Gillian Grisman's documentary "Grateful Dawg" chronicles the friendship and musical partnership between David "Dawg" Grisman and Jerry Garcia from the early 1960s until Garcia's death in 1994.
I should start out by saying that most everything about the film is ugly. The camera always seems to be out of focus, the interviews are done poorly and without any direction, and the editing is choppy, using too many dissolves for transitions. What does stand out in the film, however, is guitar-picking Grisman as the bluegrass master and Garcia as the free spirit.
"Grateful Dawg" starts when Grisman and Garcia first meet in 1964. Director Gillian Grisman, daughter of David, uses old photographs showing her father and Garcia when they were young men in their first bluegrass bands. The photos give you an understanding of who these men were - young kids who loved bluegrass and knew that they would one day work together.
While Garcia eventually formed the Grateful Dead, Grisman went his way and did his own thing. Gillian Grisman never includes the Grateful Dead in the film, but rather focuses on the relationship between her father and Garcia.
The 1970s and '80s are bypassed to concentrate more on the years that Grisman and Garcia collaborated. "Grateful Dawg" weaves back and forth between interviews and musical performances.
The interviews merely act as filler because they never really tell anything about the musicians. What is truly learned about the relationship of Grisman and Garcia is from the music they play.
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The use of multiple concerts dissolved on top of one another during a song isn't aesthetically pleasing and more often than not is confusing, with blinding and relentless continuity breaks. But the music played, along with all the amateur footage, was amazing, projecting a vivid imagery of its own.
For example, "Arabia" is the most interesting and complex song of the film. It is used in both studio sessions and concerts, cutting back and forth, portraying the time and energy that went in to creating the song.
"Grateful Dawg" isn't a film to see for the directorial genius, but one to see for the amazing music produced by Grisman and Garcia.
The music carries the film and gives you a peek into Grisman's and Jerry Garcia's life outside of the Grateful Dead. Both men are portrayed as who they are - musicians with energy, heart and love for the music they create.
