Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story

This was absolutely fantastic. One of the best documentaries I've seen in ages. Certainly one of the best about music. I tried to find more info about the flick, but there's just one PBS interview with the filmmaker. So definitely clue into this if you dig on quirky, honest filmmakers like Les Blank or Ross McElwee. The work is warm and respectful and revealing. Everything a cultural doc should be. Sometimes it seems to come dangerously close to mocking its subjects but then a humanist beat equalizes everything and film skirts back into a position of measured observation. As far as I'm concerned this is up there with "Sweet Grass", "Grey Gardens", "Gimme Shelter", "Sherman's March" and "Harland County, USA". It's just that good.

Here's a little documentary you don't know, about a subject you've never heard of. And, man, it couldn't be better! Everyone has seen the suspicious ads in the back of magazines that look like schemes for separating a sap from his cash. Ads that want you to send in cash in order to print your book, song, whatever. Off the Charts is about those little companies and the people that send material to them. Song-Poems, those companies call them; God-awful, most everyone else calls them; downright entertaining is what I call this movie. These horrible little songs that people send in have charm and personality. There is also a certain sadness to the entire situation -- of people who are in limited situations sending out for impossible dreams, completely unaware of how bad the lyrics they are sending away. Or maybe, most who use these services do it just because they want to hear their own song, no dream of riches, no manipulation involved, just having fun making music. Either way, these Song-Poems are awesome. If you can get your hands on this film, give it a spin. It is full of quirk and will definitely put a smile on your face. And after all, that's what entertainment's for.

This film has a lot to say about America, and Americans, at their most sad and most hopeful.

The song poem industry can be taken as a metaphor for show business as a whole, or at least most Americans' relationship to it.

The most telling thing about the reactions from the aspiring songwriters is not that they feel ripped-off by cynical hucksters. In fact, they have the opposite reaction, mostly. They remain optimistic and continue to cradle the American Dream to their hearts. They're lovely people, and very, deeply American, even if you do want to slap them around so they wake up to reality. But then again, why shatter their dreams?

A highly, highly recommended documentary. Especially good for fans of popular music or record collectors.

Must be seen (or heard) to be believed. The premise is simple: Know those little ads in the back of magazines that claim they can turn a poem or poetry and a couple of bucks into a CD of full-fledged pop song(s)? This documentary profiles the people who write the lyrics (from all over our twisted, twisted nation) and compose the music (session musician burnouts who compose these songs off the top of the head in about 5 minutes).

"Non-Violent Taekwondo Troopers," to cite one example of the many songs featured in this documentary, would be kind of frightening and creepy if it weren't so chock full of non- sequiturs and flat-out funny lyrics-- kung-fu bicycles harnessing the power of Priscilla Presley and all.

If you think the songs are weird, just wait until you see the actual songwriters in the documentary. Their misguided musical dreams and charming idiosyncrasies make this documentary what it is.

Oh, and the DVD extras just add to the bizarre programming. It can hardly even be described. Just somehow rent or buy it and watch. Just watch.

My favorite documentaries are ones that peek into peoples lives in a way that is totally revealing, non-judgmental, but nonetheless incredibly entertaining. This documentary pays out on all fronts. The focus is on people all over the country who mail in their poem/songs and have them put to music for a fee. Some dream of hitting it big, but most seem happy to just have their words put to music and actually recorded. I really liked the filmmakers treating the subjects with such authenticity. Many small-town Americana type folks who personify what are inexplicably the nooks and crannies of American culture. I loved it and if you like quirky, Errol Morris type documentaries you'll find this entertaining.