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Scott Walker: 30th Century Man (4 stars)

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(12A) 95min

DOCUMENTARY

‘Reach out you can touch it’s true/He’s not a shadow of shadows’ (‘Boy Child’, 1969). At last, a decent film about the most enigmatic music star to have come out of pop’s golden age. One third of the Walker Brothers, Jacques Brel obsessive, musical journeyman, Meltdown curator, recluse and all round progressive musical innovator Scott Walker speaks candidly about his life and works in this simply constructed but fascinating documentary. Walker’s many celebrity fans (including Damon Albarn, Dot Allison, Marc Almond, David Bowie, Jarvis Cocker, Brian Eno and Alison Goldfrapp) throw in their ten pence worth about everything from Walker’s brilliant first four solo albums to his more avant garde recent works. It is, however, the fey and unassuming Walker who reveals (with the help of some excellent clip and rostrum work) that rumours of his death and madness have been greatly exaggerated.

Stephen Cinemania Kijak’s film also casts a particularly intelligent eye over the creative process that led to Walker’s more challenging later albums, Climate of the Hunter, Tilt and The Drift (which he is recording in the studio at the time of this interview).

Kijak’s film is not showy but it is an edifying piece of closure for many of this great man’s many fanatical followers. For those wishing to learn more about Walker this is a good place to start.

(Paul Dale)

GFT, Glasgow, Fri 18-Thu 24 May.

More: Documentary, Scott Walker, Scott Walker: 30th Century Man, Film, Music

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