When Lou Reed's rock opera, Berlin, was first released in 1973, it was called one of the most depressing albums ever made. Sales were horrible and reviews were mixed, but Julian Schnabel, the Academy Award nominated director of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, always loved the album's power and passion. Thirty-three years after the album's original release, he and Reed collaborated to stage and document the first performances of the album in decades. The resulting film, which incorporates footage shot by Schnabel, his daughter and his brother-in-law, is a dreamy and intense collage of images and songs. A screening of the flick held at the Tribeca Film Festival on Sunday was practically a family reunion with many of Schnabel and Reed's friends and collaborators present. During a post-show Q & A, Reed and Schnabel dismissed the idea of the album being depressing. If anything, Reed felt uplifted by the joy of working with such close friends. Reed added that all art, just by being made, is inherently optimistic by nature. This upcoming year, Lou Reed will perform Berlin throughout Europe. If you're stuck Stateside, you can check out the movie, which opens in New York and L-A in July.
