If the success of last year’sA Complete Unknownis any indicator,Scott Cooper’s upcoming biopicSpringsteen: Deliver Me From Nowherehas the potential to be one of the noisiest films of this fall movie season. Following a similar formula as theTimotheé Chalamet-ledBob Dylanbiopic, Cooper’s film features another of Hollywood (and the internet’s) favorite under-35 leading men,Jeremy Allen White, portraying a rock icon. When the trailer was recently released,Bruce Springsteenfans were in awe of White’s ability to capture The Boss' essence, specifically in his singing voice and on-stage movements. It appears that, if nothing else, Cooper’s film will give us anauthentic insight into Springsteen’s musical geniusand perhapsprovide some recreations of his legendarily spiritual concert performances.
When it comes to exploringhow his music has touched the souls of so many devoted listeners over the years, though, another film from six years ago already took on that challenge with great success.Gurinder Chadha’sBlinded by the Lightis theultimate ode to Springsteen fandomand a perfect encapsulation of how a piece of music can change your entire life, especially when you’re a teenager.
‘Blinded by the Light’ Was Based on the Story of a Real-Life Springsteen Fanatic
Blinded by the Lightis based on journalist Sarfraz Manzoor’s 2007 memoirGreetings from Bury Park. In it, he details his immigrant upbringing, hisrelationship with his father, and his passionate connection to Springsteen’s music. As is depicted in the film, Manzoor was introduced to Springsteen at 16 years old when a friend and classmate expounded to him that Bruce was “a direct line to all that was true in the world,” before sharing some cassette tapes. From that moment, Springsteen became not only Manzoor’s favorite musician but also a teacher, a guiding presence, and a genuine figure of inspiration.
Though the filmtakes some libertieswith Manzoor’s real-life story, it follows the same basic structure. It centers on a Pakistani teenager named Javed Khan (Viveik Kalra) living in England in 1987 who dreams of two things: getting out of the small, racist town of Luton andbecoming a writer. Living in an environment where he doesn’t feel he belongs and struggling to deal with a domineering and strict father, Javed finds purpose, his voice, and a rebellious spirit through Springsteen’s powerful lyrics. This mirrors Manzoor’s actual journey with the gospel of Bruce. When describing his first ever listening experience,he said, “The music I heard changed my life. It first turned me into a confirmed Springsteen fan, and it then inspired me to follow my dreams and become a writer.”
After publishing his memoir, Manzoor’s next dream was to turn it into a film. Chadha—a fellow Springsteen fanatic who had previously directed the effervescently charmingBend It Like Beckham, another coming-of-age tale that respectfullyhonors the immigrant experience—was the perfect person to bring his story to the big screen. In describing what it is about Springsteen’s music that can resonate with people all over the world who come from different cultures and backgrounds, Chadha toldVariety, “Bruce is talking about people struggling to get by, ordinary working-class people on the margins feeling trapped and wanting a better life. And that’s totally what my parents were doing. That’s what connected me to him.”
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When talking about her introduction to Springsteen, Chadha cited the cover art of his seminal third album, 1975’sBorn to Run, which features Springsteen leaning on the back of his bandmate and friendClarence Clemons. “It was that image of a white dude and a black dude being friendly with each other that first arrested me. That’s not something you saw very often back then.” Stories like these are a great example of the transformative power of art. Especially when you’re young, a single image, film, album, or song cancompletely change your life and make you rethink everything you thought you knew about the world.
Chadha Perfectly Captured the Transformative Power of Music
At one point in the film, Javed tells his friend Roops, “It’s like Bruce knows everything I’ve ever felt, everything I’ve ever wanted … I didn’t know music could be like that.“That’s what music does. It is a tool that can be used to transport us to a different place, but it can alsoprovide us with the words needed to express how we feel when we are unable to do so on our own. When watching Javed fall in love with Springsteen, one can’t help but think back on the piece of art they stumbled upon in their youth thatspoke to them so profoundly, it felt like it must have been made specifically for them at that moment. That’s why you don’t need to be a Springsteen superfan to be affected byBlinded by the Light. It’s a film that will connect with anyone who has ever truly loved a piece of art so much that it becomes an inseparable part of who they are.
Blinded by the Light
