Last night the General and I colored outside the lines. We opted to watch "Off the Record," a documentary on David Foster. The documentary is on Netflix. The brief description of the documentary lured me in like a hummingbird discovering nectar.
Truth be told, I had never heard of David Foster. His story is fascinating, and his giftedness and talent is undeniable. The documentary and the story he shares is exclusively his. With one disclaimer, it is well worth the watch.
The General and I both enjoyed the documentary immensely. However, the language is not G-rated. Foster opted to use the "F" word a multiple of times, and I'm not referring to his last name.
Years ago, I recommended the movie, "Good Will Hunting" to a friend. I thought the storyline was exceptional. Though not based on a true story, the script was written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. They starred together in the movie along with Robin Williams. Prior to that movie, their acting career included being uncredited extras together in the Kevin Costner hit "Field of Dreams."
My friend took a friend to the movie based on my favorable recommendation. Both were highly offended by the language, and they probably thought my mouth should be washed out with soap for simply recommending it.
With fair warning, I'm recommending the Netflix documentary on David Foster. It is extremely well done, and the music featured is outstanding. Musicians appearing in the documentary include Barbara Streisand, Celine Dion, Andrea Boceli, Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Chicago. Film clips of performances by Dolly Partin and Whitney Houston are also woven into the documentary.
Actually, I'm probably only identifying the tip of the iceberg when it comes to musicians. The documentary is filled with incredible music.
In 1992, Foster was involved in a freak car accident. He hit a pedestrian wandering in the middle of a highway in the dark of night. As it turned out the pedestrian was Ben Vereen, a highly accomplished musical and stage performer on Broadway.
Though not stated in the documentary, Vereen suffered three accidents that day. Earlier in the day, his car hit a tree, causing him to hit his head on the roof of the car. He subsequently suffered a stroke while he was walking on a Malibu highway just prior to being hit by Foster's vehicle. His critical injuries, including a broken leg, required him to undergo arduous physical rehabilitation in the ensuing months.
The good news is that the critical care team discovered that Vereen had a brain aneurism that likely would have ruptured in the next few months and been responsible for his death. They surgically made the needed repair. Foster described it as something good that came out of something bad.
I suspect you will ascertain that the documentary is worthy of watching.
All My Best!
Don
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