New Showbiz

You are here:
Country: Portraits of an American Sound

Country: Portraits of an American Sound

2015

TV-14

Director

Steven Kochones

Runtime

88 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

'Country: Portraits of an American Sound' is a documentary film that explores the history and culture of country music through the lens of photography, which has portrayed the ideals, lifestyle and personalities of country music artists for over 80 years. The film features imagery and commentary from Grand Ole Opry photographer Les Leverett, the late celebrity photographer Leigh Wiener, documentary photographer Henry Horenstein, iconic music photographers Henry Diltz and Raeanne Rubenstein, and contemporary photographers David McClister and Michael Wilson. Over a dozen country music artists also appear, including Rosanne Cash, Roy Clark, Merle Haggard, Lyle Lovett, Charley Pride, LeAnn Rimes, Kenny Rogers, Tanya Tucker, The Band Perry and Keith Urban. The film weaves iconic images, historical footage and over 25 country music hits into a dynamic look at this uniquely American sound.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

4.7/10

Fair

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Limited

The film functions as a historical survey of the country music canon. It lacks explicit narratives centering on non-cisnormative identities or critiques of heteronormativity.

Gender Representation

Fair

Prominent female artists like Rosanne Cash and Tanya Tucker are presented as central pillars of the genre. However, the film remains rooted in traditional industry structures.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Fair

The inclusion of Charley Pride provides a significant marker of racial diversity. The documentary uses various photographic lenses to document the genre's multi-faceted reality.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Fair

The documentary celebrates traditional American cultural institutions like the Grand Ole Opry. It adopts a preservationist view of Western music history rather than offering institutional critiques.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There is no mention of subjects with visible or invisible disabilities. The focus remains strictly on celebrity photography and musical history.

Strengths

  • Includes prominent female voices like LeAnn Rimes and Rosanne Cash as central figures.
  • Features Charley Pride, providing important racial diversity within the genre's history.
  • Uses diverse photographic perspectives to document the multi-faceted reality of the American sound.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks explicit representation or narratives centering on LGBTQ+ identities.
  • Does not address or include subjects with visible or invisible disabilities.
  • Maintains a traditional, celebratory view of institutions rather than offering critical perspectives.

AI Analysis

The documentary serves as a historical archive, offering a nuanced look at the evolution of country music through photography. It succeeds in highlighting influential women and artists of color, which helps disrupt a purely Anglo-centric narrative of the genre. However, the film's perspective is primarily preservationist. It celebrates established cultural institutions and traditional industry structures rather than seeking to deconstruct or critique the hierarchies of the country music world. While it provides meaningful representation through specific artists, it lacks a focus on LGBTQ+ identities or disability representation, remaining aligned with a traditional historical retrospective.

How are these scores produced? →

Similar Movies

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.