“Now I’ve heard there was a secret chord

That David played, and it pleased the Lord”

- “Hallelujah,”

Leonard Cohen

“Hallelujah” is the best Bob Dylan song Bob Dylan never wrote.

“Hallelujah” was written by Leonard Cohen (1934 - 2016), legendary and revered Canadian singer-songwriter-poet-author and subject of the extraordinary documentary film, “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song.”

Cohen is also known for writing and singing the songs, “Suzanne,” “Bird on a Wire,” “I’m Your Man” and “Everybody Knows,” among many others.

The dramatic, humorous and poignant film utilizes Cohen’s song,”Hallelujah,” as a touchstone to analyze its genesis, evolution and emergence in American pop culture and its place in the zeitgeist.

Look for an Oscar documentary feature nomination.

The film tells a good bit, but by no means all, about the enigmatic Cohen, a troubled yet joyous Talmudic troubadour.

And, yes, Bob Dylan makes an appearance in the film. He was the first to perform “Hallelujah” in concert in 1988.

A whole host, to quote a cliche, of singers, musicians, producers and journalists weigh in on “Hallelujah,” starting with Judy Collins, who introduced Cohen in his first public concert.

Interviewees include Brandi Carlile, Rufus Wainwright, Eric Church, producers Hal Willner and John Lissauer and journalist Larry Sloman.

The good and the bad is discussed, including Cohen’s ill-fated album, “Death of a Ladies Man” (1977), produced by Phil Spector.

In ways obscure and obvious, Cohen (Hebrew: ??????, kohen, priest), is an Elijah for the Information Age. He was born into an Orthodox Jewish family in Quebec. His Lithuanian mother was a daughter of a Talmudic writer and rabbi.

The mix of the sacred and the secular is one of the through-lines in “A Journey, a Song.” Do you prefer the John Cale version of “Hallelujah,” which combined the distaff sides? Or do you prefer other, more spiritual versions of the song?

The song initially found itself without a release when Columbia Records refused to release “Various Positions“ (1984), which contained Cohen’s original recording of “Hallelujah.”

Versions of “Hallelujah” by John Cale (1991), Jeff Buckley (1994), its use on the “Shrek” (2001) movie soundtrack, versions by Rufus Wainwright (2003) and k.d. lang (2004), and its popularity on “American Idol” (2008) and “The X Factor” (2008) propelled the song into the pantheon of song. An estimated 300 versions have been recorded. Cohen’s own version didn’t reach the Billboard charts until after his death.

In the film, Cohen says it took him five years to write the song, which has anywhere from 80 verses to 150 verses.

According to the Leonard Cohen website, the film was approved by Cohen before his 80th birthday in 2014.

The website states that the film includes “never-before-seen archival materials from the Cohen Trust including Cohen’s personal notebooks, journals and photographs, performance footage, and extremely rare audio recordings and interviews.”

Interviews with two key individuals serve as two other through-lines for the film: John Lissauer, who produced the original version of “Hallelujah,” and Larry Sloman, a journalist who was Cohen’s Boswell.

Ultimately, the through-line is Leonard Cohen, including his five years of isolation in a Zen monastery atop Mt. Baldy near Los Angeles, and the song itself, which emerges in full flight to soar the airwaves and concert stages.

The film, directed by Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine (co-directors, “The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden,” 2011: “Ballets Russes,” 2005; “Frosh: Nine Months in a Freshman Dorm,” 1995), is a moving testament to the conflicts of creative genius.

The word, hallelujah, is a call to praise from two Hebrew words, halal and yah, translated as “Praise ye the Lord” or “Praise Yahweh.”

Secular and saintly, “Halleujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song,” is a praiseworthy film about a praiseworthy man and a praiseworthy quest.

The film is a must-see for fans of Leonard Cohen, and musicians, singer-songwriters, poets and creative types.

“Halleujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song,”

MPAA Rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.) for brief strong language and some sexual material; Genre: Documentary, Biography, Music; Run time: 1 hour, 58 minutes. Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

“Leonard Cohen: Hallelujah & Songs from His Albums” is an album released to coincide with the film.

At The Movies:

“Halleujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song” was seen at Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas, ArtsQuest Center, SteelStacks, Bethlehem. The theater’s Dolby System is excellent for this film.

Theatrical Domestic Movie Box Office,

Aug. 26-28: “The Invitation” was an unexpected guest at No. 1, opening with $7 million, in 3,114 theaters.

2. “Bullet Train” moved up one place, $5.6 million, in 3,513 theaters, $78.2 million, four weeks. 3. ”Beast” dropped one place, $4.9 million, in 3,754 theaters, $20 million, two weeks. 4. “Top Gun: Maverick” stayed in place, $4.7 million, 2,962 theaters, $691.2 million, 14 weeks. 5. “Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero” dropped four places from its one-week No. 1 run, with $4.5 million, 2,979 theaters, $30.7 million, two weeks. 6. “DC League of Super-Pets,” dropped one place, $4.2 million, 3,284 theaters, $74 million, five weeks. 7. “Three Thousand Years of Longing,” opening, $2.8 million, in 2,436 theaters. 8. “Minions: The Rise of Gru” dropped one place, $2.7 million, in 2,494 theaters, $354.7 million, nine weeks. 9. “Thor: Love and Thunder,” $2.7 million, in 2,450 theaters, $336.5 million, eight weeks. 10. “Where the Crawdads Sing” dropped one place, $2.3 million, in 2,216 theaters, $81.8 million, seven weeks. 28. “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song” dropped two places, $42,000, in 92 theaters, $852,488, nine weeks

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Aug. 28 is subject to change.

Unreel,

Sept 2:

“Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul,”

R: Adamma Ebo directs Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown in the comedy. A minister and his wife try to rebuild their congregation after a church scandal.

“Burial,”

No MPAA rating: Ben Parker directs Tom Felton, Harriet Walter and Charlotte Vega in the thriller. Russian soldiers are ordered to take Hitler’s remains to Stalin in Moscow.

“Waiting for Bojangles,”

No MPAA rating: Régis Roinsard directs Romain Duris, Virginie Efira and Grégory Gadebois in the Drama. A father and mother dance to their favorite song. In French with English subtitles.

Opening dates information from Internet Movie Database as of Aug. 27 are subject to change.

Five Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes