Who Do I Think I Am? Blu-ray/DVD Review

I never did see Clarence Clemons perform with the E Street Band, but I was fortunate enough to catch him with the Jerry Garcia Band a couple of times in 1989, and even from my spot way back on the lawn, his energy and joy had a tremendous impact. Everything about his sound and presence was big, and so I was surprised by the soft, introspective tone the documentary film Who Do I Think I Am? establishes during its opening credits sequence. Right away you know this film is going to show you another side of The Big Man, a side you probably haven’t seen before. And at the beginning, Clarence speaks directly to the camera, directly to us, telling us, “I’m not just a saxophone player.” Indeed.

The documentary features an interview with Clarence Clemons, which often functions as narration. He tells us: “My purpose in life is to bring joy and light to the world. I got the right job.” But many others also help tell this story. To provide some information about his early days, the film includes interviews with two of his aunts and some childhood friends. One of his friends mentions that they never attended the same schools because of segregation in Virginia. And of course there are interviews with musicians, including Norman Seldin, who asked Clarence to join his band after Clarence sat in with them one night (this was before the E Street Band); Vini Lopez, who was an original E Street Band member; and Nils Lofgren, who later joined the E Street Band.

Bruce Springsteen was not interviewed, but there is some footage of him introducing Clarence Clemons at a concert, and also footage of some of the play between the two bandmates during performances. Musician Willie Nile talks about the unspoken territory between Bruce and Clarence, saying it “was really something extraordinary, powerful, tender, sensitive, passionate, raw, alive.” Those interviewed talk about the importance of Clarence’s contributions to a song like “Jungleland,” how his solo tells the story of that song just as much as the lyrics. The story of the recording of that part on the album is interesting. The documentary also includes material on that period when Bruce Springsteen worked without the E Street Band (it was early in that period when I saw Clarence play with Jerry Garcia). Joe Walsh is interviewed about Clarence’s time with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. And Bill Clinton is interviewed about meeting Clarence at his inauguration, and – yes – there is footage of the two of them playing saxophone together.

During that period, Clarence Clemons also did some acting, appearing in several movies, including Swing, which was directed by Nick Mead, who also directed this documentary. So Nick Mead appears in the film to talk about that movie, and about a journey that the two of them later took together to China. It is that journey, the impact it had on Clarence’s life, which becomes the focus of a section of the film, and really is at the heart of the documentary. “Not only had they never heard of me or Bruce, but they had never seen a black man before,” Clarence tells us. There is some cool footage of Clarence playing saxophone on top of the Great Wall. But this was also a journey inward for him, and one of spiritual exploration. It is during that moment on the Great Wall that one man interrupts the shot, shouting “Who do you think you are?” That of course becomes the subject of the film. Clarence says, “Spirituality to me is the recognition of a spirit within me that is greater than me.”

The Big Man’s beauty and spirituality and soulfulness are present throughout this documentary, making it a touching and engaging film. Fellow musician Dale Powers says of Clarence Clemons: “At the core of everything was his love of music. That’s what it was all about. He just loved to play, man. He represented power and peace in the same breath.”

Who Do I Think I Am? was directed by Nick Mead, and was released as a Blu-ray/DVD combination pack on August 27, 2019 through MVD Visual. There are no special features.