TUPAC: RESURRECTION

RATING:

Starring: Tupac Shakur
Directed by: Lauren Lazin

Tupac Resurrection is an amazing documentary. It shattered my expectations and will enthrall the legion of die-hard Tupac fans. Let me state that I am not one of them. I liked Tupac’s music, but was not a fan of his image or the rap culture that developed in the early 1990’s. Rap for me was the New York scene of the 80’s. I’m talking about Public Enemy, Leaders of the New School, De La Soul, and Black Sheep to name a few. This was the era when Rap was all about having fun and partying. The genre shifted in 1990 with the influence of Gangsta Rap out of Southern California. Tupac was not really a part of this movement. He benefited from it and was able to parlay that scene into main stream stardom. Tupac was the most poetic rapper of his day, someone who understood his world and could express it better than anyone else. He was also the most charismatic rapper. His life and the myth it spawned continue to dominate Hip-Hop culture. I can honestly say that Tupac was primarily responsible for bringing true Rap culture to white suburbia. Most of his fans never stepped foot into a ghetto, but were able to grasp the meaning of his music. I’m also sure they were enamored by his image. I was worried that Tupac Resurrection would be a fluff piece, a glorified homage meant to sell more records. It is to a point, but I could not have been more wrong about the content. Money will be made, but the message delivered is honest and thought provoking.

I must direct my praise and utmost respect to the film’s director, Lauren Lazin. She is a master of her domain. Most people are pretty familiar with her work, thought they might not recognize her name. She is the head honcho of the MTV documentary department and responsible for such staples as Cribs and the MTV News specials. Her approach to this film had me glued to the screen. Tupac narrates his own documentary. Lazin and her team spent two years painstakingly sifting through hundreds of hours of audio. Tupac was an extremely prolific person. He gave numerous interviews and was recorded by many people. Lazin pieces together a brilliant narration, really incredible. No stone is left unturned. Novices, who have never heard of Tupac or his music, will really be able to understand him. I was quite surprised by some of his observations. Also, the look of the movie is very catching. Lazin uses an artist’s stroke to meld together a myriad of pictures, interviews, videos, and news reports. Her stream of consciousness approach let’s the viewer hear how Tupac felt at different stages of his life. It is a fascinating character study to see how someone could be so gifted and so destructive at the same time. Lazin was smart enough to let Tupac explain himself. Her skill as a documentarian is admirable and I look forward to her future projects.

I’m going to comment very little on the actual content of this documentary. That is the job of the movie and it does it well. I will say that all the controversies are explored fully. There is no shying away from the rape charges, the shootings, the feuds, and the lifestyle. It’s all encompassing, from birth to death. If Tupac spoke about it or wrote about it, then the film covers it. I know that there are some hardcore Tupac aficionados out there. The greatest strength of the film is the way it will satisfy those people along with everyone else. Content is not the weakness here.

I have only one flaw with this movie and it’s a major one. This is the main reason why I won’t rate this film higher. Tupac Resurrection does not make any definitive statements about his death. It acknowledges it, but in an ethereal way. The fact of the matter is that Tupac Shakur was brutally gunned down after getting into a brawl. No one ever discusses the fact that his murder was ugly and violent. There is nothing poetic about being shot through the door of a car. All the people that glamorize Tupac Shakur, and the jackasses who believe he’s still alive, seem to forget the fact that he died a horrible, painful death. He did not die a tragic hero. He was a victim of the violence he surrounded himself by. It’s time people start discussing this aspect of Tupac’s life. It is a lesson that needs to be learned. I’m sick and tired of people putting a shine on his death. The movie’s closing shot is a panorama of Las Vegas, the dessert, and a beautiful sky. Set poetically to Tupac’s musings on the future. What Lazin should have done was show Tupac slowly dying in the hospital, so the world could see where all of his talent and promise ended up.

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