Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune

Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune backdrop
Poster for Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune
MOVIE

Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune

From civil rights to the anti-war movement to the struggles of workers, folksinger Phil Ochs wrote topical songs that engaged his audiences in the issues of the 1960s and 70s. In this biographical documentary, veteran director Kenneth Bowser shows how Phil's music and his fascinating life story and eventual decline into depression and suicide were intertwined with the history-making events that defined a generation. Even as his contemporaries moved into folk-rock and pop music, Phil followed his own vision, challenging himself and his listeners. Not one to pull punches, Ochs never achieved the commercial success he desperately desired. But his music remains relevant, reaching new audiences in a generation that finds his themes all too familiar.

Release Date

2011-01-05

Year

2011

Duration

1h 36m

Status

Released

Score

6.60

Cast

Phil Ochs

Phil Ochs

Self (archive footage)

No Image

Tom Paxton

Jello Biafra

Jello Biafra

Christopher Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens

Billy Bragg

Billy Bragg

Joan Baez

Joan Baez

No Image

Ed Sanders

Pete Seeger

Pete Seeger

Sean Penn

Sean Penn

Abbie Hoffman

Abbie Hoffman

Self (archive footage)