DO IT AGAIN: The Film Babble Blog Review

DO IT AGAIN: ONE MAN’S QUEST TO REUNITE THE KINKS
(Dir. Robert Patton-Spruill, 2010)

I wrote about this film briefly before in my coverage of the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival last month, but I thought that it deserved more blogspace because #1: it is currently making the film fest rounds in hopes of finding a buyer, and #2 because it’s truly a wonderful film. Boston Globe reporter and writer of a few children’s books, Geoff Edgers, turns what could’ve been another conversational throwaway – “hey, wouldn’t it be great if I could personally get my favorite band back together?” – into a funny visual diary of his said crazy yet understandable quest.

Director Robert Patton-Spruill follows Edgers around as he makes phone calls, takes interviews, and neurotically obsesses over whether this is a worthwhile project. The object of his obsession is the rock band The Kinks, a band thought to be in the third tier after the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in terms of the 60’s British Invasion. The Kinks haven’t recorded or toured since the mid 90’s with infamous tales of sibling rivalry between the brothers Ray and Dave Davies being the suspected cause of their split after 32 years together.

Edgers, with his easy going charisma, breaks this down for us with clips, photos, and song snippets, but the title makes it clear that this is no band bio doc. That’s just background for Edgers’ quasi adventure that would definitely be a lot shorter if he was able to get Ray Davies on the phone right off the bat. Instead he goes to visit with Kinks influenced musicians including Robyn Hitchcock, Paul Weller (The Jam), and Peter Buck (R.E.M.). There’s a side gimmick to Edger’s premise, he tries to get these participants to sing a Kinks song with him.

Winding in and out of these interviews are bits of Edgers in mind numbing proof reading sessions at his newspaper gig and sulking as he discusses finances with his wife. Maybe, as some have said, these are the motions of a mid life crisis, but Edgers appears to know this and his enthusiasm and sense of humor overcomes this concern. Filmed on a ladder as he’s cleaning the gutters of his roof, Edgers complains about subpar bands that have reunited: “Styx, Flock of Seagulls, the fucking Eagles!” His disgust is amusing, yet moving – who hasn’t been pissed off at overflowing mediocrity while quality art is often hiding in obscurity. “Man, the Eagles!” Edgers says again, still cleaning out the rooting leaves from his roof’s gutter.

The film is packed with Kinks songs so if you don’t know them going in, you’re sure to have somewhat of an appreciation for them when you leave. Several of the interviewees refuse to sing along with Edgers, but Zooey Deschanel, Robyn Hitchcock, and Sting are game so loose charming versions of such classics as “You Really Got Me”, “Set Me Free”, “David Watts, and “Waterloo Sunset” are performed.

In a moment of desperation, when Ray Davies proves grandly elusive, Edgers flies to England to attend a Kinks convention at which the front man has been known to make surprise appearances. To go on further would be a Spoiler! – don’t get me wrong, one should know going in that Edgers doesn’t reunite the Kinks, but he does score an incredibly touching interview with a key player that puts his quest into perspective.

Edgers may go down in pop culture history as the biggest Kinks fan ever for this effort, which I bet he’d love, but there’s a lot more going on here. There’s an inspiring lesson about abandoning fear and focusing on one dream – no matter how impossible or stupid others may tell you it is. DO IT AGAIN is a delicious documentary that usurps the Michael Moore model of a one man mission movie to make something more personal and then rock out with it. It’s also the one documentary I demand to see a sequel to – I mean, the quest has just begun – right, Geoff?

Postnote: I should say that I’m a huge Kinks fan which makes me a bit biased here, but still think many will get a lot out of this film. Also, unlike writer and star Geoff Edgers, I actually saw the Kinks live back in 1993 at Rocky’s – a sports bar in Charlotte N.C. (!) Edgers told me he had a recording of this show in his collection – with hope one day he’ll make me a copy.

More later…

Full Frame Documentary Film Fest 2010: Day Two

After blogging about the first day of the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival I crashed into a deep slumber last night. So much so that I forgot to recharge both my cellphone and my camera’s batteries. Turns out that the only thing that really got recharged was me. Good thing too, because I had a particularly strong day of documentaries to take in. So let’s get to them:

CASINO JACK AND THE UNITED STATES OF MONEY (Dir. Alex Gibney, 2010) The twisted path that led lobbyist/businessman/sleazebag Jack Abramoff to his current incarceration is laid out thoroughly here by noted documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney (ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM, TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE, GONZO: THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR. HUNTER S. THOMPSON).

