'Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown', which will air in October, tells the 'It's a Man's Man's Man's World' singer's journey from rhythm and blues to funk.
- Sep 5, 2014
AceShowbiz - HBO has nabbed the rights to a James Brown documentary produced by Mick Jagger. The network plans to air "Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown" on Monday, October 27 at 9 P.M. ET/PT.
The documentary is made in cooperation with the Brown Estate. It tracks Brown's transition from rhythm and blues to funk as well as recounts his rise to fame from his 1956 hit "Please, Please, Please". Directed by Oscar winner Alex Gibney ("Taxi to the Dark Side"), it features never-before-seen footage, interviews and photographs of the Godfather of Soul.
"We had full access to amazing never-before-seen photos and video from James Brown's estate, which Alex Gibney used brilliantly to tell the story of James' career from its inception through its pinnacle," Jagger says in a statement. "We spoke with the extraordinary people who knew James well and worked alongside him throughout his career. By hearing their fascinating stories and memories, we were able to paint the full picture of James as both a musical artist and social activist, whose legacy and impact on the music industry is ever-present."
HBO programming president Michael Lombardo adds, "Alex Gibney has brought his prodigious filmmaking talents to this portrait of the phenomenon known as James Brow. Together with Mick Jagger and his incredible producing team, they have created a captivating portrait of an artist - both the musician and the man."
Gibney also states, "When Mick Jagger reached out to me to direct the documentary, we had a common goal in mind, to take the music of James Brown and put it into a larger historical context. As a musician, 'Mr. Dynamite' was the essential funk pioneer, a hugely influential figure and one of the greatest live performers - ever. Beyond his music, Brown's cultural impact extends to the present day. Mick and his producing partner, Victoria Pearman, along with Peter Afterman from Inaudible and Blair Foster from Jigsaw, were wonderfully supportive and creative producers. We couldn't be in better hands than with our friends at HBO."
