Richie Havens Recordings: Film & Video

If you can't get to see Richie live, then there's always the chance to see him on a television near you!  Here's some DVDs you can get.
Woodstock (1970)

Director's Cut

Music Documentary

184 min

(Oscar for Best Documentary)

 

 

 DA Pennebaker had made the first quality rockumentary in 1966 when he followed Bob Dylan on a tour of Britain, but Woodstock remained the best of its kind until The Last Waltz came out in 1978 – interestingly directed by Martin Scorsese who was a film editor on Woodstock. Director Michael Wadleigh assembled a massive array of cameras and captured a mood that sparked a generation.

 Richie Havens was just one of the performers, but his contribution set his own career in a new and spectacular direction, as well as setting the tone for the rest of the movie. The Director's Cut version of the movie contains Handsome Johnny, as well as Freedom. Other artists who performed included Joan Baez, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Joe Cocker, Santana, John Sebastian, The Who and Jimi Hendrix. Sadly, Tim Hardin’s performance was cut from the film and, of course, despite singing about it, Joni Mitchell never got to Woodstock.
Woodstock Diaries (2002)

 

Music Documentary

180 min.

 

 This contains many of the performances omitted from the original movie, so as well as seeing Richie perform I Can't Make it Anymore, you'll also get the chance to see Tim Hardin, The Incredible String Band, Ravi Shankar, Mountain, Johnny Winter and all the other regulars you'd expect from a Woodstock movie. Because it's on DVD, there are also extras, including interviews, biographies and links to websites (including this one!)
The Guitar Style of Richie Havens

Tutorial/Interview

 

 

 If you want to learn how to play guitar in the style of Richie, you'll want this DVD. It has a combination of performances and interviews about how Richie tunes his guitar and how he manages to play various chords by small amendments to the tuning. The DVD, available directly from its producers, Homespun Video, or from Amazon, also looks at his strumming style and his approaches to vocals. Altogether it is a fascinating and instructive piece of work.

 Even if you aren't a guitar player, this is still a fascinating interview, offering glimpses into Richie's personality, as well as his various techniques for creating that unique sound.  It's a must for every fan!
Greased Lightning (1977)

 

 

 Biography 94 min.  Director Michael Schultz has made some classy movies in his time – and then there’s this one. Richard Pryor stars as Wendell Scott, the first black racing car driver. The film also features Beau Bridges and Cleavon Little (the sheriff in Blazing Saddles). I gather that Richie played the character Woodrow as well as singing in it.

Street Hunter (1990)

 		 Directed by Andrew Gallagher. Richie acts in this gang movie, playing the character Daze.

"Steve James is the main character in Street Hunter, but you wouldn't know it from the deceptive video packaging. It almost seems to be an attempt to hide the fact that the movie is about a black hero. The movie itself is a very low budget flick, but James' character comes across as a very cool and likable hero. He's a great guy with a great heart. The cast also includes Reb Brown (he's a lot of fun in this), John Leguizamo, Thom Christopher, the lovely Valerie Pettiford, and singer Richie Havens. The cast help to make this lackluster movie rather likable." - IMdB
I'm Not There (2007)

131 mins

The "Bob Dylan" biopic with 6 different actors playing Bob. Richie's performance of Old Man Arvin in a duet with a young, black Woody Guthrie character on Tombstone Blues, which also features on the soundtrack album, is described on the Amazon review as a highlight. Directed by Todd Haynes, .

 
There are a few movies that Richie has performed in that are now no longer available on DVD.  If you come across any showing on TV, I'd love a copy!

 
The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart (1970)        

 

Last Rally (1975)

Catch My Soul (1974): Musical 95 min (Also known as Santa Fe Satan)                                                               

 

Ali: The Fighter a.k.a Ali: The Man Behind the Myth (1975)

The Boss's Son (1978):

 

The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite (1981)

 

Hearts of Fire (1987)

 

Songs of the Civil War (1991)

Perfect Harmony (1991)

 

 

  Directed by Leonard Horn. Based on a semi-autobiographical novel by Robert T. Westbrook, the movie is about 23 year old Columbia University dropout (Stanley Sweetheart) who seeks his identity during the sexual revolution. Richie appears on the soundtrack, but not singing any of his own songs. IMDb: "It has all the ingredients for the perfect midnight movie."

Richie acted and sang in this 31 minute film.