It’s a compelling story from Abramoff’s days as the Chairman of the College Republican National Committee, through his late 80’s production of the Dolph Lundgren action cheapie RED SCORPION (one of the funniest bits in the film) on to his tangled dealings with Chinese chop shops, Native American casinos, and cruise ships. We’re talking political corruption of the higest, er, lowest order.

Unfortunately this strong narrative is packaged in wrapping that makes it resemble a Michael Moore movie. Segments are punctuated with pop songs, scenes from classic films like MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON are too obviously interspersed throughout, and unnecessary computer animation polishes up photographs. It’s a shame because Gibney has used these types of embellishments sparingly, and successfully, before, but it’s as if he thought the material needed sexing up when it really doesn’t. However there’s enough pure infotainment here to justify its 2 hour running time (most of the docs I’ve seen at the fest clock in at 90 minutes).

NO CROSSOVER: THE TRIAL OF ALLEN IVERSON (Dir. Steve James, 2010) Not being a sports fan I didn’t know anything about this film going in, but I’m really glad I picked it. HOOP DREAMS director Steve James again turns to basketball with this exploration of the racial strife surrounding professional basketball player Allen Iverson. As a fan of Iverson, James is his opening narration asks the question: “Was he an icon who stayed true to his roots, or a thug in basketball shorts?”

Produced by ESPN for their 30 For 30 series, NO CROSSOVER gives us, via brief grainy indecipherable videotape, the tale of the 1993 bowling alley altercation that made Iverson a hugely divisive figure in the communities of Hampton, Virginia then shortly the rest of the country. Former coaches, team mates, family, and friends testify about the astounding skills and sometimes brutal attitude of the budding star creating fascinating contrasts of his character. After spending four months of a 15 year sentence in a cushy country club prison, Iverson returned to the game, but his transition has been heavily stunted by past demons as he’s gone from team to team.

James’ film asks the right questions, and even if it doesn’t come up with definitive answers it’s a pointed discussion starter of an engaging documentary.

DIRTY BUSINESS: CLEAN COAL AND THE BATTLE FOR OUR ENERGY FUTURE (Dir. Peter Bull, 2009)

I’ll never again think the same way about the concept of “clean coal” after this globe-trotting poli doc written, produced and directed by Peter Bull and narrated by writer Jeff Goodell. Just as scarily credible as AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, this film has a good balance of opposing point of views and a calm unpretentious tone.

The camera swoops over charred landscapes of once proud mountains blasted away by major coal companies, activists fight for limitations on greenhouse gasses, and several times from different voices comes the powerful argument that the secret long term costs will severely offset the cheapness of coal that corporations wish to still exploit. Not light viewing by any means, DIRTY BUSINESS is a sharply sobering and essential experience.

Okay! After hours of political corruption, racism, and the environment I was ready for a good ole rock doc. But wait, this is no ordinary ole rock doc at all!

DO IT AGAIN: ONE MAN’S QUEST TO REUNITE THE KINKS
(Dir. Robert Patton-Spruill, 2010) Being a huge fan of the The Kinks I’ve been anxiously awaiting this film for a while. The film focuses on Geoff Edgers – a Boston Globe reporter and author of a few children’s books -who decides to shake up his life and career by trying to get his favorite band back together.

Why? Because it’s needed he tells us more than once.

He sinks his life savings into the project and comes up with a hook for each interview he conducts on his way towards the seminal British band: he asks almost everybody he encounters to sing a Kinks song with him. Some like Sting, Zooey Deschanel, and Robyn Hitchcock go along with this resulting in enjoyable covers of such classics as “You Really Got Me”, “David Watts, and “Waterloo Sunset” (which most folks say is their favorite of their catalog).

