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Found my Green Man Festival Programme ... I cannot find it online and not sure if this has been quoted elsewhere on the forum but here's the relevant passage from Tony Palmer's long essay about the film:

"His (LC's) songs - like those of Dylan - are riddled with personal details, but like all great art they transcend these and make them relevant in a more universal sense. Just look at the lyrics for The Story of Isaac. They begin with references to a father appearing 'when I was nine years old'. Cohen's father died when he was nine. But that's not what the poem or the song is about. It is about those "who would sacrifice one generation on behalf of another", as Cohen says in the film.

That belief - tough and uncompromising though it is - is at the centre of my film, so woefully laid to waste by those who attempted to destroy what we had done. Now, looking back after 38 years, my admiration for Cohen as a poet, a singer and as a man, remains undiminished."

Paul

Here is the full piece written by Tony Palmer, that i got last week when i attended a screening of his film, 'Bire on a Wire'.








Karren B
xx

I had pre-ordered the "Bird on a Wire" DVD from amazon.com, but yesterday I received an e-mail from them saying that my order had been canceled:

Unfortunately, our supply of some items is limited and these products sell out quickly. I'm sorry that we had to cancel your order and for the disappointment this has caused.

Is this a limited-edition item? Does anyone know why it has been removed from amazon.com? (I'm in the U.S.)

Ron

According to some rumors, rights to the songs in this film have not yet been cleared with Sony.
The film seems still to be listed by Amazon in the UK. Let's wait & see what is happening.

Article in the newspaper "El País"

Translation by Google translator


Cohen found a lost film from 1972
The film portrays the intimacy of a singer's tour
BELEN HERNANDEZ - Madrid - 31/08/2010

With an expressionless face, Leonard Cohen tells the audience how lucky he feels for not having the rights of Suzanne, one of his best known songs: "It would be fair that she had written and also make me rich with it." This is part of Bird on a wire. Cohen-style, the singer had planned to retire after the 1972 tour, which began in Tel Aviv and ended in nearby Jerusalem. His then-representative, Marty Machat, did not want would probably be the last chance to see it live (the time and the loss of money funds showed the opposite singer) to remain in oblivion. So I asked Tony Palmer, director of British cinema that roll. Ironically not used to anything, at least so far: it has been over 38 years to see those pieces of reality of a man once described as the best non-chemical depressant in the world.

The finding, which has led to this documentary, was most peculiar. While someone looking for the negatives of 200 motels, the movie that Tony Palmer filmed on Frank Zappa, found 294 rolls of negatives belonging to Bird on a wire, which will be available from September and they had never seen the light: "I could not return to remaster by the state in which the boxes were, but luckily sound blends remained intact. The first thing I did was create the sound and then we created, of the 3,000 tiny pieces of celluloid were kept in good condition, a giant digital puzzle. Leonard said that when things went well, the music sounded good. The best of this recording is that the songs sound more emotional, more extraordinary, even, than those in their LPs "said Tony Palmer, by phone from his office in London.

But how this piece could be without seeing the light for so long? "After making the first version of the film, Leonard Cohen's show and thought it would be too controversial. I made the mistake of giving them all the material and they make a second version they liked much better. The did, but not like anyone they wanted me to redo the work, almost all the negatives were destroyed and the other lost. "

What do you expect the fans? A naked dip in a pool of the author of Take This Waltz, flirting with the prettiest girls waiting at the door of the clubhouse, the complaints from two viewers that after the concert sound judgments in Copenhagen, wanted their money back, Cohen while he was out of pocket, even the tears of the singer after the last concert. "Leonard did nothing special for the camera, what you see is what happened."

jarkko wrote:According to some rumors, rights to the songs in this film have not yet been cleared with Sony.
The film seems still to be listed by Amazon in the UK. Let's wait & see what is happening.

There are copies signed by Tony Palmer available from The Leonard Cohen Cafe http://www.leonardcohencafe.co.uk/useri ... ocart2.htm
Mine arrived today! Can't wait to watch it!

@Karren, thanks so much for sharing that piece by Tony Palmer. Would it be ok for me to share it with Cohen fans on Facebook?

musicmania wrote:

jarkko wrote:According to some rumors, rights to the songs in this film have not yet been cleared with Sony.
The film seems still to be listed by Amazon in the UK. Let's wait & see what is happening.

There are copies signed by Tony Palmer available from The Leonard Cohen Cafe http://www.leonardcohencafe.co.uk/useri ... ocart2.htm
Mine arrived today! Can't wait to watch it!

CDUniverse is also selling already.

--

Musicmania wrote
Karren, thanks so much for sharing that piece by Tony Palmer. Would it be ok for me to share it with Cohen fans on Facebook?

You are welcome to use it...I don't think Tony Palmer would object as these were his words..

Karren B
xx

Thanks Karren!

Here's a favorable and fair review from a non-Cohen. It's Tony Palmer's work he appreciates the most.



