Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys will direct a documentary about the late New Orleans music superstar Dr. John, it was just reported. Given that Auerbach produced John’s final album of original material, Locked Down, released in 2012, this seems like a perfect fit. The estate of John Lennon, on the other hand, isn’t on board, releasing a statement claiming that the yet untitled film isn’t permitted by them.
The statement reads (via Stereogum):
“The Official Estate of Malcolm John Rebennack, Jr., p/k/a Dr. John, clarifies that the Estate has not authorized the recently announced documentary on the life of Dr. John purportedly to be produced by Impact Artist Productions (and Management) and Radical Media. For clarity, Impact Artist Productions (and Management) does not manage or speak for the Estate, which has its own team with, as Mac would say, a gang and a half of legalizers. The Estate thanks Mac’s fans for their support and assures that the Estate will ‘Walk On Guilded Splinters’ to deliver new music and an officially authorized documentary, to be announced In The Right Place at the right time.”
“I’m happy to be teaming with RadicalMedia and Impact Artist Productions to try my hand at directing a documentary film for the first time, and I’m humbled to have the subject be my buddy Dr. John,” Auerbach previously stated of the project. He was a one-of-a-kind guy who exemplified the big melting pot of American music. This documentary will present the world to him in a way they haven’t seen him before, from his mysterious voodoo stage identity Dr John to his genuine, modest personality Mac Rebannack — the street poet, the family man, the junkie, the Grammy award winner, and everything in between. I’m continually learning new things about him, and I’m hoping the film will provide a window into Dr. John’s life story.”
