Phil Ochs: ‘Gone’ not forgotten

Phil Ochs: ‘Gone’ not forgotten

by James Verniere, news.bostonherald.com
March 11th 2011

The biographical documentary “Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune” opens today at the Coolidge Corner Theatre and begins with the semi-legendary protest and folk singer (and huge movie buff) performing his eerily elegiac 1966 song “When I’m Gone.” After emerging as a seminal figure in 1960s pop culture and anti-war politics and later suffering from alcoholism and bipolar disorder, Ochs, who jousted against nothing less than “the unfairnesses of life,” committed suicide in 1976.

The film, written and directed by Kenneth Bowser (“Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock ’n’ Roll Generation Saved Hollywood,” etc.), is an undeniably standard, if also undeniably accomplished array of home movies, archival and other existing footage, still photos, interviews with surviving friends, family, fellow artists and business colleagues, much of it played to the tune of Ochs’ music, featuring the singer/songwriter’s distinctively piercing troubadour’s voice.

If nothing else, this film serves as a neat introduction to the music that helped create the anti-Vietnam War movement and define a generation.

As one of the most ardent, articulate and prolific voices of the anti-war cause, Ochs was a standard-bearer. His song “I Ain’t Marching Anymore” became one of its rousing anthems.

Described more than once as “fiercely competitive,” the former Ohio State student was doomed to be eclipsed by the “other” Jewish folk singer of his time, a certain Bob Dylan, who is conspicuous by his absence from this film, except in photos. The two were apparently friendly rivals once, but had a falling-out and at least one of the speakers in this film refers to Dylan with an expletive.

Among those offering their take on Ochs and his times are Joan Baez, who is often visibly moved, Sean Penn, Alice Ochs, Tom Hayden, Paul Krassner, the late Dave Van Ronk and Christopher Hitchens.

At times, “Phil Ochs” becomes more a history of the 1960s and another tribute to the Kennedy era than a biography of the singer/songwriter. But it’s an admirable achievement well worth seeing and a poignant reminder of a time when the music real-ly meant something.

(“Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune” contains profanity.)



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