Parliament Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove
| Parliament Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Written by | Yvonne Smith |
| Directed by | Yvonne Smith |
| Narrated by | Eddie Griffin |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Harlene Freezer |
| Editors |
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| Running time | 53 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | PBS Independent Lens |
| Release | October 11, 2005 |
Parliament Funkadelic: One Nation Under A Groove is a documentary broadcast in the US on PBS in October 2005 as part of the Independent Lens series. The documentary chronicles the development of the Parliament-Funkadelic musical collective, led by the producer, writer and arranger George Clinton.[1] Parliament-Funkadelic: One Nation Under A Groove was developed by Brazen Hussy Productions, based in New York City and led by director Yvonne Smith.[2]
The documentary combines archival footage, contemporary interviews with P-Funk band members, and stylized animation. It follows the evolution of the band from the early days of doo-wop to its induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
It is narrated by the comedian Eddie Griffin. It is notable for showing footage of P-Funk in 1969 from the WGBH series Say Brother (now called Basic Black).
Interviews
[edit]P-Funk members
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Others
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Reception
[edit]Alynda Wheat of Entertainment Weekly said of the special: "they've influenced everyone from Prince to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, yet even P-Funk fans know more about the band's psychedelic space-pyramid mythology than its origins as a doo-wop group. It's understandable given the complexity of their history (label skirmishes, infighting, dual identities). In spite of all that, Parliament and its wild antics defined the '70s rock-soul fusion that became funk. This documentary ably traces the rise (and decline) of P-Funkmasters George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, and the crew, giving them their due as creators of 'a complete aesthetic revolution'."[3]
In his review for the Detroit Free Press, Mike Duffy opined the documentary "explores P-Funk's history, cultural importance and blissfully kinetic, dance-perfect music ... filmmaker Yvonne Smith has smartly traced the sometimes overlooked history of Clinton's fascinating musical pilgrimage from New Jersey hairdresser and creative force behind a 1960s doo-wop group called the Parliaments to the 1970s Detroit funk wizard who imaginatively fired his bop gun and hit the boogaloo bull's-eye with a whole new groove". He also pointed out how "P-Funk's spaced-out Mothership mythology and the group's liberating musical fusion of R&B and rock 'n' roll have influenced a wildly eclectic range of artists from Prince to the Talking Heads and Public Enemy to the Red Hot Chili Peppers".[4]
Diane Werts of Newsday noted how "Bernie Worrell's keyboard thump and Eddie Hazel's guitar sparked the sampling artistry of hip-hop, the next aesthetic to rise from George Clinton's roots ... testifying to that for director Yvonne Smith are Ice Cube, De La Soul, Shock G of Digital Underground and The Red Hot Chili Peppers ... even Rick James acknowledged the Clinton influence; all those P-Funk offshoots (Bootsy Collins, Parlet, The Brides of Funkenstein) led the way for James and Prince to attempt their own mini-music empires". She also highlighted the "abundant vintage concert footage, though it can barely hint at the wild ride of a late-'70s P-Funk extravaganza".[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Jones, Steve (October 31, 2005). "George Clinton, still getting down after 50 years". USA Today. p. 8D.
- ^ "Parliament Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove". ITVS.
- ^ Wheat, Alynda. "What To Watch: Parliament Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove". Entertainment Weekly. No. 844–845. ISSN 1049-0434.
- ^ Duffy, Mike (October 14, 2005). "Show Tells Story Of The Father Of Funk: PBS Traces Influence Of George Clinton". Detroit Free Press. p. D1.
- ^ Werts, Diane (October 11, 2005). "Review: The Whole Funk, Nothing But The Funk". Newsday. p. B21.