It’s a crazy concept, but it works. It’s padded with great Kinks songs, footage, and video and Edgers has a nervy edge in attempting to reconcile his heroes (the estranged brothers Ray and Dave Davies) and at times he hilariously owns up to the possible shortcomings of his endeavor in a endearing manner. It’s not really a Spoiler! to say he doesn’t succeed in his quest, but it would be to tell you how close he actually gets. I can’t say if this movie would mean anything to folks unaware of The Kinks, yet I’ll guess that as a chronicle of a musical obsession, there’s plenty of relatable passion for anybody to chew on. Everybody’s a fan of something, but how many would go to these lengths? Nice to know there’s at least this guy.

After the movie a Kinks cover band from the Triangle area, The Kinksmen, played a sweet set of their best loved material including “Picture Book”, “I’m Not Like Everybody Else”, and “Low Budget”. They were accompanied for a few songs by Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple (The dB’s). Mitch Easter (Let’s Active, too many production credits to list) also joined in for a rousing rendition of “Til The End Of The Day”. It was such a cool thing to see this day of docs morph into a full throttle rock concert. Great way to end out the evening – which is what I got to do now. Another day of docs awaits tomorrow so sleep awaits momentarily. I bet I’ll sleep well tonight since I’m sure this time that all my devices are recharging.

More later…

The Beatles Music In The Movies (Not their own movies, mind you)

“My dear girl, there are some things that just aren’t done, such as drinking Dom Perignon ’53 above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s just as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs!” – James Bond (Sean Connery) GOLDFINGER (Dir. Guy Hamilton, 1964)As it has been well reported all over the internets the soon-to-be released ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (Dir. Julie Taymor, 2007) is fully comprised of Beatles music – all cover versions sung by the actors who all have names (Jude, Lucy, Lovely Rita, Jo Jo, Sadie, etc. – wait where’s Michelle?) based on Beatles songs in scenes thematically suggested by Beatles material – yep, the Fab Four through and through. I know Beatle fans who are opposed to the project – and yeah it looks like it could be cringe-inducingly cheesy but I’ll reserve judgement for now. In the meantime let’s take a look at the Beatles music as it has appeared in soundtracks in the almost 40 years since they disbanded.

The catalogue is mostly owned by Michael Jackson who after famously outbidding Paul McCartney for ownership of ATV Music Publishing in 1985 has angered hoards of Beatle purists time and time again. First with his licensing of “Revolution” for the Nike spots of the late 80’s and most recently for the currently running “All You Need Is Love” Luvs diaper ads. The use of an original Beatles recording in a movie can be incredibly expensive – that’s why so many covers have appeared throughout the years. Even the Simpsons had to resort to using a sound-alike cover band for a HARD DAY’S NIGHT parody scene. Actual Beatles music has appeared sporadically over these last several decades but that have been some notable uses in the movies starting with :

SHAMPOO (Dir. Hal Ashby, 1975) Set in 1968 with a soundtrack full of 60’s gold (Beach Boys, Jefferson Airplane, The Monkees, Simon & Garfunkel) 2 major Beatles tracks appear – “Sgt.Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band” and “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”. I guess the rights weren’t as expensive pre-Jackson era. Either that or Warren Beatty and Hal Ashby had more clout than previously believed. Check out this Shampoo Montage somebody made on YouTube to get some of the flavor of said film.

I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND (Dir. Robert Zemekis, 1978) There’s more than a little of that coming-of-age in a single day AMERICAN GRAFFITI thing going on here. With the premise that the single day in question is February 9th, 1964 – the Beatles’ Ed Sullivan American TV debut. An ensemble cast of teenage fans (including Nancy Allen, Wendie Jo Sperber, Bobby Di Cicco and Marc McClure) all scheme to get into CBS-TV Studio 50 to see the historic broadcast. The soundtrack of the film contains 17 Beatles songs (including “She Loves You” twice) and since, of course, none of the actual Beatles were involved – stand-ins were used as Wikipedia best puts it :

“Stand-in Beatle-look alike doubles, dressed in identical attire and holding the same type of musical instruments in a similar manner, were seen mimicking the group’s performance of the song from that show while being shown on the stage floor, albeit from a distance so as not to see their identities, while the actual footage of The Beatles on The Sullivan Show of 02/09/1964 was revealed from the camera operator’s point-of-view. These two elements were combined together, along with reactions from the studio audience to recreate a brilliant moment in time.”
A brilliant moment in time indeed. Sorry, just became James Lipton there. Incidently the IMDb doesn’t give credit to the stand-ins but this cool UHM post revealed that the “George” was filled in by monster mask-maker (he designed the Captain Kirk mask used in the HALLOWEEN movies), actor, and horror-movie director Bill Malone – seen above between director Zemekis on the right and an unknown “Lennon” on the left.

