Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage

I only "discovered" RUSH 3 short months ago. Before seeing this documentary, I was aware of the few RUSH songs I'd heard on radio - but I would never have name checked them as a great rock band.

In the short time since then (a period during which I have picked up almost all their CDs), RUSH has displaced the Beatles as my favourite band of all time. I assure you that's no small feat - I remain one of the most avid Beatles fans you will ever encounter. This said, if you love the Beatles, you won't necessarily love RUSH - and unlike the almost universally appealing Beatles, RUSH's music seems to be a love it or hate it affair.

RUSH has many different styles and eras to their vast repertoire of songs, and their level of musicianship is without parallel. It's rarely "conventional" rock, but that's what makes it so interesting.

To date, Rush has 24 gold records, 14 of which are platinum (3 multi-platinum). That places them third behind The Beatles and The Rolling Stones for the most consecutive gold or platinum albums by any rock band. Amazingly, they've achieved that distinction with comparatively little radio support. This documentary provides insights into how word-of-mouth made that happen one fan at a time.

A key strength of this documentary is highlighting the significance of Neil Peart's lyrics as well as it does. I appreciate the written word, and never have I come across musicians whose artistry fuses music and lyrics so well.

This film (and RUSH's music generally) is highly recommended to anyone who appreciates intelligent lyrics, highly crafted musical artistry and exceptionally good music.

This film does a good job of presenting and explaining what Rush is all about, and how the group has earned respect from fans, producers, DJs and other musicians (just not critics). Not quite hagiography, as it quotes some of the negative reviews and the band's own dissatisfaction with some of their albums or directions or even wardrobe choices.

Unlike the filmmakers' heavy metal survey films (Headbanger's Journey and Global Metal), in this film Dunn is never on screen and is only heard once or twice asking questions of interview subjects. The spotlight (or limelight) is clearly placed on the band - this is a straight-up documentary, without dwelling on a fan's relationship to a band or genre. As in previous films by this team, the interviews with a surprisingly wide variety of subjects provide much of the meat of this film, giving a broad perspective and keeping it from having too much of a narrow viewpoint. Of course at least half the interviews are with Rush members themselves. You get a real sense of the men behind the music, including their relationships to each other, family, other musicians, and fans.

A special aspect is some great earlier footage, even from family discussions while they were still in high school. There are also some powerful landscape shots while exploring Peart's response to deaths in his immediate family. And the examination of the song-writing process, including shots of original hand-written lyrics drafts, provides good value for viewers.

Overall, a well-made film that does justice to the topic. Not as poignant or story-arced as Anvil: the Story of Anvil, this film has a more successful subject and didn't need to become a real-life Spinal Tap to make a interesting watch.

Having gone through all my adult life enjoying the music from this band, this DVD was an awesome find ! Not so many years ago, you'd have to order and wait a long time for your record to arrive here in Australia, especially from an "underground"(?) band like RUSH. 3-6 months was not an unusual time-frame to receive your RUSH record, and you were thrilled when it arrived, and spellbound by the musicianship it displayed, only then to wonder in awe at how only 3 musicians managed to achieve this unbelievable music. I've seen a few DVD's featuring RUSH in concert, and these only confirmed or enhanced the immense respect I already had for these guys, as they are amazing... This particular movie is like nothing I've ever seen before, as it goes back to the very start with interviews of everyones family members (read parent's !), and leaves you feeling very much like one of the family, especially after these guys already being a big-part of my life for over 30 years. It flows very well from the very early High-school days etc to include current perspectives of each phase of their career as expressed by each band member.I never got bored once at all watching the 2-disc set, and still wanted more after viewing them in succession.It's better to watch it for yourself, but anybody would find this movie very-well-made and very entertaining, with plenty of rare live footage of a pretty good sound quality and picture, especially when one considers that some of it is nearly 40 years old. The talent that these guys had even as teenagers has to be seen to be believed, and leaves me humbled in knowing that after so many years, the band is still an incredible vital life force for great music. Possibly the best part was being able sit down, drink some wine, enjoy a great meal, and have a laugh with some dear friends. You don't know what I'm talking about ? You'll never know if you don't watch it !

It is a very well directed and edited collection. Home movie footage of Alex and Geddy as kids all the way to interviews from the Snakes and Arrows tour put the bands personalities and philosophies to the forefront. Fans will feel like they know these guys. There is much humor with the occasional sobering aside. People who barely know Rush's music will probably get converted. There isn't a lot of technical discussion (equipment, technique). Most people who contribute commentary have worked with them in some capacity. "Celebrity" fans are mostly from the heavy metal camp. The Grace Under Pressure to Roll The Bones era is covered the least (which will make many happy). It was awesome! See it in a theater if given a chance.

It is about bloody time someone turned the microscope on this band, and this documentary ably rides the line between investigation and glowing tribute. In an attempt to examine what makes Rush a noteworthy band (and why it took 40 flippin' years to gain mainstream acceptance), the filmmakers line up interviews from all walks of music; from Jack Black and Gene Simmons, to Billy Corgan and Trent Reznor.

And every phase of the group's evolution is paid attention, be it the humble beginnings in a Toronto suburb or the prog and synth eras of the late '70s and '80s. The many celebrities interviewed shed light on what captivated them when they became fans and what it is that makes Rush so hard to define and properly market.

It's a highly watchable documentary and as polished as the power trio is musically proficient. Just incredibly engaging and, most importantly, as comprehensive as they come.

9/10