An evangelist whose religious themes outsold many secular blues artists during the Depression.
Known for his haunting, high-pitched vocals and complex guitar style; he was "rediscovered" in the 1960s after decades of obscurity.
Since little archival footage exists for artists like Blind Willie Johnson and Skip James, Wenders used staged, silent-film style sequences to dramatize their lives. The Soul of a Man(2003)
The film highlights the "dramatic tension between the sacred and the profane" in the blues through three distinct figures:
A politically engaged musician whose lyrics addressed the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War. Gold Records in Deep Space An evangelist whose religious themes outsold many secular
Actor Laurence Fishburne provides the voiceover, speaking from the perspective of Blind Willie Johnson. Featured Artists
The Soul of a Man is a 2003 documentary film directed by Wim Wenders, serving as the second installment in the seven-part series The Blues , executive produced by Martin Scorsese. Part history and part personal pilgrimage, Wenders explores the lives and music of three of his favorite blues artists: , Skip James , and J.B. Lenoir . Creative Vision and Narrative The film highlights the "dramatic tension between the
The narrative begins with the 1977 launch of the Voyager space probe , which carried Blind Willie Johnson’s "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground" as a representation of human culture.