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Tupac
Resurrection, 2003, 90 minutes, Rated R
By Ramona Prioleau
Not your run-of-the-mill-behind-the-music
exposé, Tupac Resurrection
pops with the warmth, passion and vigor that characterized the artist
for which it is named. The film fluidly combines archival video and
audio footage from friends, family and other professionals in a manner
that richly captures Tupac Shakur's engaging duality as saint and
sinner. Even where the source mate0rial is visually weak, Pac's voice
and the content of his speech boost any technically deficient video
footage. While there are some aspects of the documentary that were
recorded posthumously those scenes are simply to set the dramatic tone
of the piece and provide a narrative flow. And flow the film does.
From the moment the rat-ta-tat-tat interrupts the riffs of the intro
track and Pac's distinctive baritone emanates in Dolby surround
sound, the documentary grabs hold and reveals the life of joy and pain
of one of music's most influential personalities. Matter of factly,
Pac declares,
“I got shot… I always felt like I’d be shot. But, I
didn’t think it was going to happen at that particular moment.”
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Pac's declaration of
bodily harm in a contemporary context begs the questions, "Is Pac
still among us?" After all, the film is titled Tupac Resurrection…hmmm.
But avoid getting lost in the filmmakers' intentional mind game.
Instead, embrace the impressive documentary blessed with a mother's
kiss.
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Tupac's
mom, Afeni Shakur, executive-produced Resurrection. Because of her
involvement, the filmmakers were granted access to Pac's personal
effects and they were also able to get precious materials from some of
Pac's family members and closest friends. Moreover, the film is laced
with some of Pac's most groundbreaking music, thereby elevating the
production above the handful of other documentaries that have been
produced to date about the entertainer.
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The biographical treat
that Tupac fans have long anticipated, Resurrection is also a must see
for people who only know of Shakur from the controversy that enveloped
the rapper's life. The biased or the unfamiliar viewer will discover
why Pac's personality and lyrics hold such sway over his legions of
fans and learn that Pac is more than the sum of the sound bites that
made the evening news.
Pac's youth in New York City, adolescence in
Baltimore and late teens in the Bay area as well as his family's roots
in the Black Panther Party are canvassed to trace the wellspring of
the icon's creativity. Pac had an uncanny ability to siphon the
emotions of the hopeless and underclass, combine them with his
experiences and translate it for the hip-hop masses. And in this film,
Pac's flow is as hypnotic as it is in his rhymes because he speaks
from the heart in a way that reaches out and engages the mind and
spirit.
Resurrection doesn't glorify Pac's struggles, but
presents an expansive picture of his reality from his perspective. Pac
has the mic and it's his turn to shine a light on his past and the
experiences that shaped his journey. Crafting the documentary only
from Pac's view doesn't inhibit the film in a significant way because
Pac's humanity and his insightful humor provide ample counterpoints.
As brazen and boastful as the entertainer appeared in public, during
quiet moments, he was refreshingly pensive and self-critical. In
addition, he demonstrated a willingness to acknowledge and learn from
his mistakes and shortcomings. While it will be difficult for some to
reconcile his conflicting adulation and disdain for certain women, the
film does tackle the issue head on, leaving it to viewers to draw
their own conclusions.
Lauren Lazin, who directs Resurrection, brings an
experienced eye to her subject. An executive producer at MTV, Lazin
approaches the film as one well aware of Tupac's mystique, but
admittedly without in-depth knowledge of Pac's appeal. And that is
good for the film as it enables the director to create a remarkable
testament that illuminates many overlooked aspects of Pac's upbringing
and fully captures the artist's charm, wit and exuberance.
Returning to the question of whether Pac is still
among us…well, of course he is. The legacy that Pac left in music
and film made an indelible mark that will be appreciated for
generations to come.
M
November 2003
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