ActorColin Hankstakes his talents to the other side of the camera, making hisdirectorial debutwith the documentaryAll Things Must Pass, arriving in theaters October 16. The film was picked up by Gravitas Ventures after its debut at the South By Southwest Film Festival earlier this year. Today we have the first trailer, courtesy ofApple, which chronicles the rise and fall of Tower Records.
Established in 1960, Tower Records was once a retail powerhouse with two hundred stores, in thirty countries, on five continents. From humble beginnings in a small-town drugstore, Tower Records eventually became the heart and soul of the music world, and a powerful force in the music industry. In 1999, Tower Records made $1 billion. In 2006, the company filed forbankruptcy. What went wrong? Everyone thinks they know what killed Tower Records: The Internet. But that’s not the story.All Things Must Passis a featuredocumentaryfilm examining this iconic company’s explosive trajectory, tragic demise, and legacy forged by its rebellious founder,Russ Solomon.
The trailer features a number of notable music icons, such asFoo FighterssingerDave Grohl, who revealed that he got his first job at Tower Records because it was the only place he could work with his “f—ing haircut.” We also hear fromBruce Springsteen,Elton John, Tower Records founderRuss Solomonand a myriad of former employees who describe their experiences working at the record store. It isn’t clear if directorColin Hankswill be seen on camera at all throughout this documentary, but his voice can be heard in the final moments of the trailer, while interviewing a Tower Records employee.
Tower Records also had an impact on one particular movie, Empire Records. The 1995 cult classic comedy was written by Carol Heikkinen, a former Tower Records employee, which is based on her experiences in the record store. It isn’t known if this connection to the record store chain is addressed in the documentary, but we’ll have to wait and see. Other notable music figures featured in the film include Chuck D., Questlove and David Geffen.
All Things Must Passwill go up againstBridge of Spies,Crimson PeakandGoosebumpswhen it hits theaters on October 16. While documentaries don’t often bring in big business at thebox office, this could be the exception to that rule. Will you head to theaters to check outAll Things Must Passthis October?
