The History of Future Folk

Fun, original, involving, if sometimes cheesy... but all worked great in this farce. Great music, too. I really enjoyed it.

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.

This fantastic movie was just a blindfolded dart shot for me. I happened to watch this and find that it is a great movie and a great experience.

In the beginning of the movie I was taken in by the unhurried tempo of the acting and directing. I was drawn in by the fact that I didn't really know if the story being told by the father was true or a mere bed time fantasy told to lull his daughter to sleep. that tempo would not have been enough to keep me watching, even with the strong but wonderfully subdued acting performance of Nils d'Aulaire, who played Bill / General Trius. I had never seen this actor before and he seems to have only three credits to his name, two as a composer and, yes you guessed it, one as an actor. It did sadden me a little. I would liked to have seen more of him.

His wife,Holly, played by Julie Ann Emery and daughter, Wren, played by Onata Aprile both gave outstandingly solid and understated performances that did what they seemed to need to do give a realistic feeling of a family nearing some precipice in the relationship between the mother and father. They are great ensemble actors giving the movie a solid more realistic feel. which was I think necessary considering the fantastic nature of the subject matter.

When I first saw Bill on stage and he performs his first song accompanying himself on the banjo I found myself hook in mouth sold. The music is lovely, the style, the lyrics and Nils d'Aulaire voice all combined to mesmerize me.

To this point in the movie I have enjoyed it but then another, over weight, eyeglass wearing "Alien?" is sent from Bills planet to help bill finish the job he was initially sent to do, prepare the earth for colonization. After the arrival of the Mighty Kevin, played by Jay Klaitz, the movie becomes exponentially more fun. Keven can seem to do nothing that doesn't make me laugh.

This movie is a gem. Making subtle statements about the things that make us human, good and bad.

I started watching this with no preconceived idea of the story, the director or the actors. But all of them shined. Give this movie an opportunity and you will be rewarded.

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.

I just finished watching this on Netflix today, 1/2/22. Although the film has obvious production value issues it has an undeniable quality to it that most films lack. It is a complete story. It has a beginning, middle and end. It may be predictable and somewhat unoriginal as a sci-fi film. The special effects are nothing special. Not everyone is a name actor with impeccable skills and exceptional beauty. They obviously didn't have the budget to produce the most crisp cinematography.....BUT, as the story puts forth, music saves all. No I am NOT a folk enthusiast but there is an artistry, a sense of humor and warmth to the story and music. The best comparison? The first thing that comes to mind is Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny which had more money in it's production budget but similarly hokey or dated special effects that added to the humor and appreciation of the music. The History of Future Folk is not rated, and in this case is more suitable to general audiences with maybe a not toward PG here and there whereas Pick of Destiny is rated R. Admittedly, Future Folk may not be to everyone's taste and certainly don't expect to be dazzled by eye candy special effects but it really is a well done, feel good story that entertains. You really could see a lot worse. I know I certainly have.

I use to work in film and television in a number of capacities. None of the films or tv shows I worked on were much good and definitely nothing I felt proud to be a part of working on other than a paycheck. I think I would have felt differently working on this movie. Watch it if you have an interest in music, watch it for it's light quirky humor, watch it if you like Tenacious D, watch it you want to see something with your kids, watch it if you want to see an honest, feel good story that isn't taxing at all.