searching4'Searching For Sugar Man' is an Oscar-nominated music documentary like no other that demonstrates the truth of Jesus' statement in John chapter 12 verses 24 & 25

Searching For Sugar Man: The Greatest 70s Rock Icon Who Never Was (2012)
Written, Edited & Directed by Malik Bendjelloul
A Red Box Films & Passion Pictures Production in association with Canfield Pictures & The Documentary Company
Stars:  Rodriguez, Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman, Dennis Coffey
Rating:  M
Feature Length:  83 minutes               Extras:  36 minutes

SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN – A DEVOTIONAL FILM REVIEW

Bernie, my eldest brother, would make a regular practice after school of chilling out in the backyard of my parents’ home in Brisbane (Australia), listening to cassettes or ‘tapes’, as we called them, on his big ghetto blaster while reclining on a banana lounge.  I can still picture him listening to Devo’s debut album (which, by the way, was produced by Brian Eno), or music by Hazel O’Connor, or Rodriguez’ ‘Cold Fact’ album. 

This is how I first came across the music of Sixto Diaz Rodriguez.  His music has made such an impression on me that I have revisited it frequently over the years.  Through my research on the internet I came across a great website dedicated to the man and his music – www.sugarman.org .   It was through this website that I found out that Rodriguez had released a second studio album called ‘Coming From Reality’ (aka ‘After The Fact’) which I eagerly searched for for quite some time.  I finally bought my own copy of this album a few years ago when I came across it in a JB Hi-Fi shop. 

I recently purchased the DVD of an award-winning documentary film about the artist & his music called ‘Searching For Sugar Man’.  'Searching For Sugar Man' is an Oscar-nominated music documentary like no other that demonstrates the truth of Jesus' statement in John chapter 12 verses 24 & 25 - 'I am telling you the truth: a grain of wheat remains no more than a single grain unless it is dropped into the ground and dies. If it does die, then it produces many grains. Whoever loves their own life will lose it; whoever hates their own life in this world will keep it for life eternal.'

Rodriguez is a folk-rock protest songwriter from the early 70’s whose first 2 albums did not get the recognition they deserved in his home country – the United States of America.  Rodriguez then died to his dream of achieving worldwide recognition with his music.  He did this with no apparent bitterness towards the music business or the record label that dropped him.  He simply got on with his life but, in the meantime & unbeknown to him, the seed of his music had already been planted and was germinating in South Africa & my own country of Australia.

'Searching For Sugar Man' is the true story of how some diehard fans of Rodriguez from South Africa finally tracked him down, told him that, in their country, he was more popular than Elvis or The Rolling Stones, and then invited him to perform to multitudes of his fans in South Africa.

'I am telling you the truth: a grain of wheat remains no more than a single grain unless it is dropped into the ground and dies. If it does die, then it produces many grains. Whoever loves their own life will lose it; whoever hates their own life in this world will keep it for life eternal.'  I honestly don’t know if Rodriguez is a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth but what I do know is that the truth of Jesus’ statement has been lived out in Rodriguez’ life and music.  The truth of Jesus’ statement has also been lived out in the lives of many of His followers who have ended up dying to themselves and even losing their earthly lives for believing & sharing the Christian faith which has resulted in the bearing of much fruit for Him and others.  Ultimately, Jesus Christ Himself fulfilled His own statement when He laid down His life for us on the cross and rose again on the 3rd day.  The loving sacrifice He made on our behalf has produced great fruit – the amount of which is impossible to count.

Frank Rasenberger     September 2013
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Livethechapel/305978966109296  

Rating:  5 clocks out of 5