The Soul Of A Man(2003) May 2026

Wenders describes the film more as a "poem" than a traditional documentary. It avoids a strictly chronological approach, instead using a mix of techniques to bring the music to life:

Since little archival footage exists for artists like Blind Willie Johnson and Skip James, Wenders used staged, silent-film style sequences to dramatize their lives. The Soul of a Man(2003)

The film features rare footage, including previously unpublished material of J.B. Lenoir. Wenders describes the film more as a "poem"

Actor Laurence Fishburne provides the voiceover, speaking from the perspective of Blind Willie Johnson. Featured Artists Lenoir

The film highlights the "dramatic tension between the sacred and the profane" in the blues through three distinct figures:

A politically engaged musician whose lyrics addressed the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War. Gold Records in Deep Space