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Overlooked & Underrated Docs & Features
(click on broll or dschwartz for all his posts)
The Pleasure of Being Out of Step: Notes on Nat Hentoff Producer/director David L. Lewis’ “The Pleasure of Being Out of Step” is a brilliant, thoroughly engaging documentary about the life and times of journalist, author, speaker, and music producer Nat Hentoff.
Within a few minutes of viewing I knew I was watching a standard bearing documentary film about a 20th century icon—one who is still with us, chronologically extending his range of influence. Hentoff is a Senior Fellow at The Cato Institute, and is available for speaking engagements.
“The constitution and jazz are my main reason for being,” summarizes Hentoff who made his first deep impact writing liner notes for jazz LPs by giants of ‘modern jazz.’ Andre Braugher voices segments of these notes which display deep insight into the music and its composers. Hentoff interviewed the artists, befriended them, and produced a few albums. Although he was formally called a ‘jazz critic,’ the artists referred to him as ‘a friend of the music.’
Hentoff’s name and work are integral to the history of modern jazz, but he also covered country music. That musical non-sequitur is mirrored by his political views which are roughly associated with the current American left—with the out-of-step exception of his support for laws against abortion.
Lewis’ film equally covers Hentoff’s work in music and politics—the U.S. Constitution, and, especially, the First Amendment, civil rights and civil liberties.
I found great ‘pleasure’ in getting to know about Nat Hentoff’s life and work, and in the masterful skill filmmaker Lewis brings to the telling his story.
“The Pleasure of Being Out of Step” is being released theatrically this Spring. See the film’s site for screening information.