Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002)

"The soul behind the sound"
Audience Score
69
Standing in the Shadows of Motown
In 1959 Berry Gordy Jr gathered the best musicians from Detroits thriving jazz and blues scene to begin cutting songs for his new record company Over a fourteen year period they were the heartbeat on every hit from Motowns Detroit era By the end of their phenomenal run this unheralded group of musicians had played on more number ones hits than the Beach Boys the Rolling Stones Elvis and the Beatles combined which makes them the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music They called themselves the Funk Brothers Fortyone years after they played their first note on a Motown record and three decades since they were all together the Funk Brothers reunited back in Detroit to play their music and tell their unforgettable story with the help of archival footage still photos narration interviews recreation scenes 20 Motown master tracks and twelve new live performances of Motown classics with the Brothers backing up contemporary performers
DirectorPaul Justman
WritersWalter DallasNtozake Shange