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Created Dec 09, 2012 01:53PM PST • Edited Dec 09, 2017 08:44AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Good 3.0

   ‘Quit singing and jam’ remains my reaction to many Cream songs, including from their defining album. So it’s less than optimal that this rockumentary focuses on Disraeli Gears’ lyrics, lyricists and singing.

   David Fricke’s commentary is terrific however.

   More to the point, their music seriously rocks, even if it’s often too pungent.

   Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker’s peerless playing was then and is now a benchmark of rock. These three guys could flat lay it down.

   Sunshine of Your Love finally gets examined in the final ten minutes, a wait not wasted if not exactly compelling.

   Cream was so heavy, so powerful, so dextrous, most other music of their day was like bubblegum. David Fricke captures this and more in a small litany of acutely perceptive observations. If only he played guitar.

4. Acting

   Great 4.0

5. Male Stars Great 4.0

6. Female Stars Great 4.0

7. Female Costars Great 4.0

8. Male Costars Great 4.0

10. Film

    Good 3.0

    Why only just OK for Direction and Play? Because not all these songs deserve this much documentation.

    However it does shine a light on Clapton’s breakthrough use of the wah-wah pedal. Gotta love the wah-wah.

11. Direction OK 2.5

12. Play OK 2.5

13. Music Good 3.0

14. Visuals Great 4.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Tame 1.4

17. Sex Titillating 1.6

18. Violence Gentle 1.0

19. Rudeness Salty 1.7

21. Reality

    Natural 1.0

22. Circumstantial Natural 1.0

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0