WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Rick Rubin, the legendary producer and music executive who grew up in Long Beach, has cultivated an air of mystery almost as much as he has cultivated young artists. This four-part documentary sets out to tell his story, as well as the story of his studio Shangri-La in Malibu, Calif., though how clearly that story gets told seems questionable from the start. Director Morgan Neville opens the series with his discussion about the difficulties of telling the story the way Rubin wants. "It's super-challenging because it's like a hall of mirrors," says Neville ("Twenty Feet From Stardom," "Won't You Be My Neighbor?"). "If you're reflecting what an artist brings, then I'm looking at a reflection of a reflection."
"Hall of mirrors is a great way to look at it," Rubin responds. "Nothing would please me more."
MY SAY: Of course, there are plenty of things that would please fans more. Like, maybe more direct answers. But when dealing with Rubin, you take what you can get. And Rubin certainly offers a lot in the first two episodes. The documentary includes plenty of interviews with those who were recording at Shangri-La recently, including Tyler, The Creator, Vampire Weekend, The Avett Brothers, and Mark Ronson. It also includes chats with Rubin's pals from his early days, including Manhasset's LL Cool J and Roosevelt's Chuck D, as well as Beastie Boys' Mike D.
