HBO To Air James Brown Documentary, 'Mr. Dynamite,' October 27th

James Brown

Hot on the heels of the critically acclaimed JAMES BROWN biopic, "Get On Up," HBO has acquired the U.S. and CANADIAN TV rights to the feature-length documentary "Mr. Dynamite, The Rise of JAMES BROWN," directed by OSCAR winner ALEX GIBNEY and produced by MICK JAGGER, with its debut scheduled for MONDAY, OCT. 27th (9-11p ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

Charting his journey from rhythm and blues to funk, the documentary was made with the unique cooperation of the BROWN ESTATE, which opened its archives for the first time, featuring rare and never-before-seen footage, interviews and photographs, chronicling the musical ascension of the “hardest working man in show business,” from his first hit, “Please, Please, Please,” in 1956, to his iconic performances at the APOLLO THEATRE, the T.A.M.I. Show, the PARIS OLYMPIA and more.

“ALEX GIBNEY has brought his prodigious filmmaking talents to this portrait of the phenomenon known as JAMES BROWN,” says HBO Programming Pres. MICHAEL LOMBARDO. “Together with MICK JAGGER and his incredible producing team, they have created a captivating portrait of an artist -- both the musician and the man.”

JAGGER added, “We had full access to amazing never-before-seen photos and video from JAMES BROWN's estate, which ALEX GIBNEY used brilliantly to tell the story of JAMES' career from its inception through its pinnacle. We spoke with the extraordinary people who knew JAMES well and worked alongside him throughout his career. By hearing their fascinating stories and memories, we were able to paint the full picture of him as both a musical artist and social activist, whose legacy and impact on the music industry is ever-present.”

“When MICK JAGGER reached out to me to direct the documentary, we had a common goal in mind, to take the music of JAMES BROWN and put it into a larger historical context,” GIBNEY said. “As a musician, ‘Mr. Dynamite’ was the essential funk pioneer, a hugely influential figure and one of the greatest live performers – ever. Beyond his music, BROWN’s cultural impact extends to the present day. MICK and his producing partner, VICTORIA PEARMAN, along with PETER AFTERMAN from INAUDIBLE and BLAIR FOSTER from JIGSAW, were wonderfully supportive and creative producers. We couldn’t be in better hands than with our friends at HBO.”

In addition to extensive historical footage, including archival interviews with BROWN himself, the film includes modern-day interviews with MICK JAGGER, REV. AL SHARPTON, MACEOPARKER, CLYDE STUBBLEFIELD, QUESTLOVE, MELVIN PARKER, CHUCK D, ALFRED 'PEE WEE' ELLIS, MARTHA HIGH, BOOTSY COLLINS and FRED WESLEY.

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