A Tragedy Mired In Controversy
Dubbed by many as the father of modern soul music, the killing of Sam Cooke shook the black community and, subsequently, the world over. Through interviews with fellow musicians as well as friends and family of Sam Cooke himself, ReMastered delivers another impressive bite of biographical history. Sam Cooke’s death caused shockwaves across the world. A man infamously known for his music as well as his influential stance on the civil rights movement, ReMastered takes a look at Sam’s life, his career and subsequent death that tragically took a real star from the world far too early in his career. Incredibly educational and full of archival photos and video clips, The Two Killings Of Sam Cooke is an endearing documentary, one that speaks to a time mired in controversy and racism. What begins as a journey into the world of music, as Sam tries to break into the white-dominated market, eventually evolves into seeing this man become a pioneer for the civil rights movement as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X both rose up alongside him at this time. The final 20 minutes of the documentary tackle Sam’s downfall following the loss of his son and possible motives behind him being murdered in cold blood. A brushed over investigation and a largely lacklustre FBI investigation caused outrage across a country struggling for real equality across the great nation of America. It’s a tragedy, no doubt about it, and something that should be remembered as a very dark day in our history. Netflix once again deliver the goods though, producing a very impressive and endearing documentary film. The Two Killings Of Sam Cooke is a thought provoking and educational look at the killing of a real star and influential icon for the black right’s movement across America. Armed with a simplistic structure and a strong narrative throughout, this is an important and necessary documentary; one that’s well worth a watch.
