Customer Reviews

That's the Way of the World

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4 star:		(1)
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The movie that explains their awesome breaktrough album That's the Way of the World(1975 CBS Records)album soundtrack. Here is a copy of the official press release:

Thursday, May 04, 2006

That's the Way of the World press release
Current mood: excited
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities


CELEBRATE THE 70S AS BCI PRESENTS THE FILM DEBUT OF THE LEGENDARY EARTH, WIND & FIRE

THATS THE WAY OF THE WORLD

First Time on Home VideoAvailable July 18th For $19.98;

Coinciding with Earth, Wind & Fires Summer Concert Tour;

Breakthrough Film Score Features Classic Hits

Shining Star and Reasons

Also Available This Summer in HD-DVD Format

Los Angeles, CA Theyre one of the most inspirational, influential and successful bands in music history, and have consistently changed the face of R&B and pop music over the past 35 years. In 1975, their breakthrough hits Shining Star and Reasons were the featured songs on the soundtrack for the film Thats the Way of the World. Fresh on the heels of their 23rd album, Illumination, BCI, a wholly owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation, will release this long thought lost film Thats the Way of the World on DVD July 18th, at a suggested retail price of $19.98. The title will also be available this summer in the HD-DVD format. Featuring an array of special features, Thats the Way of the World explores the politics that surround the recording industry and a producer trying to fight the system, and stars Harvey Keitel and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Earth, Wind & Fire has reached iconic status in the music industry, earning a plethora of accolades too numerous to mention, said Ed Goetz, President, BCI. This film and soundtrack helped skyrocket their career, and were pleased that it will finally be available to the widest audience possible.



Thats the Way of the World stars Keitel as Coleman Buckmaster, a highly-regarded record producer who appreciates the talent of The Group, played by Earth, Wind & Fire. But the system under which Buckmaster works sees things differently. The record executives want him to focus on a white pop act whom they feel has the sound America wants. To keep his creative integrity, Buckmaster carefully begins to fight the system that has made him the respected producer he has become.

Special features include:

Feature length audio commentary with Earth, Wind & Fire members Verdine White and Ralph Johnson
Eight page booklet featuring liner notes and photos
Stills and poster gallery
Trailers and TV spots

Irony? It's a pity. Back when this movie was originally made in 1975, movies starring black artists had a tendency to be short on plot, budget, & actual input from the actors. There was precious little input from the members of EWF, & the story line suffered. Of course Sig Shore of Superfly fame was notorious for these movies, & in true form the REAL stars of the movie, EWF,had little more than a cameo appearance in a movie named after their breakthrough LP. They litteraly mirrored the record labels brush off of the Group (EWF) in the movie. Although the live footage, & the instrumental backing done by EWF was stellar, there was precious little of it. Even Harvey Kietel couldn't save such a bad script. Sad to say most record companys still do business in this fashion, so the script comes off as sad but true. It's a fair assessment of the music & the blacksplotation films of the time, & a sad assessment of the music industry as a whole. Not a great film, but entertaining none the less. Outside of EWF's music, I'd say the plot reeks of Saturday Night Fever psydo drama. If you're a big EWF fan, you'll enjoy their music, but be prepared for a long wait to get to it. Rare film. The movie is OK.

The movie sucks to be honest. Harvey Keitel kept it going but even he stunk. Best thing about this picture was the introduction of EW&F. The plot and the characters just didn't seem to flow with the story line...had a hard time keeping up with what was going on. The only reason I purchased this DVD was to watch EW&F. They should stick with singing.

As a DJ, this is a classic album, and I always wondered what this movie was like, and remembered as a kid a scene from the movie where they were in the roller skating rink. But that was in the 70's! But honestly, I wanted to see this movie from beginning to end, and I finally did! I was impressed from beginning to end! Harvey Keitel played an excellent role, and impressed me with how music is put together and the process before it actually is put out. The elements (Earth, Wind and Fire) have been my favorite group of all time, and they were good too! It showed me how things in the music business happen, the ins and outs of how things can happen, and a good lesson that was said more than once in the movie; "That's the way of the world". Great!

My fiancee has been looking for this movie for years. He told me EW&F was in a movie with the same name as their album, but I didn"t believe him. He has watch this movie over and over since he got it. Thanks!!! A happy man makes a happy home! :)

This has been an old school memory. Quality of the movie is great for being over 30 years.It has brought me JOY JOY JOY!!

If your an Earth, Wind and Fire fan, you must own this movie! I remember waiting for it to appear back in '75. When the soundtrack came out, you just knew the film had to be good. Well, the film is "ok", but that's not what you purchase it for... you want to see the band as they were: full of energy and fire!

What can I say, EWF is the band of all time!
CD plays great!

E W & F were and still are brilliant and also great performers. I think one of the best R&B groups still around, but lets not get carried away, there will never be a musical entity bigger than the Beatles. They are the center of the musical universe for every artist out there and they will always remain there as the standard of what a music group can accomplish.
But I am glad there are a lot of E W & F remastered albums available now. The sound quality and brilliance with horns and vocals shines like never before.
I am sure Maurice White is indeed grateful and in owe his group is being compared to the Beatles.

I ain't seen this Movie in over 20 plus years,but as a Huge Earth,Wind&fire Fan i had to check it out again.it was corny back then&still is. Sig Shore who did "Superfly" brings back the Corrupt Captain from Superfly to play the Record Label head who sell this Record Company away. also Freddie from superfly plays a Minister&also Janitor in this film. Harvey Keitel plays the SuperStar Producer battling the Label big-wig at pushing the Group as EWF is known as in the Film. this Film in alot of ways was a pre-cursor to Prince's Purple Rain. EWF had the same Management as Prince later had &prince's character in PR was The Kid. some interesting things they share. but anyay the story line about the music industry is the same then as it is now. talk about irony? I gotta think that yeah this film was done in 1975,but the same rules&overall vibe applies in 2006. in truth Earth,Wind&Fire hardly have any real roles beyond on stage performance. it was cool to see Maurice White at the start of the film playing the African Instrument the Kalimba. it's a trademark of the EWF Sound. that era of EWF is them at there best.all the Original gang that was the Real FIRRE!! this film didn't do jack for there careeers because only die hard EWF fans remember it. the Album though "that's the way of the World" is one of there best. good to hear there instrumental breakdowns&it all coming together. this as a Film was cheap, poorly edited&under-written. it could have been way better if edited better, better written&also more story to connect. would have been a tight Documentary. I enjoyed the Music Performance scenes.