The purpose of “Spinning Gold” isn’t to rehash the origin stories of KISS, Donna Summer, Bill Withers and other seminal artists affiliated with Casablanca Records.
It’s to accentuate the vibrant life of its founder, Neil Bogart. His name likely isn’t familiar to most outside of the music industry. But his influence still resonates as an arbiter of ‘70s rock, soul and disco.
Bogart died of cancer in 1982 at age 39, and for 24 years, his son Timothy Bogart has “pushed the boulder up the hill” to complete a film about his father.
Throughout the film’s evolution, Bogart interviewed – often multiple times – formative Casablanca artists including Gene Simmons, George Clinton and Summer (who died in 2012).
A few Casablanca stars, including The Village People and Curtis Mayfield, receive only a passing mention – only so much can fit in a two-hour movie – but the ones highlighted offer a colorful glimpse of music history.
“Spinning Gold” opened Friday and will play in theaters for 45 days before heading to VOD and eventually, streaming. Bogart is also eager to present the show on Broadway, with plans to open a musical in 2024.
