Films about inspirational teachers driving their students to achieve beyond what they believed themselves capable pour out of Hollywood and independent studios every year. Rightfully so, because teachers deserve that kind of recognition. Such stories become even more powerful when it’s a true story, and that’s exactly how Thunder Soul manages to distinguish itself from the average entry in the genre and become something special. Filmed as a documentary, Thunder Soul follows the students of Houston’s Kashmere High School who were renowned worldwide as a jazz band that turned heads and rivaled the sound of professional groups. Mark Landsman’s documentary checks in with the students of the Kashmere Stage Band 35 years later and gives them the chance to retrospect and try to get the band back together. The story of the Kashmere band is remarkable, the memories of their teacher that opened up their potential are heartwarming, but unfortunately the film tends to drag here and there and the film begins to wear out its welcome halfway through.
Thunder Soul has a good mix of talking heads, archival footage, newspaper clippings, and more, creating a presentation that’s visually well-paced. Where it begins to lag is when it comes back to present day and follows the students’ attempts to reassemble the band. Though full of nostalgic goodness for them, for the audience it gets very tiring rather quickly. It’s fair to say this has a lot to do with the fact that most people don’t know who these kids were back in the 70s, and so the idea that we’re checking in 35 years later with a group of people we’ve just met doesn’t have the narrative interest it would were the Kashmere Stage Band a household name nowadays.
It’s an interesting romp, but it’s only truly entertaining for those who remember the Kashmere Stage Band from their heyday.
DVD Bonus Features
An audio commentary and clips from a previous documentary on the Kashmere Stage Band are the only extras.
"Thunder Soul" is on sale January 31, 2012 and is rated PG. Documentary. Directed by Mark Landsman. Starring Jamie Foxx.
