THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY OF PHIL SPECTOR

In 2007, the first trial against legendary music producer Phil Spector began in Los Angeles. Spector stood accused of having murdered actress Lana Clarkson four yeras ago. But the deadlocked jury couldn’t come to a decision. In 2008 the retrial of Spector for murder began in the second degree.
The film is based on an interview that Spector granted to BBC producer Vikram Jayanti, and consists of interview footage intercut with music videos of songs Spector had produced. Jayanti refrains from asking about the murder, possibly meeting a demand that Spector had made himself. The man who worked with both Elvis and The Beatles and says that he once had the power to destroy Martin Scorsese’s career is a closed book. That’s not surprising, considering Spector lives like a hermit in his 30-room mansion just outside of Los Angeles. Interviews with Spector are rare, and Jayanti refers to them as the holy grail for documentary filmmakers. So despite Spector’s reticence, this film is a chance to catch a glimpse of this unusual individual. In May 2009, Phil Spector finally was convicted of murder and sentenced to 19 years of prison.

In the presence of Vikram Jayanti.

]]>The Agony an the Ecstasy of Phil Spector]]> will be screened together with A Gesture.