Bogdanovich Petty = 4 hours of TV bliss
Peter Bogdanovich might seem a weird choice to direct a retrospective documentary about Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
Bogdanovich is best known as a feature-film director (”The Last Picture Show”), film historian (his documentary “Directed by John Ford” and his book “This Is Orson Welles” are considered classics of their genres) and, lately, actor (he played Dr. Elliot Kupferberg, analyst to Tony Soprano analyst Dr. Jennifer Melfi, in “The Sopranos”).
According to an interview with Petty at www.TomPetty.com, Bogdanovich didn’t know that much about the band.
Even so, Petty’s camp chose Bogdanovich to do the film. The result, “Runnin’ Down a Dream: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers” is four hours of bliss for the Petty hard-core fan and a fascinating tale for the casual majority of potential viewers.
There’s the three-decade, made-in-America arc of the band’s story, which will seem familiar to anyone who loves the VH1 “Behind the Music” template. Keyboardist Benmont Tench quit Tulane University to join Heartbreakers’ precursor Mudcrutch.
Petty battled with his record company while rising to artistic triumph with his 1979 album “Damn the Torpedoes.” There were prototypical struggles with substance abuse and creative differences but a soul-survivor’s will.
Bogdanovich brings in a chorus of collaborators and famous fans to testify, too. Stevie Nicks talks about how she would’ve ditched Fleetwood Mac to become a Heartbreaker if only girls were allowed. Dave Grohl of Nirvana and the Foo Fighters and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam can barely contain their awe. George Harrison, a seminal influence on Petty and later a Traveling Wilburys bandmate, is equally praiseful.
“For me, he’s just one of the nicest people, because he’s not full of [bleep], as they say.”