Python Hyena Neil Young: Heart of Gold (2006): Dir: Jonathan Demme / Featuring: Neil Young & associates: Beautiful concert documentary of the Prairie Winds Nashville concert of legendary musician Neil Young. Opening scenes feature interviews with band mates mostly within vehicles but structure is all concert but never boring. Young flawlessly performs several songs both old and new yet always showing great appreciation for his backup band. He tells of his father's recent passing and how that has affected him in writing a song in his honor. He also wrote and dedicated another song to his daughter. What is most interesting about Young's talent particularly as a song writer is his ability to express thoughts, many of which relate to the nature of growing. It is interesting that Jonathan Demme chose to direct this project after helming Silence of the Lambs and Beloved but it truly displays his range as a filmmaker as well as his passion for Young's career. This is a very different project for Demme and must be a passion film for him to step back from mainstream Hollywood to engage in this. Negative aspects are minor at best. Perhaps more background footage particularly of members of the band might have added to a greater effect but as it is it plays as a great tribute. It is not just one of Demme's best films, but to fans of Neil Young it will be a treasure to behold. Score: 6 ½ / 10

dbdumonteil Neil Young has always been one of my favorite singers.In my opinion,in America he is second only to Bob Dylan.I have loved "Rust never sleeps" his self-made (Shakey!) second film;the first one "journey thru the past" is unfortunately a throwaway.The atmosphere of "Heart of Gold" is in direct contrast to that of "Rust" .Neil and his friends (feat Emmylou Harris always as fresh as a daisy)are playing in Nashville and of course ,they turn the country on.The music you are going to hear is magnificent country-folk-rock.The first part of the concert is devoted to the "Prairie Wind" album and all the live versions are superior to the studio cuts ,which is as well,for I do not think this album was that much great in the first place (as a country album,I found it inferior to "Comes a Time" or even "Old ways" ).On stage ,these songs are given a new life and they are brilliant.The second part ,a true delight from start to finish ,focuses on Young's country albums "Harvest" "Comes a Time" and "Harvest Moon".And they are all tremendous;"Old king" which was undistinguished as a studio track is exciting and quite infectious."Comes a Time" and the Canadian hymn "Four strong winds " by Ian Tyson (I urge the users to buy an Ian and Sylvia compilation;they should not be forgotten)are given majestic treatments.The atmosphere is happy but Neil Young tells his audience that people his age begin to lose their dear ones ;even if he sings it ,he is not a child anymore ,and his movie is dedicated to his late father .It's not surprising if the film ends with "the old laughing lady" (who leaves nothing at all) ,a song Neil recorded on his very first solo album,which the artist performs solo .Old man,we are a lot like you were.And like you,we will die alone.

porkchopsjar It is ironic that this film is named after the song Neil Young said "put me in the middle of the road; travelling there soon became a bore so I headed for the ditch." For say what you will about Young's music -be it the "Harvest" style folk/country rock or the "Ragged Glory" grunge- arguably it will be his "Heart Of Gold" material he will always be remembered for (whether you like it or not, Neil!) So what we have here is a great concert film of a one off performance in Nashville, 2005, shortly after Young was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm, from which he -thank god- survived. Of course, it's no big secret that Neil Young is a survivor anyway...he's refused to rust or fade away ever since he first made it big with Buffalo Springfield. In Nashville, along with a lot of old friends and musical colleagues (pointedly, neither CSN nor Crazy Horse were invited), Neil performs most of his remarkable "Prairie Wind" album (easily "Harvest Part 3", following the original and "Harvest Moon") as well as a smattering of crowd-pleasing favourites ("Old Man", "Comes A Time", and of course the tune that drove him to the ditch, "Heart Of Gold") in the same countryish vein. As easygoing as this music is, Young is playing as though his life depended on it- literally. (I'm digressing, sort of, but it would have been fitting if Neil had have been taken from us following "Prairie Wind", one of his finest albums. Much more so than, say, he went tomorrow with "Living With War" -easily his most dated album, for a man whose music is basically timeless- as his final musical statement..."Prairie Wind" makes a much better epitaph than "Let's Impeach The President"!)Admittedly, Neil Young's music tends to be an acquired taste (mostly due to his voice and/or guitar playing) but man! What an artist! No wonder Neil Young and Bob Dylan are considered the singer/songwriter kings...a fitting sequel to this film would be something like "The Neil and Bob Show"...what a concert that would be! Though admittedly, as far as Neil's music goes, I prefer his electric stuff, but "Heart Of Gold" is a must-see for ANY of his fans...and any sort of roots music fan at all. Neil Young is one of the few things left that truly makes me proud to be Canadian.

ngauget Since I was about 9 years old, I have listened to Neil Young. He's never had a normally perfect voice, but there is something about certain people when they sing from the heart and are involved with what they are singing about. "Heart of gold", the latest from Neil, is essentially the man showing you his real roots. The songs are some of his best story tellers, and may not appeal to the rock only fans of Neil, but what incredible heart and resonance was put into this performance. I have seen him live at least 35 times and never had a greater feeling about Neil than after seeing this film. If you are a true Neil Young fan, you will treasure this movie! The only reason I gave it a 9 instead of a 10 is because of some very minor synchronization errors in the DVD. Not really noticeable. If you are a Neil fan, buy it!, if you just like his music, then it is a must see! A+ !!!!!!!!!!! Music talent at its best!!!!!!!!!!! JT California