DVD Review - Neil Young: Heart of Gold

Oscar winning director Jonathan Demme filmed two nights of Neil Young performing at the famed Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The final product is a beautiful and moving music documentary.

Many of the songs are from Young's Prairie Wind CD. Young recorded the album a few days before he was to undergo surgery to fix a brain aneurysm. Most of the songs that he sings are reflective and his older tunes take on a new meaning. There is a song about his father who had recently died as well as a song about his daughter growing up and finishing college. There are also favorites like Old Man and Heart of Gold.

Demme does an excellent job of capturing the mood and look of the concert. Young has rounded up a fine set of musicians to work with. Among those joining him is the wonderful Emmylou Harris as well as his wife Pegi.

Young comes across as a man with great integrity (since this film was made he has released an album that is anti-war and anti-Bush). He is dealing with a subject that many find hard to deal with - mortality. But he does it with warmth and humor. The people that will most appreciate this film are those who like this gentle, lovely music and/or those who are in a certain age group. I fall into both categories so this film is right up my alley and I hope that there are many people who feel the same way.