Movies News

Billy Joel concert doc in the works at Spitfire

By Patrick Luce Jul 16, 2008, 14:02 GMT

US musician Billy Joel performs on stage during his concert at the Foro Sol in Mexico City, Mexico on 12 December 2007. EPA/MARIO GUZMAN

Spitfire Pictures and Billy Joel’s Maritime Pictures have announced plans for a feature documentary film based in the piano man’s Shea Stadium concert performances this week.

Variety reports "Last Play at Shea" will be directed by Greg Whiteley and Jon Small and will feature documentary footage blended into footage from the two concerts that Joel is giving tonight and Friday. The concerts will be the last events held at the historic stadium before it is torn down.

The documentary is being financed by Joel’s Maritime. Joel will produce the film with Steve Cohen and Spitfire’s Nigel Sinclair. It is scheduled to be released sometime in 2009, and Spitfire will handle selling distribution territories.

Sinclair has credited the documentary to Joel – who reportedly liked the idea of intersecting his own career path with the Queens ballpark.

In Variety, Cohen stated: "We wanted to approach this like a Ken Burns documentary, looking at Billy and Shea Stadium’s place in the pantheon of New York.”

During the concert, Joel is expected to be joined on stage by several surprise musical guest, and a soundtrack of the event is also expected to be released.

Sinclair’s Spitfire has released several music-themed documentaries including "Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who," and Martin Scorsese’s "No Direction Home: Bob Dylan." Scorsese is also at work on a documentary for Spitfire based on Beatles guitarist George Harrison.