Year Released: 2010
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Running Time: 104 minutes
In 1972, British filmmaker Tony Palmer followed the European and Israeli tour of Canadian folk singer/poet Leonard Cohen. The result of Palmer’s effort was the documentary “Bird on a Wire.” However, Palmer’s film was never shown – at Cohen’s insistence, the film was re-edited without Palmer’s input. After a scant release, the re-edited “Bird on a Wire” disappeared from view and was only available for years as a bootleg video. Palmer’s version, however, was considered lost.

In 2009, Palmer received word that 294 cans of film from the 1972 tour were located in a Hollywood warehouse. A lot of the footage was in advanced stages of deterioration and some only existed in black-and-white; the original negative was nowhere to be found. However, the original sound dubbing tracks were located, thus allowing Palmer to piece together his mangled work. The resulting restoration has been made available on DVD, and it is nothing short of astonishing.

Cohen, to be charitable, is an acquired taste. Even Cohen openly admits in the film that he does not possess a good singing voice, joking that he cannot tolerate listening to his work for more than a half-hour. In the hippy-dippy late 1960s and early 1970s, Cohen’s wordplay and low-key performance style resonated with longhaired youths in search of user-friendly profundity. Today, however, coming to the film’s 17 songs and four poetry recitations, it helps if the viewer is a Cohen devotee or has an understanding of the popular tastes of four decades ago.

Yet for those who are not Cohen fans, “Bird on a Wire” is a still wonderful work that demands to be seen. Nonfiction filmmakers can learn much from the film’s unobtrusive style: Palmer’s fly-on-the-wall view of Cohen’s travels offers a surplus of imaginative camera placement and subtle editing. More importantly, the film repeatedly stresses the human element of Cohen and his ensemble, creating a portrait of seemingly ordinary people that find themselves in an extraordinary circumstance. At several points, Cohen seems to pull back and look in astonishment at his far-flung surroundings – and his sense of wonder and occasional confusion provides the film with a soulful foundation that is often lacking in music industry documentaries.

The European/Israeli tour, as documented by Palmer, was often an exercise in frustration for Cohen and his ensemble. Unsatisfactory audio equipment provided endless problems – at one point, two fans confronted Cohen back stage to complain about the poor sound quality of his show. An endless parade of journalists kept trying to pry words of wisdom from Cohen, whose self-deprecation and distinctive lack of insight inevitably created weak interviews. At several stops along the way, beautiful women tried to ingratiate themselves into Cohen’s company – but these lovely would-be groupies faced rejection with a mix of confusion and resentment.

But despite the mishaps, audiences were overwhelming responsive to Cohen’s appearances. Cohen would repeatedly laugh when audiences began applauding the guitar introductions to his number, claiming that it was impossible for anyone to guess what he was going to play. Yet by the final show in Jerusalem, Cohen is in tears of joy that his efforts had been appreciated. Cohen’s triumph is mirrored in Palmer’s double triumph in capturing the moment back in 1972 and recapturing it again for future generations to enjoy.



Posted on August 31, 2010 in Reviews by Phil Hall

Read more: http://www.filmthreat.com/reviews/24945/#ixzz0yDjTBbKh

Another revealing piece :

http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/steve ... -interview

scocoh wrote:

rmura wrote:I had pre-ordered the "Bird on a Wire" DVD from amazon.com, but yesterday I received an e-mail from them saying that my order had been canceled:

Unfortunately, our supply of some items is limited and these products sell out quickly. I'm sorry that we had to cancel your order and for the disappointment this has caused.

Is this a limited-edition item? Does anyone know why it has been removed from amazon.com? (I'm in the U.S.)

Ron

Same here. I was very disappointed.

Barnes and Noble claim to have it. I couldn't get to a store today, but my local store claims to have it in stock, and I was able to arrange an in-store pickup for tomorrow. Here's hoping...

I got mine in the post yesterday from LeonardCohenCafe.
As a wonderful bonus, it's hand signed by Tony Palmer.

Couldn't wait to get home from work to watch it last night.
At around 9pm I opened a bottle of wine and put on the DVD.
Wow !! It's brilliant. An emotional rollercoaster.
I laughed, I cried, I was shocked - totally engrossed from start to finish.
It's so honest, so much raw emotion.
At times you feel like you're invading Leonards space, that you shouldn't be allowed to be this close....this intrusive...
I love it.
It's a must see for every fan.
Huge thanks to Leonard, Tony Palmer and all involved for giving us this treasure.

Kind Regards, Joan.

scocoh wrote:

rmura wrote:I had pre-ordered the "Bird on a Wire" DVD from amazon.com, but yesterday I received an e-mail from them saying that my order had been canceled:

Unfortunately, our supply of some items is limited and these products sell out quickly. I'm sorry that we had to cancel your order and for the disappointment this has caused.

Is this a limited-edition item? Does anyone know why it has been removed from amazon.com? (I'm in the U.S.)

Ron

Same here. I was very disappointed.

jarkko wrote:Re: Tony Palmer presents "Bird on a wire"
by jarkko » Tue Aug 31, 2010 8:20 am

According to some rumors, rights to the songs in this film have not yet been cleared with Sony.

Ron,
On the same day you received an email saying your order was canceled, I received an email from them saying that my order was shipped. It seems that the 'limited supply' reason would make the most sense.
Best regards,
Mary