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Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Etta James, Julian Lennon ... see more see more... , Keith Richards (II) , Linda Ronstadt , Phil Everly , Don Everly , Jerry Lee Lewis , Bo Diddley , Little Richard , Roy Orbison , Bruce Springsteen , Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Johnny Johnston , John Lennon

Rock 'n' roll legend Chuck Berry's 60th birthday party (October 18, 1986) in his home town of St. Louis forms the nucleus of Taylor Hackford's lively musical documentary. In addition to Berry, we are ... read more read more...treated to interviews with Bo Diddley, Little Richard, Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers, and comparative youngsters Eric Clapton, Linda Ronstadt, Keith Richards, and Bruce Springsteen. Whenever he goes on the radio interview circuit, Berry insists upon answering pre-set questions. A few moments into this film, it's easy to see why: Berry suffers neither fools nor unpleasant surprises very well at all. Once all the words are spent, however, we are left with blue-ribbon concert footage lensed at St. Louis' Fox theatre, showing off Berry at his indefatigable best. Highlights include such Berry standards as "Maybelline," "Johnny B. Goode," "Nadine," and "Roll Over Beethoven," as well as the contributions of the above-mentioned guest stars. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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88% liked it

441 ratings

PG, 2 hr. 1 min.

Directed by: Taylor Hackford

Release Date: October 9, 1987

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DVD Release Date: June 27, 2006

Stats: 43 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (43)

  • kevsammal
    January 3, 2008
    kevsammal
    Great true-to-life documentary about Chuck Berry's concert life and his 60th birthday St Louis celebration. I'm slightly annoyed by his unpolished guitar talents but his songs have withstood the test of time - a mark of influential songwriting.
    Clapton, Richards, Lennon and the ... read moreother celebrity interviews are funny - the performing guests even tease 60-year-old Chuck and his half-assed attitude.
    In the film, Berry plays terribly over dozens of tracks while his celebrity-studded backup band carries him through. I admire his songwriting skills, but I'd rather listen through the performances with Berry's guitar backline muted.
  • acenate
    September 2, 2007
    acenate
    The highlights are definitely the concert scenes; guest spots from Keith Richards, Julian Lennon and Clapton make for a surreal but fun show. Everything else is interesting and shot well but Chuck doesn't seem to want anyone to get past the surface.
  • GeorgeBailey88
    November 29, 2008
    GeorgeBailey88
    Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll is one of the greatest documentary/concert films ever made. It provides an in-depth look at the life of one of musics most talented minds as part of his 60th birthday celebration. There are several great musicians in the film including Keith Richards, Er... read moreic Clapton and Linda Ronstadt.

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Critic Reviews

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
August 27, 2004
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Does just what the title says--and with great spunk. Full Review

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