Watch The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town

The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town is a 2010 documentary film that explores the making of Bruce Springsteen's 1978 album, Darkness on the Edge of Town. The film features archival footage of Springsteen and the E Street Band as they record the album in 1977, as well as interviews with Springsteen and his collaborators.

The film is directed by Thom Zimny, who previously worked on several Springsteen projects, including the documentary film Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run. The Promise was released in conjunction with the reissue of Darkness on the Edge of Town, which featured previously unreleased tracks and alternate takes of many of the album's songs.

The Promise features interviews with many of the key figures involved in the making of Darkness on the Edge of Town, including producer Jon Landau, engineer Jimmy Iovine, and members of the E Street Band, such as keyboardist Roy Bittan, saxophonist Clarence Clemons, and guitarist Steve Van Zandt. The film also includes rare footage of Springsteen recording demos and rehearsing with the band.

The film provides a fascinating look at the process of recording an album, particularly at Springsteen's meticulous attention to detail and his focus on capturing the right sound for each song. We see him work with the E Street Band to perfect the arrangements and try out different approaches to the songs. There are also glimpses into the personal tensions and disagreements that can arise between band members in the course of a long recording session.

Throughout the film, Springsteen reflects on the themes and inspirations behind the songs on Darkness on the Edge of Town. He describes the album as a response to the success of Born to Run, and a reflection of his growing disillusionment with the music industry and his own life. He speaks candidly about his struggles with depression and writer's block, and how he used these experiences to shape the album's themes of loss, longing, and redemption.

The Promise also delves into the various challenges that Springsteen faced during the making of Darkness on the Edge of Town. The album was recorded during a period of legal disputes between Springsteen and his former manager, Mike Appel, which prevented him from recording new material until the matter was settled. This forced Springsteen to spend months in the studio perfecting the songs he had already written, leading to the album's meticulous production and attention to detail.

The film also explores some of the musical influences that went into the making of Darkness on the Edge of Town, including Springsteen's love of country music and his admiration for artists like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash. We see the band working together to incorporate these influences into their own sound, resulting in some of the album's most memorable tracks, such as "Badlands" and "The Promised Land".

Overall, The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town is an engaging and insightful documentary that offers a unique window into the creative process behind one of Springsteen's most iconic albums. The film is both a tribute to the work of Springsteen and the E Street Band, and a celebration of the power of music to capture the range of human emotions and experiences. Whether you're a die-hard Springsteen fan or simply interested in the process of making music, The Promise is a must-see film.

The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town is a 2010 music movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 25 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.8.