Without Getting Killed or Caught (2021)
★★★★½ — Without Getting Killed or Caught (2021)
Released in 2021 and directed by Paul Whitfield and Tamara Saviano (the latter a biographer who had already written the book of the same name on which the film is based), this documentary centres on the intertwined lives of Guy Clark, his wife and artist Susanna Clark, and their close friend Townes Van Zandt, three figures who became foundational to what is now broadly called Americana. Saviano's prior research gave the production unusually intimate access to archival home footage and personal materials. The film arrives at a moment of renewed critical interest in the Texas singer-songwriter tradition, placing these three figures, long revered by fellow musicians but largely overlooked by mainstream audiences, in a wider cultural frame.
One of the greatest songwriters in history. I initially watched this documentary after knowing about Townes Van Zandt's friendship with Guy and Susanna Clark but this documentary (with alot of home footage and interviews with Guy and Susanna) was an absolute treat. I was hooked from start to finish, even though it's just a typical story about starving songwriters trying to make ends meet. It's a tragic story in some respects, but it's also a triumphant one. It's the story of one man trying to find his way, on his own terms, with the support of a great friend and the love of his life. Guy Clark's music will ALWAYS stay with me after this. A must watch for any music fan, especially folk or americana.
Rating: ★★★★½ | Year: 2021 | Watched: 2025-02-06
Where to watch (UK)
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Physical: Amazon UK
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Related on Movies With Macca
More with Guy Clark: Heartworn Highways Revisited (2015)
More from the 2020s: Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain (2024) · Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage (2025) · The Long Walk (2025) · Americana (2023)
More documentary: Letter from Siberia (1957) · Lessons of Darkness (1992) · Style Wars (1983) · Here and Elsewhere (1976)
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