New Documentary on Rock Pioneer Eddie Cochran Draws Praise for Contributors, Criticism for Structure

A new documentary titled "Don't Forget Me," directed by Kirsty Bell, has been released as what a review from The Guardian describes as the first full-length biographical film dedicated to rock'n'roll musician Eddie Cochran, who died in a car accident in 1960.

According to the review, the documentary features an extensive array of interview subjects, including musician Keith Richards and actor Kiefer Sutherland, whom the reviewer characterized as a "top-notch roster of talking heads." The review noted that the breadth of contributors reflects wide appreciation for Cochran's legacy across generations and fields.

The review stated that the film combines archival footage of Cochran with dramatized recreations, noting that the production draws on "just about every scrap of archive material featuring Cochran that the budget could afford," alongside newspaper clippings presented on screen. Despite this, the review said the available archival material was insufficient to fill a feature-length running time, describing the result as being "stretched so thin" that the structure could be seen through.

To supplement the archival content, the documentary includes staged dramatic sequences featuring actors portraying Cochran and his mother, according to the review. These scenes reportedly depict phone conversations the musician had with his mother while on tour, during which Cochran, per the review, confided fears that he might die young, as his friend and fellow musician Buddy Holly had.

The review noted the historical resonance of that fear, pointing out that Cochran died in 1960 in a car accident on a road between Bristol and Heathrow in England.

The review characterized the dramatized recreations as "endearingly tacky" and said the film's overall structure was "so old-fashioned" that it at times resembled "a tongue-in-cheek parody." The review also noted that the documentary includes limited footage from Cochran's appearance in the film "The Girl Can't Help It."

The Guardian's review did not specify a release date or distribution details for the documentary beyond identifying Kirsty Bell as its director.