DVD Talk review of 'Amazing Grace'
 

I read Bill Gibron's DVD review of Amazing Grace at http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=31236 and...it blew me away! You have captured the essence of this multi-faceted historical drama. Michael Apted is deserves all the accolades you bestowed upon him and his adaptation Eric Metaxas' book upon which it is based. Those who missed this in its limited theatrical release need to rent or purchase this film which goes beyond any religious doctrine or political bias! Bravo Bill for your finely detailed review!!!

I too was very impressed with Bill's review of AMAZING GRACE, but I have a couple of "nits" that I feel I have to bring up for informational purposes only, not for disagreement.

1. It's fairly common lnowledge that the song "Amazing Grace" is a Scottish tune, as it's in the repetorary of every single pipe band in the world. The notion that it is a Southern spiritual is a parochial one and really limited to a certain area. Worldwide, it's primarily known as a Scottish tune.

2. Calling Michael Apted a documentarian is limited as he has made a number of excellent non-documentary films (COALMINER"S DAUGHTER immediately comes to mind). I think it's fair to say that he excels in both documentary and non-documentary films--AMAZING GRACE is further evidence of this.

3. Ioan Gruffod is Welsh and has acted in the Welsh language, so I'm not sure he is "returning to his native language" (to be fair, he proabably gre speaking both English and Welsh).

Thanks for the feedback. I stand by my statements for the following reasons:

#1 - I would argue that, parochial as it is, when someone hears "Amazing Grace" played by the pipes, the first thought that runs through their mind is a Southern Gospel Choir, not a Scottish setting.

#2 - Apted has indeed made many excellent fiction films. But when the man refers to himself as 'primarily' a documentarian, I tend to agree with him.

#3 - I am paraphrasing Gruffod, who says in the commentary how nice it is to speak in his 'native accent', unlike his work in FANTASTIC FOUR. I have changed the wording to reflect the term accent over language.

:)

BILL