Patrick McGoohan, best known for the 60s cult tv series The Prisoner, has his pretentious foibles and this may have been one of them. Adapted by Jack Good from Shakespeare’s Othello into a musical, with Richie as the Moor, this is not a film to rush to the cinema for – even if the music is not bad. Unfortunately, there is no video or DVD available at present. I do, however, have a vinyl album which was designed to be issued to radio stations and which contains a long interview with Richie on his performance in the movie.

Directed by Rick Baxter & William Greaves. Richie wrote the musical score for this documentary and appears in it as himself. Although it does get occasional screenings, the film is not available on DVD or video.

Comedy 97 min.  Directed by Bobby Roth, this is a pretty good movie about a young man who is obliged to work in the carpet factory owned by his father. Richie plays a supporting role as the character, Albert. Gets a good review on IMDb, but is no longer available on video or DVD.

OK, so this girl is the heir to a business that is on the slide – but she has this watch that can stop time. Ah, well, it kept Richie in work and led to the issue of the film’s title as a reasonable single. Directed by Hy Averback. The original hardback first edition book by John D MacDonald sells for over £100. r/t: 100 min. 

Drama 95 min. Director Richard Marquand really messed up with this one – but then who wouldn’t with a script so dire as to make it an instant turkey. Rupert Everett played a rock star and Bob Dylan a former legend of rock. Even the soundtrack was unimpressive.

A 1 hour TV documentary, in which Richie acts and performs Following the Drinking Gourd and Give Us a Flag.

Richie works for Disney in a 50s movie about racism in a fancy boys’ school in the Deep South. Director Will Mackenzie keeps it simple for the kiddies. Made for tv. One quote from the Internet Movie Database: "The story of this wonderful film will touch your heart and the music will make your soul dance."  95 min.

Then there is a massive list of movies on which Richie's music forms part of the soundtrack.  Here's the ones I know about:

 
Ciao! Manhattan (1972)

The Gumball Rally (1976)

Coming Home (1978)                                                      

The American Game (1979)

Kent State (1981)

Children of Pride (1984)

Boulevard of Broken Dreams (1988)

Wired (1989)

Homer & Eddie (1990)

Navy Seals (1990)

Peace Tapes, Vol 1 (1990)

Brother Minister: The Assassination of Malcolm X (1994)

The War (1994)

The Pallbearer (1996)                                                      

Warriors of Virtue (1997)

Free Tibet (1998)

Hideous Kinky (1998)                                                           

A Walk on the Moon (1999)

Collateral (2004)

 

 

 Directed by John Palmer & David Weisman. Richie wrote the musical score.

Directed by Chuck Bail. Richie appears on the soundtrack.

Drama directed by Hal Ashby, with Oscar-winning performances by Jane Fonda and Jon Voight. Closing titles include Tim Buckley (No Man Can Find the War) as well as Richie performing Follow.

Documentary directed by Jay Freund & David M Wolf. Richie appears on the soundtrack.

Directed by James Goldstone. Richie appears on the soundtrack.

Documentary directed by Carole Langer. Richie appears on the soundtrack.

Australian movie directed by Pina Amenta took 6 years to be released in the USA. Richie sings the title song.

Biography of John Belushi, directed by Larry Pearce. Richie sings Still Looking for a Way to Say Goodbye.

Directed by Andrei Konchalovsky, starring James Belushi & Whoopi Goldberg. Richie appears on the soundtrack

Directed by Lewis Teague. Richie appears on the soundtrack, performing Hardline.

Made for TV

Directed by Jefri Aalmuhammed & Jack Baxter. Richie composed the musical score along with Annie Lennox, although it is not available on CD.

Directed by John Avnet and starring Kevin Costner. Richie appears on the soundtrack, performing Follow.

Romantic comedy directed by Matt Reeves and starring David Schwimmer & Gwyneth Paltrow. Richie appears on the soundtrack, performing Follow.

Directed by Ronny Yu. Richie appears on the soundtrack performing Inside of You.

Documentary directed by Sarah Pirozek. Richie composed the musical score.

Directed by Gillies MacKinnon and starring Kate Winslet . Richie appears on the soundtrack performing Here Comes the Sun & Follow.

Directed by Tony Goldwyn. Richie appears on the soundtrack, performing Follow.

Directed by Michael Mann. A cab driver finds himself the hostage of an engaging contract killer as he makes his rounds from hit to hit during one night in LA. This film, starring Tom Cruise, features the Groove Armada track, Hands of Time, with Richie on lead vocal.

 

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