MichaelFab
Joined Sep 2006
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Reviews28
MichaelFab's rating
I expected a little more, like the complete career of Led Zeppelin. But it is entertaining and worth seeing if you grew up listening to great rock music. Instead of seeing the full progression of the band through the 1970's, the film shows pre-formation of the four guys from childhood and their first performances. Most of the live footage uses studio recordings over it, but there is a lot to enjoy in this remarkable period of rock music.
By age 19, we see Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones had become solid, working session musicians in London's top recording studios.
Most interesting is rare film of Jones' early sessions. In a short time, he is a full-time working bassist. He could have stayed in that profession and recalls contemplating leaving solid employment to join these guys.
It has rare footage of one of the greatest rock drummers, John Bonham, up close. While they are recording their 1969 debut album, a camera is filming them in the studio, right over John's head. We come right up close to him as he lays down his massive kick drum beats.
Even Bonham's sound-check on-stage was a performance, attracting everyone working at the venue.
Robert Plant discusses disapproval of his parents of him giving up on college to be a singer, how he lived in poverty before he met Page. But when he sang, he had such a powerful voice and knew how to use it like an instrument.
We hear John Bonham talk about his experience through recorded audio.
Jones mentions another fact: Page and Peter Grant financed and produced Zeppelin's first album. They didn't need to pay producers and record executives, giving the band total control over their albums.
Their business skills led them to start up their own label, Swan Song, although the film doesn't cover that.
Page discusses his sound effects on "Whole Lotta Love" using electric guitar and amplifier feedback with engineer Eddie Kramer. Unfortunately, the film ends there, before their 3rd album.
It is an enjoyable film with rare footage, just not comprehensive.
By age 19, we see Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones had become solid, working session musicians in London's top recording studios.
Most interesting is rare film of Jones' early sessions. In a short time, he is a full-time working bassist. He could have stayed in that profession and recalls contemplating leaving solid employment to join these guys.
It has rare footage of one of the greatest rock drummers, John Bonham, up close. While they are recording their 1969 debut album, a camera is filming them in the studio, right over John's head. We come right up close to him as he lays down his massive kick drum beats.
Even Bonham's sound-check on-stage was a performance, attracting everyone working at the venue.
Robert Plant discusses disapproval of his parents of him giving up on college to be a singer, how he lived in poverty before he met Page. But when he sang, he had such a powerful voice and knew how to use it like an instrument.
We hear John Bonham talk about his experience through recorded audio.
Jones mentions another fact: Page and Peter Grant financed and produced Zeppelin's first album. They didn't need to pay producers and record executives, giving the band total control over their albums.
Their business skills led them to start up their own label, Swan Song, although the film doesn't cover that.
Page discusses his sound effects on "Whole Lotta Love" using electric guitar and amplifier feedback with engineer Eddie Kramer. Unfortunately, the film ends there, before their 3rd album.
It is an enjoyable film with rare footage, just not comprehensive.
September 5 is a taut, anxious little thriller about the 1972 incident when the ABC Sports crew was covering the Olympics in Germany.
At 95 minutes, in a small setting and much smaller budget, September 5 manages to wrap us in a chilling situation, vastly better than the boring "Munich," at twice the run-time and budget.
The details of 1972 are very realistic in this film. Besides hairstyles and wardrobe, the technical equipment, the look inside a television control room, communication devices like telephones and 2-way radios, puts us right there at that time before advanced electronics.
At one point a technician unscrews a phone receiver and wires it into a walkie-talkie with Peter Jennings's voice in it, reporting from out in the field.
The archival footage of Jim McKay and audio of Jennings is mixed into the film very effectively as if they are all there together, not thrown in there for effect.
Because of the lack of technology and communication devices then, it feels like we are locked in that little studio with them. When the director and producer are forced to make split-second choices, we are gripping our seats anticipating their decisions, which will change the methods of live TV news coverage.
The writing, directing, casting, and mostly the set design is outstanding. Peter Sarsgaard again gives a powerful performance with his usual understated style.
I never felt a fragment of this tension when I saw Munich in 2006. By comparison, that film was unfocused and convoluted, not engaged with the predicament the hostages and reporters. (in my opinion, of course.)
