HALLELUJAH: LEONARD COHEN, A JOURNEY, A SONG—The mystic and the worldly

Movie Review by Sergio Martinez

Leonard Cohen has been the subject of TV documentaries, feature movies and now this new documentary directed by Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine. (Two feature movies directed by Matthew Bissonette and inspired by Cohen were rather forgettable: Looking for Leonard in 2002 and Death of a Ladies' Man, made in 2021. Cohen's great creative talent doesn't necessarily guarantee that those who try to use the singer-songwriter's genius as the source for their own work will succeed.)

In this case, however, the directors have reached their goal: "This project began as a very specific exploration of Hallelujah and its international impact — whether to entertain (like the audiences who flocked to Shrek), commemorate life's important moments at weddings and funerals or to serve as a communal healing, like the song's use during the Covid-19 memorial service on the eve of the January 2021 Presidential inauguration" said the directors in their statement about the movie.

The documentary manages to give us a thorough review of what the song meant for Cohen and those who have done covers of the iconic theme. It has also managed to deal with the different lyrics of the song, from the biblical to the secular. Interestingly enough, Cohen was comfortable with both approaches.

The film contains interviews with various people who have connected with Cohen's work, especially with the creation of his emblematic song. Among the interviewees were music journalist Larry "Ratso” Sloman, who interviewed Cohen on many occasions; Adrienne Clarkson, a former CBC journalist and Canada Governor-General; Judy Collins, who, in 1967, during a benefit concert in New York, put Cohen on stage for the first time; Clive Davis, a Columbia Records executive when Cohen was signed for that company in 1967; John Lissauer, a musician, composer, and producer, who happened to produce the first version of Hallelujah as part of the album Various Positions; Nancy Bacal, a writer, journalist and editor of Cohen's 1994 anthology Stranger Music: Selected Poems and Songs; Rabbi Mordecai Finlay, leader of the synagogue that Cohen attended in Los Angeles; and French photographer Dominique Issermann, with whom Cohen had a long relationship.

Besides the strictly musical aspect of the film, including precious archival footage, there are many references to Cohen's life, from his upbringing in Westmount to his many trips to the United States and Europe, and, of course, some insight into his many romantic encounters. The sad situation he faced when his account manager stole all his money, forcing him to start a new international tour, is also mentioned in the film. Cohen's stay in a Buddhist monastery for many years is also covered as well as his plea for peace between Israelis and Palestinians during a concert in Israel.

Hallelujah is a documentary that delivers interesting details on the creation of what is probably Cohen's most representative work and, at the same time, provides insight into his quest for the sacred and the secular, the mystic and the worldly.

Duration: 118 Min.

HALLELUJAH: LEONARD COHEN, A JOURNEY, A SONG (ALELUYA: LEONARD COHEN, UN PEREGRINAR, UNA CANCIÓN) —Lo místico y lo mundano

Comentario de Sergio Martínez

Leonard Cohen ha sido objeto de documentales televisivos, largometrajes y ahora este nuevo documental dirigido por Dan Geller y Dayna Goldfine. (Los dos largometrajes dirigidos por Matthew Bissonette e inspirados en Cohen fueron más bien para olvidar: Looking for Leonard en 2002 y Death of a Ladies' Man, realizado en 2021. El gran talento creativo de Cohen no garantiza necesariamente el éxito de quienes intentan utilizar el genio del cantautor como fuente para su propia obra).

En este caso, sin embargo, los directores han alcanzado su objetivo: "Este proyecto comenzó como una exploración muy específica de Hallelujah y su impacto internacional, ya sea para entretener (como el público que acudió a Shrek), para conmemorar los momentos importantes de la vida en bodas y funerales o para servir de sanación comunitaria, como el uso de la canción durante el servicio conmemorativo de Covid-19 en la víspera de la investidura presidencial de enero de 2021", dicen los directores en su declaración sobre la película.

El documental consigue darnos un repaso exhaustivo a lo que significó la canción para Cohen y para aquellos que han hecho versiones del icónico tema. También ha conseguido tratar las diferentes letras de la canción, desde las bíblicas hasta las seculares. Curiosamente, Cohen se sentía cómodo con ambos enfoques.

