Mayor of Sunset Strip

This film is about the life of Rodney Bingenheimer. Bingenheimer is the Californian John Peel: not quite so famous, perhaps, at least outside the US, but the film is jam packed with footage that proves his celebrity-worthiness. In fact, it’s clear that celebrity is much more important to him than it was for Peel (which is not to say that music isn’t, because he obviously loves that too).

He is also, however, incredibly gentle and shy - he seems to typically avoid lengthy eye contact. The film makes clear that in many ways, he’s the music equivalent of Andy Warhol. He even looks like him. It’s hard to understand how Bingenheimer survives in the cut-throat world of Hollywood and American entertainment. Perhaps just through being so innocent - there are many poignant scenes in this documentary that underline this characteristic.

This is a film to watch when you want your spirits uplifted.