AllMovie

Director Robert Mugge created this documentary about Robert Johnson, one of the most enigmatic pioneers in American music. Created as part of a week-long tribute to the legendary bluesman at Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the film sorts through the numerous myths about Johnson -- most notably that he sold his soul to the devil to become a blues maestro -- and the few extant facts about his life. How he died or where his body is located is simply not known. What does remain from this shadowy figure is a collection of songs that have influenced several generations of artists. Eric Clapton and Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir are just two of the sundry rock and blues musicians that appear in this documentary extolling Johnson's wizardry, which was screened at the 1999 Mills Valley Film Festival.