63. Eric Clapton - Life In 12 Bars; movie review

ERIC CLAPTON - LIFE IN 12 BARS
Cert 12A
131 mins
BBFC advice: Contains drug misuse, very strong language

Blimey, Derby Quad was busy for a Wednesday afternoon and I, at nearly 55, was probably the youngest person in the audience.
Yes, the old rockers were out in force to appreciate their hero, Eric Clapton.
Lili Fini Zanuck's documentary feels like catharsis for the 72-year-old guitarist and possibly an attempt to put right years of wrongs.
His is a sad voice, chronicling a life which has mixed worldwide fame with tragedy.
Life In 12 Bars also includes contributions, contemporary or from the archives, from those who have been nearest to Clapton.
It is easy to follow because it takes the audience from his childhood to the present in date order with very occasional flick-backs to embellish a point.
Its disappointment is that Clapton seems to have been so unhappy for much of his life.
The starting point for explanation comes with the fact that his feckless mother handed him over to his grandmother and left for Canada soon after he was born.
Clapton's appreciation of blues music sparked during childhood and he speaks at least semi-fondly of his early bands and his attempt to mimic the sound of heroes such as B.B. King and Muddy Waters.
Indeed, much of Zanuck's film concentrates on the late 50s and early to mid-60s when Clapton came to prominence with The Yardbirds, John Mayall and Cream.
There are clips from the time with a great deal of the music which gained Clapton adoration but they come with a downbeat assessment from the man himself.
The probable reason is that this was a period which left him lovelorn for George Harrison's wife Patti Boyd (this is a very strong thread of the film) and in which he began a decade-long binge of drugs and drink.
It would appear that the latter meant that he couldn't really remember much about the 70s and early 80s when, in my opinion, he created some of his most memorable music.
And that is before the greatest tragedy in his life - the death of his son.
Only at the film's denouement, in the cradle of a 21st century family, does Clapton seem to have conquered his demons.
Meanwhile, thinking about the only time I saw him live - for a centre-half's testimonial concert, back in the early 80s - I was still left with a burning question...
Why does he support West Bromwich Albion?

Reasons to watch: a personal history of one of the world's great guitarist
Reasons to avoid: a catharsis rather than a celebration

Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: very briefly
Overall rating: 7/10
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Director's statement - Lili Fini Zanuck: "I wanted it to be a journey where I discovered things about Eric that I didn't know but if Eric hadn't asked me I would never have asked him."

The big question: Why does Clapton support West Brom?

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