Steve Bloom

Directed by Van Zandt and Marc Brickman, Once Upon a Dream fails to dig deep into the rise and fall of one of the '60s most popular groups. Using the band members to spin their story prevents an honest telling of it...Van Zandt's book is sloppy, wanders, loses chronology and makes the guys appear less intelligent than they most likely are. As a band, the Rascals sound fine. There's something to be said for not working hard for so many years. With less wear and tear than many others groups from the period, Cavaliere and Brigati preserved their voices; Cavaliere's remains one of the most distinctive in rock. Cornish distinguishes himself with numerous guitar solos and Danelli is a wiry wonder behind the drum kit.