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP (Dir. George Roy Hill, 1982) In the opening credit sequence as “When I’m 64” plays a baby is bounced upwards into the clear blue sky in slow motion. McCartney’s soothing nursery rhyme vocal is perfectly suited here to the baby’s (Infant Garp credited to Brandon Roth – not to be confused with Brandon Routh – the new Superman) happy expressions. This may be the best and most original scene in the canon of Beatles-synched cinema. But, wait what about :

FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF (Dir. John Hughes, 1986) After somehow commandeering a parade float in downtown Chicago to lip synch to Wayne Newton’s “Danke Schoen” Ferris (Matthew Broderick) gets down to the Beatles cover of Phil Medley and Bert Russell’s immortal “Twist And Shout”. The entire crowd dances as a marching band provides horns that weren’t on the original recording. Despite the fact the song re-entered the charts at #21 that summer (also because of its use in the Rodney Dangerfield college comedy BACK TO SCHOOL) McCartney criticized the addition of horns to the track. Pretty picky Sir Paul – I mean it was a parade!

WITHNAIL & I (Dir. Bruce Robinson, 1987) Now is a good time to bring up George Harrison’s Handmade Films. Formed in the late 70’s to back Python related projects, Handmade made a handfull of interesting films in the 80’s and 90’s. One of the best was WITHNAIL & I – a hilarious cult classic mostly taking place around a country cottage with Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann at their tawdry best. At one point a portion of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” is heard – it’s safe to assume that since George was one of the producers it seems like this was probably given some kind of significant discount.

BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE (Dir. Michael Moore, 2002) Can see why Moore would pay the extra buck to get the original song – no other would do the same job. As I wrote in a post about Moore’s movies as a baby-boomer era hit song “The Beatles’ ‘Happiness Is A Warm Gun’ made an obvious point”. Lennon’s vicious vocal snarls in such a manner that benefits a montage of kids with guns, a blind man with an assault rifle, and a smattering of public execution-style killings.

Some Other Honorable Mentions in the Beatles Music in the Movies Sweepstakes :

COMING HOME (Dir. Hal Ashby, 1978) – “Hey Jude” and “Strawberry Fields Forever”.

MASK (Dir. Peter Bogdanavich, 1985) Although the soundtrack in this under rated biopic about Roy L. “Rocky” Denis (played by Eric Stoltz) who suffered from a cranial enlargening disease was dominated by Americana like Springsteen, Bob Seger, Gary U.S. Bonds, and even 4 Little Richard songs – there were 2 seminal Beatles standards present – “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and “Girl”.

FIVE CORNERS (Dir. Tony Bill, 1987) “In My Life” plays during the end credits – again, Harrison’s Handmade hook-up helped out. He was executive producer to be more exact.

PRICK UP YOUR EARS (Dir. Stephen Frears, 1987) – “A Day in the Life.”

CAN’T BUY ME LOVE (Dir. Steve Rash, 1987) Can’t remember what song was featured in this one but man I bet it was effective!

A BRONX TALE (Dir. Robert Deniro, 1993) An impressive – obviously Scorsese influenced (as if that’s a bad thing) soundtrack to Deniro’s directorial debut includes the Kinks, Wilson Pickett, Miles Davis, various Rat Packers, etc. But the inclusion of the original “Come Together” gives it full cinematic cred.

So – that’s all for now. One day I’ll get around to the Beatles covers in the movies – especially since ACROSS THE UNIVERSE adds to the universe of soundtracks full of Beatles covers like the infamous flop – SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND (I’ve given many shout outs to the Nathan Rabin’s Year Of Flops series but particularly his entry on Sgt. Pepper’s should not be ignored) and I AM SAM – a horrible movie but a good Beatles cover oriented soundtrack all the same.

More later…