by Josh Sewell
"Hallelujah,” the classic hymn written and originally performed by gravel-voiced musician/poet Leonard Cohen, is one of the most beloved – yet misunderstood – songs of the 20th century. Debuting on an album so obscure that it wasn’t released in the U.S. until later in the artist’s career, the recognition of “Hallelujah” skyrocketed over the last three decades thanks to iconic covers by John Cale and Jeff Buckley. From there, it quickly turned into the sad song that practically every movie and television show weaponized to make viewers cry, oversaturating the pop culture landscape until it became a walking cliché.
That’s not Cohen’s fault – or the song’s, for that matter. “Hallelujah” remains a haunting melody, examining the sacred and secular interpretations of the titular exclamation. It’s ripe for lyrical analysis and the history of its creation is fascinating. Several years ago, I taught Alan Light’s compelling book, The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of "Hallelujah" in my college English classes. It was a terrific way to show my first-year students how rewarding it can be to look beyond the surface level of songs and find their deeper meanings.
What’s more, Light’s text also connected the song and its place in pop culture to larger thematic issues like spirituality, gender, social and economic class, art versus commerce, etc. In hindsight, it was only a matter of time before the author’s work was adapted into a documentary. The resulting Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song, written and directed by Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine, with Light onboard as an executive producer, is a worthy companion piece.
Like the book that serves as its inspiration, Hallelujah explores not only the song and its impact on entertainment, but also Cohen himself. He’s an artist who – on the surface, at least – seems like the last guy you’d peg as a rock star who performed to sellout crowds all over the planet.
The film also chronicles the song’s effect on the numerous artists who’ve been inspired by the various versions and went on to cover it themselves. There are insightful interviews with musicians, writers and producers including Brandi Carlile, Glen Hansard, Judy Collins, Eric Church, Amanda Palmer, Regina Spektor, Rufus Wainwright, Clive Davis, John Lissauer, Larry “Ratso” Sloman and Hal Willner.
While diehard Cohen experts probably won’t learn a lot of new information from Hallelujah, it’s a great entry point for people like me, who have a general knowledge of the artist and his career. But that doesn’t mean longtime fans shouldn’t check it out – there are a ton of insightful archival interviews with Cohen, Buckley and other prominent figures who are no longer with us. In addition, there is video footage and audio recordings going all the way back to the 1960s that likely hasn’t been seen in decades.
Because Cohen signed off on the doc a couple of years before his death, the filmmakers also had access to his personal notebooks, journals, photos, performance footage, etc. If that’s not enough, Hallelujah is worth watching simply because of the amount of time viewers get to spend with him and the many artists he inspired. Cohen was a singular talent: unique and quiet, often painfully shy, but with a talent for brilliant, complex lyrics and a dry, deadly sense of humor. His deep, ragged voice might not be considered beautiful in the traditional sense (that was certainly the view of a few boneheaded record executives throughout his career) but it’s full of wisdom earned through experience.
As of now, Hallelujah is only scheduled to play in a handful of Atlanta theaters. It’s worth the drive, but for those who want to stay closer to home, be sure to keep the doc on your radar as it hits rental and streaming services in the weeks to come. It’s an entertaining, informative watch – just be warned: I’ve had the beautifully poignant song stuck in my head for days now.
Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song is rated PG-13 for brief strong language and some sexual material. Opens in select theaters on July 29.
Grade: B+
That’s not Cohen’s fault – or the song’s, for that matter. “Hallelujah” remains a haunting melody, examining the sacred and secular interpretations of the titular exclamation. It’s ripe for lyrical analysis and the history of its creation is fascinating. Several years ago, I taught Alan Light’s compelling book, The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of "Hallelujah" in my college English classes. It was a terrific way to show my first-year students how rewarding it can be to look beyond the surface level of songs and find their deeper meanings.
What’s more, Light’s text also connected the song and its place in pop culture to larger thematic issues like spirituality, gender, social and economic class, art versus commerce, etc. In hindsight, it was only a matter of time before the author’s work was adapted into a documentary. The resulting Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song, written and directed by Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine, with Light onboard as an executive producer, is a worthy companion piece.
Like the book that serves as its inspiration, Hallelujah explores not only the song and its impact on entertainment, but also Cohen himself. He’s an artist who – on the surface, at least – seems like the last guy you’d peg as a rock star who performed to sellout crowds all over the planet.
The film also chronicles the song’s effect on the numerous artists who’ve been inspired by the various versions and went on to cover it themselves. There are insightful interviews with musicians, writers and producers including Brandi Carlile, Glen Hansard, Judy Collins, Eric Church, Amanda Palmer, Regina Spektor, Rufus Wainwright, Clive Davis, John Lissauer, Larry “Ratso” Sloman and Hal Willner.
While diehard Cohen experts probably won’t learn a lot of new information from Hallelujah, it’s a great entry point for people like me, who have a general knowledge of the artist and his career. But that doesn’t mean longtime fans shouldn’t check it out – there are a ton of insightful archival interviews with Cohen, Buckley and other prominent figures who are no longer with us. In addition, there is video footage and audio recordings going all the way back to the 1960s that likely hasn’t been seen in decades.
Because Cohen signed off on the doc a couple of years before his death, the filmmakers also had access to his personal notebooks, journals, photos, performance footage, etc. If that’s not enough, Hallelujah is worth watching simply because of the amount of time viewers get to spend with him and the many artists he inspired. Cohen was a singular talent: unique and quiet, often painfully shy, but with a talent for brilliant, complex lyrics and a dry, deadly sense of humor. His deep, ragged voice might not be considered beautiful in the traditional sense (that was certainly the view of a few boneheaded record executives throughout his career) but it’s full of wisdom earned through experience.
As of now, Hallelujah is only scheduled to play in a handful of Atlanta theaters. It’s worth the drive, but for those who want to stay closer to home, be sure to keep the doc on your radar as it hits rental and streaming services in the weeks to come. It’s an entertaining, informative watch – just be warned: I’ve had the beautifully poignant song stuck in my head for days now.
Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song is rated PG-13 for brief strong language and some sexual material. Opens in select theaters on July 29.
Grade: B+
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
Comments
Post a Comment