The Reel Music Film Festival keeps truckin’ along this weekend (see nwfilm.org for deets), and Bogdanovich’s epic documentary on Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers screens tomorrow.

RUNNIN’ DOWN A DREAM: TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS

This four-hour, Peter Bogdanovich-directed documentary is most interesting during the early, hungry years, but there are plenty of full-length live performance clips throughout Petty & Co.’s three decades in the business. Record company trouble, band squabbles, divorces, drug overdoses, arson, Stevie Nicks—it’s all here, and so are some pretty damn great songs. The thing’s far too long to watch in the theater, but if you’re a Heartbreakers fan, you’ll probably want to get the DVD. NED LANNAMANN

It would be accurate to say I’ve been a Petty fan since I was 11 and heard “I Won’t Back Down” on the radio. He’s never been my favorite musician, but he’s provided a lot of simple, nourishing sustenance over the year. Kind of like hot dogs. While I never would say hot dogs are my favorite food, they are at the very least enjoyable, sometimes downright awesome. I don’t think I’ve ever turned one down. Sometimes you get ketchup, sometimes mustard, sometimes relish (if you’re a freak), and sure, they’re not necessarily good for you — but they’re dang easy to cook, they’re cheap as fuck, they’ll fill you up and they’re all-American.

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: Refugee (live)

Let’s face it. Petty’s got some fucking fantastic songs. “Even the Losers”? “You Got Lucky”? “The Waiting”? Are you kidding me? Sure, these songs have been played a bazillion gillion times on classic rock stations, but they still kick ass. But in thinking about his music, I keep arguing with myself. I mean, his music is so… ORDINARY. They’re just your basic guitar-based rock songs, no different from what Bob Dylan and the Byrds and the Beatles and the Animals did a million times over, many years ago.

Still, I admit I have great affection for this music, and despite his massive popularity I feel an individual connection to some of the songs. I mean, put on “American Girl” and I am THERE, singing along to every word with my heart in my mouth. And he kept his winning streak for a LONG time, I’d say more than 20 years (individual results may vary). That’s part of the reason I was so disappointed with his last two albums, The Last DJ and Highway Companion. These records aren’t just ordinary, they are boring. Oh well. I’ll just throw on Southern Accents and rock out to “Rebels,” digging the simple pleasure of a well-cooked tube steak.

Runnin’ Down a Dream: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers screens at 2 pm on Saturday, January 19 at NW Film Center’s Whitsell Auditorium, 1219 SW Park. It will be shown with a brief intermission because it’s really fucking long.