The History of Future Folk

Considering that this film is about two men from the planet Hondo who both love music and are carrying a virus bomb that could wipe out the planet, you know it's NOT a normal movie for normal folks! Add to that Dee Snider (of Twister Sister fame) and the film is sure to raise a few eyebrows! It's weird, it's cheaply made and it's well worth seeing IF you are the sort of person that is looking for something different and can look past the film's shortcomings. After all, it was apparently made on a shoestring budget with actors you've probably never seen before this film.

Nils d'Aulaire plays Bill--a seemingly normal guy. However, as the camera follows him during a typical day, you can see the guy isn't 100% typical. First, he travels an hour and a half from Brooklyn to Long Island to work as a janitor at the Cradle of Aviation Center (an air and space museum). Second, he plays music in a small club dressed in some sort of cheesy space suit--with a helmet that looks like a bucket! And, during this act he refers to himself as 'General Titus' and talks of coming from the planet Hondo!! And, you wonder WHICH of the two personas is the real guy--or, perhaps, neither. I could say a lot more about the movie but I think it would spoil it. Needless to say, it is very strange yet quite enjoyable--particularly when his new friend, Kevin, arrives.

This is one of the more difficult to explain films I have ever seen. It practically defied words and is not a film that you've seen before--and this is, to me, what I really liked about the film. Too often, movies have the same old themes repeated again and again--but this one manages to be quite different and fun even with a micro-budget.

A fun watch, probably not something I'd watch again. Had some some cute moments, and an interesting premise. I did like the cheesy costumes and jokes. Definitely worth spending the hour and half or so on the couch with some popcorn. And a small part by Dee Snider.

Can a war-mongering general from the Planet Hondo give up his planet-dominating ways, and find family, folk music and friendship on Earth? I started to watch this film with the hammer of judgement in my right hand, a tool reserved for meting out justice to low-budget movies that arrive direct-to-video with little fanfare. For once, the hammer remained suspended. This films is amusing, engaging, well-acted and never attempts to over-reach its modest ambitions or available resources. I was waiting for the discordant moment that usually blemishes films such as this, but it never arrived. The music performed by Future Folk ain't half-bad either.

I had never heard of this film, until a friend just mentioned I should see it. I'm so glad I did; it's just lovely; part children's film and bedtime story, part fantasy biopic of NYC Bluegrass band Future Folk (I assume fantasy!) and also a low budget but well produced/directed, uplifting sci-fi film. I would recommend for anyone who likes gentle comedy and a rather sweet storyline about music, what's great about humans and saving the planet (planets, more accurately; Hondo and Earth!)

Firstly, the music in this film is brilliant. The medley of music that General Trius plays for Kevin when he first arrives is incredibly accomplished, and I was gripped from then on. I admit that a bit before that I was "What on earth is going on here!?" as I had no preconceived ideas/awareness of the film. It is simply filmed, as I said low budget, no bells and whistles but everything that is SFX whilst simple is effective and the film meanders along from a babbling brook to a decent sized river at the end when the action heats up reminiscent of good (cheesy) 80s sci-fi but more up to date, and 50s band/musician/star vehicles. But for all the simplicity and lack of budget it is very professionally done.

The lead Nils d'Aulaire (General Trius/Bill) is gorgeous and compelling, elegant and just super cute with his daughter Wren, played by Onata Aprile, who isn't the best child actress I've ever seen but was good and there was great chemistry between her and d'Aulaire. D'Aulaire is only listed as being part of this project so far on IMDb but Jay Klaitz who played Kevin, the second alien from Hondo is known for more and his acting was more fluid and more in the style of mainstream-film; he was funny, the "plucky comic relief" with d'Aulaire being the brains and the action, and his scenes were possibly the most entertaining. The best scene was without doubt the fight/dance scene - d'Aulaire's physicality and strength in a convincingly choreographed fight interposed with Klaitz's surprise demonstration of some quite elegant passionate Tango, also well choreographed, with April L Hernandez as Carmen the cop, earthling love interest. Bill's wife Holly was played by familiar face Julie Ann Emery and she seemed comfortable in the role, and well cast as the earthling who stole his heart/groupie.

Overall, an uplifting satisfying film. Gentle, sweet, funny without anything shocking or gratuitous, suitable for the whole family but entertaining and enjoyable. It's a good film, in terms of moral content and also feel-good factor. Well worth the view. Recommend.

This is a charming little indie feature about the two human look like aliens from the planet Hondo. They sent on the mission to find an alternate home to quit from their dying planet. But soon they fall in love with the greatest human invention, music. They forget about what they have come and adopt the Earth's atmosphere and human life style.

Definitely a low budget movie and sometime scenes with no logic. A perfect entertainer to someone who familiar with a B movie. They used a minimal quantity of tools like cast, graphics and the locations including simple costumes but there were no limitation of the imagination. It is not suitable for who always look for a perfect sense, other than that it is very enjoyable.

The movie was short and sweet . No surprise twists, the end was very plain but somehow it satisfies. As I said 'The History of Future Folk' is not a crowd puller, there are few people who know well second stream movies will enjoy it.

7/10