Imagine: Legendary Mississippi blues guitarist Robert Johnson (1911-1938) was only kidding when he said he sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads in exchange for his dazzling technique. And while it's a great story that he was
poisoned by the jealous husband of one of his many lady friends, it appears equally possible that he died of pneumonia, or even syphilis. These two nuggets are pretty much the only hard facts that come out of Robert Mugge's reverential documentary (and really, who honestly believed the part about
the devil?), but that's hardly his fault, given the sketchiness of Johnson's biography. Mugge has made a series of documentaries about Souther...
Released:
2000
Rated:
NR
Length:
95 mins