A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: A Mighty Wind

Date Viewed: 4/19/03

Details:

Christopher Guest

Eugene Levy

Michael McKean

Bob Balaban

Ed Begley Jr.

John Michael Higgins

Jane Lynch

Parker Posey

Harry Shearer

Freda Foh Shen

Director: Christopher Guest

Written by: Christopher Guest & Eugene Levy

Original music by: Christopher Guest, John Michael Higgins, Eugene Levy, Michael McKean, Catherine O'Hara, Annette O'Toole, Harry Shearer, Jeffrey C.J. Vanston

Score: +

The Review: For all those boomers whose memories of the 50's and 60's included innumerable folk singers, earnest folk groups, and the gentle buzz of song -- this will be a walk on the nostalgic side. A walk well worth taking, for it is a hoot to boot.

More to the point, the contributors absolutely nailed both the songs and the spirit! Perhaps it was just the audience in the theatre for my showing, but they were singing along. I was singing along -- to songs we've never heard before, and words we've never read before. But folk has its own formula, and we were caught up in the spirit. And I had a silly grin on my face all the way home.

The skeleton of Mighty Wind is organized around the death of a well-beloved folk music producer, and the memorial concert that is assembled in his honor. Some of the old crew is dragged out of some very reluctant woodwork, others have reconvened as the "New" Main Street Singers, and at least one folk duo has to be convinced to perform again in public, after a very public split. Since this is all being rushed together in two weeks, the sense of urgency and chaos does more than peek through. All the characters are quirky, many are funny, a few seem in a permanent drug haze, and some are just plain strange.

The details were well attended to, and great fun. Memories from the 50's and 60's include curious performing group names, period photos (often B&W), embarrassing album covers, film clips, and some wonderfully creative songs, songs that never existed but which sound authentic and have some of the power of the actual folk movement. And whoever assembled all this was having a tremendous amount of fun. For example, what was special about The Folksmen's recordings? Well, at one time, "they were pressed with no holes" -- just an example of the dopey fun you're sure to encounter. You'll also run up against remnants of the 60's love generation (in a variety of guises), retreads (or is it reformed) from the street, some rather bizarre pseudo-religious mystical rituals direct from the spooky West Coast ("our god is Color, in the 49th dimension"), and some good character names (think about it).

Christopher Guest put together an excellent ensemble cast, many of whom he's worked with in the past, and some new blood. The pseudo-documentary style will be familiar to fans of Spinal Tap, and Best in Show; it worked for me, but was off-putting for others. All told, this is rousing good fun, and recommended.

(26-Apr-03)

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