At 95 minutes, in a small setting and much smaller budget, September 5 manages to wrap us in a chilling situation, vastly better than the boring "Munich," at twice the run-time and budget.
The details of 1972 are very realistic in this film. Besides hairstyles and wardrobe, the technical equipment, the look inside a television control room, communication devices like telephones and 2-way radios, puts us right there at that time before advanced electronics.
At one point a technician unscrews a phone receiver and wires it into a walkie-talkie with Peter Jennings's voice in it, reporting from out in the field.
The archival footage of Jim McKay and audio of Jennings is mixed into the film very effectively as if they are all there together, not thrown in there for effect.
Because of the lack of technology and communication devices then, it feels like we are locked in that little studio with them. When the director and producer are forced to make split-second choices, we are gripping our seats anticipating their decisions, which will change the methods of live TV news coverage.
The writing, directing, casting, and mostly the set design is outstanding. Peter Sarsgaard again gives a powerful performance with his usual understated style.
I never felt a fragment of this tension when I saw Munich in 2006. By comparison, that film was unfocused and convoluted, not engaged with the predicament the hostages and reporters. (in my opinion, of course.)
Loose, pretentious depiction of what may have happened early 60's Greenwich Village. Worth seeing for the good music.
Growing up to pop music, listening to albums, reading books and articles about the scene, I saw through the imitation of people around the music in A Complete Unknown.
Pop biographies like this are made for a younger audience who won't notice inaccurate and overdramatic representations of artists and their colleagues.
And why are the supporting cast in music bio films so angry, eccentric, yelling and fighting, for entertainment purposes.
A Complete Unknown is well-made, with a nice image of early 1960's and the sound of the American folk music revival period. If anything, see it for the music.
But biopics like this take people who worked in the business and turn them into caricatures.
In one scene, Dylan enters a recording studio and one musician says "How you doing I'm Al Kooper. That's Mike Bloomfield on guitar over there." The movie doesn't tell us who they are. And if you know who they are, like me, you wish they would enlighten the audience a little. The mimicry becomes annoying.
Why not make an informative movie about the music generation and the people who worked in it. Show us who they are and why they are important.
Complete Unknown throws a bunch of names and events at you with no background. Younger people won't know who they are watching.
There's a replica of Woody Guthrie and Boyd Holbrook pretends to be Johnny Cash. Dylan's first manager Victor Maymudes, a big part of his career, is not included.
Then there's the angry Joan Baez character, bitter at him for no reason. The film turns their turbulent relationship into a parody. We don't learn how they met, how she started his career, only the conflict.
Ed Norton is a phenomenal actor, but the movie reduces Seeger from a heavy activist and protester (even Communist member) into a kind-hearted mentor who says he was "arrested for singing."
Growing up to pop music, listening to albums, reading books and articles about the scene, I saw through the imitation of people around the music in A Complete Unknown.
Pop biographies like this are made for a younger audience who won't notice inaccurate and overdramatic representations of artists and their colleagues.
And why are the supporting cast in music bio films so angry, eccentric, yelling and fighting, for entertainment purposes.
A Complete Unknown is well-made, with a nice image of early 1960's and the sound of the American folk music revival period. If anything, see it for the music.
But biopics like this take people who worked in the business and turn them into caricatures.
In one scene, Dylan enters a recording studio and one musician says "How you doing I'm Al Kooper. That's Mike Bloomfield on guitar over there." The movie doesn't tell us who they are. And if you know who they are, like me, you wish they would enlighten the audience a little. The mimicry becomes annoying.
Why not make an informative movie about the music generation and the people who worked in it. Show us who they are and why they are important.
Complete Unknown throws a bunch of names and events at you with no background. Younger people won't know who they are watching.
There's a replica of Woody Guthrie and Boyd Holbrook pretends to be Johnny Cash. Dylan's first manager Victor Maymudes, a big part of his career, is not included.
Then there's the angry Joan Baez character, bitter at him for no reason. The film turns their turbulent relationship into a parody. We don't learn how they met, how she started his career, only the conflict.
Ed Norton is a phenomenal actor, but the movie reduces Seeger from a heavy activist and protester (even Communist member) into a kind-hearted mentor who says he was "arrested for singing."