Young at Heart (2007)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Stephen Walker

Release Date:

2 October 2008 (Germany)

Genre:

Documentary | Music

Tagline:

Rock 'n Roll Will Never Die

Plot:

A story of the Young at Heart Chorus, a group of senior citizens who perform contemporary and classic rock and pop songs.

Plot Keywords:

Chorus | Massachusetts | Rock Music | Elderly | Cancer

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Joe Benoit	...	Himself - Chorus Member
Helen Boston	...	Herself - Chorus Member
Louise Canady	...	Herself - Chorus Member
Elaine Fligman	...	Herself - Chorus Member
Jean Florio	...	Herself - Chorus Member
Len Fontaine	...	Himself - Chorus Member
Stan Goldman	...	Himself - Chorus Member
Jeanne Hatch	...	Herself - Chorus Member
Eileen Hall	...	Herself - Chorus Member
Donald Jones	...	Himself - Chorus Member
Fred Knittle	...	Himself - Chorus Member
Norma Landry	...	Herself - Chorus Member
John Larareo	...	Himself - Chorus Member
Patricia Larese	...	Herself - Chorus Member
Miriam Leader	...	Herself - Chorus Member

Also Known As:

Young@Heart (USA) (new title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some mild language and thematic elements.

Runtime:

USA:107 min | Germany:109 min (European Film Market)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG | Switzerland:0 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:0 (canton of Geneva) | Germany:6 (f) | Germany:6 | Ireland:G | New Zealand:PG | South Korea:All

Filming Locations:

Hampshire County Jail and House of Correction, Northampton, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Channel 4 Television Corporation

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2008-04-12)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

I Wanna Be Sedated

Fairy tales can come true if you're young at heart!

Stephen Walker magnificent documentary "Young at Heart" is a tribute to life. We are taken to meet a group of senior citizens in Massachusetts that defied staying home and became involved in doing something maybe most of them never thought capable of doing: singing. The chorus, led by Bob Cilman, proves there should not be a limit in whatever a person decides to do with his life, even if it comes this late.

The most interesting thing about this group is the selection of songs included in their repertoire. There is no such thing as interpreting the standard melodies one would associate to them, based on their ages. They tackle contemporary music with a gusto and sophistication that turn their interpretation into a different tune altogether.

The film starts with Eileen Hall, a lady using her cane as support, in a rendition of "Should I Stay, or Should I Go?" giving it a different meaning to what one remembers it to sound when it first was popular. There are also songs such as "I Wanna Be Sedated", a Ramones hit, heard in a new approach. The Pointer Sisters' "Yes, we can can" presents a problem for the many times the word 'can' is repeated during rehearsal. In their performance in front of an audience, the song flows effortlessly. James Brown's "I Feel Good" becomes a disarming duet that has the audience begging for more.

The Young@Heart group deserves all the praise it can get. After all, these are people in their so-called "Golden Years" that have decided to put all their efforts into what they enjoy doing. Stephen Walker has captured the essence of the group, under the intelligent direction of Bob Cilman.

A film highly recommended for everyone because of the positive message it gets across.