A documentary about the Sunset Marquis Hotel in West Hollywood will premiere Aug. 14 in theaters and on streaming platforms. The 93-minute film examines how this property became a sanctuary where musicians found shelter across six decades.
Tyler Measom and Craig A. Williams directed If These Walls Could Rock. The production weaves archival footage with animation, and interviews, according to its official trailer. Bruce Springsteen appears in the documentary. So do Ringo Starr, Slash, Dave Grohl, Roger Daltrey, Cyndi Lauper, Morrissey, Sheryl Crow, Joe Elliott, Nancy Wilson, Steve Van Zandt, Billy Bob Thornton, and John Oates.
The film centers on founder George Rosenthal and his son Mark Rosenthal, who transformed a West Hollywood motel into a destination where touring artists sought refuge. The property rests just off the Sunset Strip. It has maintained a reputation for protecting the privacy of its guests.
“Within five minutes of walking in the Marquis, you may hear a rock and roll story that sounds completely made up, but come to learn is true,” Measom and Williams said, according to Noise11. “Still beyond the many amazing musical stories, the father-and-son tale at the heart of the hotel is what truly inspired us to create this film.”
Measom said research unearthed information unknown even to frequent guests. “Most people have no idea of the history,” Measom told The Hollywood Reporter. “Even the musicians who stay there, I don’t even think they know the vast history of this hotel.”
The venue includes suites and villas scattered across landscaped grounds. NightBird Recording Studios on the property has hosted sessions that produced GRAMMY-winning projects. The Morrison Hotel Gallery displays rock music photography there.
The project grew from Measom and Williams’ work on the Paramount+ series I Wanna Rock: The ’80s Metal Dream. Rick Krim, Robert Friedman, and Mike Powers of Bungalow Media Entertainment produced alongside the directors. Mark Rosenthal, David Thurston, and Alexis Thurston also served as producers.
The premiere takes place at the Landmark Sunset Theatre in Los Angeles. A question-and-answer session with the filmmakers and subjects will follow the screening. Apple TV and Amazon will stream the film starting the same date.
Credit: Source link