La película contiene entrevistas con diversas personas que han estado relacionadas con la obra de Cohen, especialmente con la creación de su emblemática canción. Entre los entrevistados se encuentran el periodista musical Larry "Ratso" Sloman, que entrevistó a Cohen en numerosas ocasiones; Adrienne Clarkson, antigua periodista de la CBC y ex gobernadora general de Canadá; Judy Collins, que en 1967, durante un concierto benéfico en Nueva York, subió a Cohen al escenario por primera vez; Clive Davis, ejecutivo de Columbia Records cuando Cohen fue fichado por esa compañía en 1967; John Lissauer, músico, compositor y productor, que casualmente produjo la primera versión de Hallelujah como parte del álbum Various Positions; Nancy Bacal, escritora, periodista y editora de la antología de Cohen de 1994 Stranger Music: Selected Poems and Songs; el rabino Mordecai Finlay, líder de la sinagoga a la que Cohen asistía en Los Ángeles; y la fotógrafa francesa Dominique Issermann, con la que Cohen mantuvo una larga relación.

Además del aspecto estrictamente musical de la película, que incluye valiosas imágenes de archivo, hay muchas referencias a la vida de Cohen, desde su formación en Westmount hasta sus numerosos viajes a Estados Unidos y Europa, y, por supuesto, algunas pinceladas sobre sus numerosos encuentros románticos. También se menciona en la película la triste situación a la que se enfrentó cuando su gestora de cuentas le robó todo el dinero, obligándole a iniciar una nueva gira internacional. También se aborda la estancia de Cohen en un monasterio budista durante muchos años, así como su petición de paz entre israelíes y palestinos durante un concierto en Israel.

Hallelujah es un documental que ofrece interesantes detalles sobre la creación de la que probablemente sea la obra más representativa de Cohen y, al mismo tiempo, proporciona una visión de su búsqueda de lo sagrado y lo secular, lo místico y lo mundano.

Duración: 118 Min.

COMICCON: IN THE BEGINNING, IT WAS THE COMIC STRIP...

Chronicle by Sergio Martinez

Most of the followers of superheroes or other characters they see in their blockbuster movies or TV series are unaware that from Superman, through Batman, Dr. Strange or Thor, to the most recent characters, all of them were originally comic book characters. Initially, the medium in which they became known as the comic strip or simply the comics, as they are known in English. This apparent discordance, because even though their adventures were rather serious, dramatic and even terrifying, the generic name—comics—struck because their first characters, appearing in newspapers, had their mission to make people laugh. They were there to amuse the readers and distract them from the sad and depressing world of daily events that the newspapers reported.

Eventually, these comics were so successful that they gave rise to their own publications; thus, comic magazines or comic books were born and with them, some of the gigantic multimedia empires, such as Marvel or D.C., in the United States. Although on a smaller scale, similar publishing phenomena have occurred in other countries such as France (with characters like Tintin) and Spain (its most famous comic strip Mortadelo y Filemón). In Latin America too, where probably the two best-known comic strip characters are Mafalda (Argentina) and Condorito (Chile).

It is not surprising that so many people are interested in and even like to identify with these characters—now famous in the movies or on television. These were characters who originally came into the hands of children and teenagers in the form of comic books. Interest in this medium has eventually expanded to a host of other derivatives: movie and television stars, video games, and a growing range of merchandise, from T-shirts to figurines. It is precisely this explosion of products derived from what was once a humble product of popular culture, disparaged as sub-literature and even the subject of a U.S. Congressional investigating committee, that Montreal and many other cities celebrate, bringing together thousands of people: the Comic Convention or ComicCon.

The Montreal ComicCon, held July 8-10 at the Palais des congrés, was the first after the two-year interruption due to the pandemic. Undoubtedly one of its outstanding elements is the large number of attendees participating in the event, engaging in cosplay and impersonating their favourite characters. This practice of dressing up has its origins in antiquity, and it is suspected that almost all civilizations incurred at some point in the collective practice of "being the other". This sort of rite meant dressing up as some animal or mythical being as a way of acquiring their powers or at least aspiring to be like them. Perhaps there is something of this in the desire of those dressed as Superman or Batman.

No doubt Pablo Neruda, who liked to organize parties where his guests had to dress up and where he was the first to wear a costume, would have enjoyed events like these. However, we do not think he would have been interested in dressing up as a superhero. However, he would undoubtedly have been very attracted to the beautiful young ladies dressed as Wonder Woman.

As for me, with nostalgia, I go through the booths where there are old comic magazines from the years of my childhood and youth (at prices that today make me remember with curses the times when I unceremoniously discarded my old magazines), and there I find some treasures: an old Captain Marvel (the original, today called Shazam), some Super Mouse (not the one in the yellow suit, which in English is called Mighty Mouse, but a less popular one, which in Spanish was known as the Superatomic Mouse) and some other characters created by Walter Lantz or Walt Disney.

As in previous years, ComicCon proved that it is undoubtedly a grand celebration not only of comics—although that is its starting point—but of everything we call popular culture.