Info & Reviews

If you want to know what the Blues is, just ask Floyd Lee, he will tell you, after all he has spent over 60 years living the Blues. If you want to see what the Blues is, then get yourself a hold of Full Moon Lightnin' "A Documentary Film By John C. Gardiner". 

Full Moon Lightnin' isn't one of those fancy grab a Pop and some Popcorn Hollywood Productions that gives you a few hours of someone else's put together reality, no this is a bare bones true to the soul, Documentary, that unfolds before your eyes, nothing held back, no fancy editing here for shock or entertainment value. No with Full Moon Lightnin', you have to face the facts, and feel the consequences that having the Blues and living with the Blues will do to you, both good and bad.

The main concept in Full Moon Lightnin' centers around Floyd Lee and his quest to put some missing pieces back into his life and believe me they are big pieces, 60 years worth of questions not yet answered, even as important as to what his real last name is. Full Moon Lightnin' is a film about his journey back to his past so he may be more at ease with his present, and content with his future.

Full Moon Lightnin' is a must see Film for those with any interest at all in really getting to know the Blues and Kudos' to all involved whom had the courage to put this unique bit of Blues History together.

Full Moon Lightnin' also comes as a Limited Edition which includes an amazing Bonus Soundtrack CD, filled with all the intensity and feelings of the Documentary.

Review By John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network)

A spiritual four year journey through heartache, abandonment and racial divide told through the parallel stories of two blues artists. One seeking to discover what will make him whole again while the other is desperate to hold onto what he already has.

It has been over 60 years since New York City bluesman, Floyd Lee, left the hill country of Mississippi and with his exodus he turned his back on a troubled childhood and a harsh life in the cotton fields. Abandoned by a mother he never knew, Floyd still wrestles with unanswered questions to his mysterious and painful past. Now at the age of 73, Floyd and his band embark on a deeply personal journey back home to Mississippi to reconnect with the family he left behind and search for the family he never knew. Throughout, guitarist Joel Poluck steers Floyd's career towards musical success while his personal life spins out of control.

LIMITED EDITION 2-DISC SET

FEATURES 

93 minute Feature Film 
Deleted Scenes 
Soundtrack on CD 

REVIEW By Craig Ruskey

This DVD was slated for review a bit later in the rotation, but it's simply too good to wait on. DO NOT MISS THIS FILM! 93 minutes, color. Essential. 

Full Moon Lightnin' isn't Hollywood glitz with a story-line so far removed from truth that you wonder what you're seeing. It's not all too often that items reviewed here garner a full-on 'essential' rating; in the past, that lofty position has been reserved for outstanding reissues of vintage blues. This documentary is neither a reissue nor is it vintage blues in the truest sense. In actuality, it's difficult to call it a documentary as it seems more like a travelogue.

The story focuses on Joel Poluck, a young guitar player of note, and Floyd Lee, an aging bluesman, and the trials and tribulations these wonderful friends share. Without giving away the farm, this is nothing short of an absolutely remarkable piece of cinematic brilliance. While Lee searches for remnants of his past and those whom he knew decades ago in Mississippi, Poluck is desperately trying to hold onto what's near and very dear to him. 

The music throughout is startling, regardless of whether your preferences are for more traditional or modern blues. Poluck's guitar work is deeply rooted, but at the same time he shows he's able to take the music into the 21st century without losing the essence of blues' lengthy past. Lee, on the other hand, is seemingly stuck in a time-warp; his six-string work is wonderfully primitive, archaic and raw. 

Whether playing on the streets of New York, the juke joints of Mississippi or within the confines of a recording studio, Poluck and Lee make truly memorable music and share a story quite unlike anything you've seen before. This is truth. This is real. This is life. This is blues. Full Moon Lightnin' is, without question, a completely soul-stirring film that gives us hope by clearly and painfully showing that we've all had to deal with our own blues in one form or another. Please, do not miss this unforgettable journey!

Floyd Lee Band - Mean Blues

Deleted scene from the documentary Full Moon Lightnin'.
Filmed and recorded at the historic WROX radio studio in Clarksdale Mississippi.

http://www.fullmoonlightnin.com/