Word: freedly
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Those men were not martyrs. Alan Freed "co-wrote" a lot of Chuck Berry's first hits, in other words he got a cut of the artist's royalties for playing the record. Worse still, he was ultimately indicted and convicted for receiving payola, gifts from the record companies for playing their tunes...
...short, Alan Freed was not the angel with a damaged wing that American Hot Wax shows us. The payola affair is mentioned briefly in one scene, but Freed's relationship to it is fudged. The movie ends with an ominous subtitle epilogue which informs us that Freed was indicted and died "penniless" shortly thereafter. This is a truth which is distorted by its context. The real Freed was indeed a Messiah of rock and roll, but not for its own sake alone. He had lots to gain. The treatment of Freed points up the main feature of this movie...
...this is not to say that the film does not have some good moments. The scene in which the "Planotones" (Danny and the Juniors) record "Come and Go With Me" truly captures that magic second when artists find the groove and turn onto something classic. As Freed watches his producer exhort the "Planotones," you can't help but be struck by the thrill of discovery the musicians must have felt...
...Newman (Carole King). The scene in which they meet and Newman reaches them her song captures the same special moment, the gel point of the music, which is really quite effective. Another such moment occurs when the 12-year-old leader of the Buddy Holly Fan Club sits with Freed and starts to cry as he recalls the news of Holly's death...
...plausibility or consistency with previous action. Why, after practicing Laraine Newman's song "ABC" do the "Chesterfields" sing "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" at the rock and roll show? For that matter, how did the "Chesterfields" get signed up to do the show? There is some intimation that Freed means to do this for them; it is clear he likes them, but the scene in which they are told they will perform is missing...