VIFF: Recluse (semi-)revealed
Racan Souiedan, The Peak
Director: Stephen Kijak
U.K., 2006
Showing at Granville 7 on Thursday, October 11 at 4:15 p.m.
Scott Walker made his mark on the landscape of popular music in an era remembered most for the enduring success of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. He disappeared suddenly, near the height of his fame — which he achieved at a rate virtually without precedent — yet retained enough of an appeal to bide his time, waiting until the dormant seeds of his memory had flourished. With the release of Stephen Kijak’s Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, following quickly on the heels of the singer’s 2006 magnum opus The Drift, we may be about to witness the long-awaited re-emergence of one of the most reclusive figures in cultural history. Indeed, Walker may yet become a household name once again, and not a moment too soon.
This documentary should by no means appeal exclusively to fans of the iconic crooner, as evidenced by this reviewer in a theatre packed with an audience drawn in by what amounted to little more than morbid curiosity. New fans should appreciate the grand scope of the material, hopefully enjoying the unique path Walker took, from pop star to avant-garde innovator.
What is so remarkable about this otherwise-procedural documentary is the character of Walker himself. The impression he evokes is so entirely genuine, despite how inaccessible his contemporary music can be to most listeners. He speaks of his creative vision, ignoring financial concerns at every step of the way, desiring merely to accomplish his goals on his terms. His insecurity, which has been such a detriment to him, seems tangible. Sadly, he still carries the almost-criminal failure of Scott 4, the 1969 masterpiece in which he wrote all his own material for the first time, so utterly on his sleeve. In fact, his only live performance in recent memory, a television appearance on Later with Jools Holland, will be forever remembered for his insistence that there be no people there to witness it except the studio crew.
Kijak spends a significant portion of the film interviewing fans and peers alike, letting the camera record the impact this music can still hold over the faithful. This is perhaps the greatest gift offered to us: being allowed to witness not only how inspiring a writer Walker was in his time, but also how brilliantly his material has aged over subsequent decades. Not bad for an artist who refuses to listen to his own finished product.