison and was out on million-dollar bail provided by Suge Knight. Tupac signed with Death Row records and began to adopt a tough guy persona. He was a prolific writer, though, sometimes doing three songs a day, and thought he would die by being shot. Indeed, this was prophetic. Tupac: Resurrection earns the R rating for sexual content and language. The rap songs have plenty of raw language and are angry toward the police, society and sometimes women. Tupac's comfort level with women could get him into trouble. There is no doubt that he was one of the most talented rap artists of his time and had he lived, Tupac would have album after album, plus film role after film role. One can see the MTV influence here with cutaway shots, scenery typifying a soul in flight, and parts of interviews. In fact, the film is set up as a long interview with his words interspersed. Tupac: Resurrection was made with the approval of his mother, and has rare concert scenes, home movie shots and writings from his private papers. There actually is little about his business with Death Row records. The film gives someone new to Tupac Shakur a look at an artist cut down in his prime. For fans, it is another chance to see a favorite. Copyright 2003 Marie Asner
|
|
|
|
