Last morning at the Sea Side of the Corinthian Gulf I watched the special Screening Event "In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson at 50". With an Introduction from Robert Fripp himself and Q&A with Robert Fripp and the Director of the Documentary Toby Amies presented by David Singleton after the Screening.
The Movie covers footage from the last tour with this stunning three Drummer Ensemble and mainly Interviews with Fripp and the other Ensemble Members and also Interviews with former Members from the other Iterations of King Crimson like Ian Mcdonald, Bill Bruford, Adrian Belew and lot more
For a Crimson Fan its a must to watch and gives very good Insights what is the essence of the magic of King Crimson in Interaction with the Audience.
The remarkable thing which left the deepest impression for me is this spiritual dimension of King Crimson. Fripp and the other Members mention that the crimson king gets into the musicians or somehow "takes over" in the moment if they manage to be totally present in the moment and when they are able to get themselves out of the way, so that the music can happen as an interaction with the audiance as an unique, new and fresh moment experiencing something maybe live changing together.
I remember that this was my first impression hearing the Starless and Bibleblack Album the first time at the age of 16 , i had yet no words for this but i was totally fascinated by this mainly live improvised parts of "fracture", "the mincer" and the other pieces on the Record. Intuitively grasping, that this kind of music can only happen, if the musicians are totally present, open and transparent, willing to put their obviously strong personalities and egos out of the way.
This is something, which fascinated me eversince in music and beyond: the freshness which finds an expression in music ( and life) if the musicians ( and beeings ) are able to be fully present and aware in the moment and going beyond there remarkable musical Craftsmenship.
This is music that "electrifies" musician and listener equally.
Back to the Movie: the most moving cinematic moment was for me the incidently filmed Tango dancing Couples swishing in the rain lined with "Moonchild". Pure Beauty.
Most touching on the human level are the interviews with Bill Rieflin. Showing his stiff Upperlip suffering great Pain from his Colon Cancer and the consequenses of the radical medical treatments and nevertheless touring with Crimson playing Keyboard. Rieflin died during the making of the Documentary. The Film is also dedicated to him.
The most surprising part in this Film was this Nun which is a great Crimson film and this moment where Amies asks her in the Interview, if there is a shortcut to God and she immediately and totally authentic and spontanous answers: "Love". Great Cinema.
The Screening Event is available as Stream on https://www.nugs.net and the Docu will be later available as DVD as far as i understood.