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Fallen Angel: Gram Parsons Germany/UK

'It's a story so extraordinary. It's something that might happen in a movie, but you don't think of it happening in real life.' -Emmylou Harris

Three decades after his untimely death comes the first-ever complete documentary about the angelic voice, fearless life and musical legend of Gram Parsons. Born into wealth but haunted by death his entire life, Parsons left an indelible mark on music history. Before he was out of his teens, Parson's father had shot himself, and his mother had drank herself to death. Parsons then found himself a member of The Byrds at the height of the band's fame; his formation of the Flying Burrito Brothers and subsequent solo career entailed a handful of albums that changed the course of roots music.

An all-star line-up, including Keith Richard, R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, Steve Earle and Dwight Yoakam, discusses the man, his music and his drug and alcohol related death in 1973. The theft of Parsons' corpse by his road manager and his cremation in the Californian desert only added to the bizarre legend.

'We're talking about a very classic Tennessee Williams play here. Southern money and alcoholism. It's just a tragedy.' -Chris Hillman (The Byrds)

D Gandulf Hennig P Gandulf Hennig, Alfred Holighaus S Gandulf Hennig, Sid Griffin WS Spothouse TD Video/Col, B&W/2004/90mins

Gandulf Hennig was born in Sevelen, Germany. Films: Fallen Angel: Gram Parsons (MIFF 2004).