In many ways, Stevie Van Zandt is more than the right-hand man of Bruce Springsteen. He is the instrumental flavour keeping him on the straight and narrow. A long-running, brotherly compatriot to Springsteen but a defined and seasoned musician away from that. An actor, a madman frontman with plenty in the tank beyond his E Street collaborations. Disciple is all about looking into those extracurricular works, away from the spotlight of his most notable occasions. He has been the man in the shadow of a bigger artist but has enjoyed the creative process as such. Van Zandt is a phenomenal right-hand man, on stage and screen, and a deeper look at his personable effectiveness as a performer and as a person was well needed. Disciple offers such a view of the man.
Director Bill Teck and the team do well to assemble such a glittering collection of interviewees. From Paul McCartney and Bono to Joan Jett and, inevitably, Springsteen himself, the talking heads have one purpose. Who is Van Zandt, and how did he get to where he is now? Much of the focus is on those early years and the build towards being a household name just behind the leading men he collaborated with so frequently. As with every musician from the 1960s and 1970s, The Beatles played their part in inspiring Van Zandt. He praised them and The Rolling Stones as the reason he picked up a guitar, pushed into music and continued as he did for so long. Little flickers showed the difference between showbiz and lifestyle, the latter followed by Van Zandt during his impressionable moments, and later his prolific touring days.
As much is put together with the usual inquisitive expectations of documentary filmmaking. A documentary which wastes no time getting into the details, of which there is plenty. Chart all those intimate details which shaped Van Zandt, in a documentary made for and by fans of the man. Anyone else will find themselves learning a thing or two but nothing of much interest. A completionist documentary for those nosy few who want the details of a stage force. Teck and the team do well to drop fans right in the middle of this busy life and without much to cling to, viewers are left to support themselves and pick up what details they can. Disciple is an abundance of riches where every detail counts, and with such a lengthy runtime, it is clear to see where the more intense, more personable moments lay.
The Sopranos to touring the world, it is all given the right layer of detail. Surprise lay around every corner for the actions from Van Zandt. Performance comes naturally and the credible urgency of his frequent public appearances is not just a joy to behold but enjoyable to hear about. Hearing how Silvio Dante was influenced by Springsteen is marvellous and the reward of a not-too-soppy documentary is plenty of detail with the right characters to tell it. Uncovering the side projects, the Little Steven music and how it has not affected the man at the core of this artistry is a tremendous time. A tightly-made documentary for the veteran fan of Springsteen or The Sopranos, and those groups are no longer niche. Disciple has a wonderful range of contemporary and historic interviews trying to understand the understated talent of an all-time great.
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