Downright cheesy to some, heartfelt and inspired to others, Neil Diamond has been writing and performing his own special brand of pop ditties ever since the 1960s and his first solo hit, Solitary Man.

As he performs at the MTS Centre on Sept. 14, Cinematheque is celebrating his estimable legacy all weekend by showing his sole venture into feature filmdom, Richard Fleischer's 1980 remake of The Jazz Singer, with Laurence Olivier (!) as the disappointed cantor to Diamond's gifted rock 'n' roller son. Augmenting that screening are Song Sung Blue and the 1996 short, Neil Diamond Parking Lot.

Song Sung Blue, ostensibly, is a documentary about the lives of married impersonator duo, Lightning & Thunder (Mike and Claire Sardina, respectively) that captures their day-to-day experiences over a span of 20 years. On the surface, it's a simple portrait of a rugged partnership both onstage and off, but in execution, it's so much more. Diamond himself has praised the film: "I'm honored to have my songs as part of this love story."

Hailing from Milwaukee, Wis., Mike and Claire are seen toughing it out through thick and thin, two dreamers committed to one another even when faced with financial drought and the amputation of Thunder's leg due to a freak accident. Director Greg Kohs' approach is never condescending and he respectfully treats his subjects with the humanity they deserve - a feeling gleaned even though Kohs never interrupts to put himself in the frame to make the project more subjective.

Uptown recently had the chance to speak to Kohs about the film.

Uptown: How did you come to know Lightning & Thunder?

Greg Kohs: I first experienced Lightning & Thunder back in the early 1990s, in Milwaukee, when I was filming a Harley Davidson documentary. They were performing at a festival the company had thrown. At first, we thought it was Neil Diamond, so we went tearing across the fairgrounds to see Neil and film him for this. We discovered it wasn't Diamond, but it was his music. Neil's music initially brought us together, and their passion and persistence to follow their dream kept us together.

When did you realize their story would be prime material for a documentary?

Well, they were always in the back of my mind, and I always considered them for a project. But it wasn't until '99, right after Thunder's accident, that I decided I wanted to tell their story. It was after that that I knew they weren't going to give up, so I wanted to help them and spread their message, and their act.

Were you a fan of Neil Diamond growing up?

My first concert growing up was Neil in Detroit. So, he always had a special place and a special significance - I don't want to sound too sentimental - but he represented something for me; I'm not sure what - like the smell of your grandmother's house.

TOUCHING YOU, TOUCHING ME: CELEBRATING NEIL DIAMOND ON FILM
Sept. 11-13, Cinematheque