Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Duane Dudek of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel shares some thoughts in today's edition regarding SONG SUNG BLUE. Duane, like many other's in the Milwaukee film scene has been incredibly supportive of the film. I'm grateful for his support.

'Song Sung Blue' deserves to stand on its own merits
By Duane Dudek of the Journal Sentinel

A comparison between "Song Sung Blue" and "American Movie" is as unfair to both of them as it is inevitable. Both are documentaries, set in Milwaukee about working-class dreamers who persevere against long odds. And both won high-profile awards in Park City, Utah, though almost a decade apart.

"American Movie," about a local filmmaker trying to make a horror film, was co-directed by Milwaukee filmmaker Chris Smith; his new film "The Pool" is in theaters. "American Movie" won the grand jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 1999. "Song Sung Blue," by Philadelphia director Greg Kohs, won the grand jury and audience awards at the Slamdance Film Festival this year.

But the similarities stop there. Although "American Movie" had a successful commercial run, "Song Sung Blue" gets its one-night-only Milwaukee theatrical showing at 7:15 tonight at the Oriental Theatre, 2230 N. Farwell Ave. Tickets are $10 and available at the box office.

"Song Sung Blue," which screened at the Wisconsin Film Festival in Madison this year, is the tragic love story of Milwaukee Neil Diamond and Patsy Cline impersonators Mike and Claire Sardina, a.k.a. Lightning & Thunder. The pair enjoyed brief success performing in the region - a high point was an appearance at Summerfest with Pearl Jam - before a series of tragedies derailed their lives and careers.

Kohs followed the couple for nearly a decade, and his portrait of their human frailties is a touching and smartly structured work that is alternately heartwarming and heartbreaking. The film also won the grand jury prize at recent festivals in Atlanta, Chicago and Sydney, Australia.

Kohs and most of the cast and crew will appear at tonight's screening, sponsored by Milwaukee Film. And an after party at Shank Hall, 1434 N. Farwell Ave., will feature music by Claire Sardina, with Dave Alswager, Mark Shurilla and the Greatest Hits and Harvey Scales. Doors open at 9 p.m.; admission is $5.