So, as guessed by the dead giveaway trailer, the Bruce MacDonald film 'This Movie is Broken,' is filled with angst and young love.
I have to give it to them, the film mashes together the film and dialogue. It follows a couple's beginnings at the 2009 Broken Social Scene gig at Harbourfront. It captures a a beautiful beginning of July day in the heart of the Toronto garbage strike of '09. I admire the film's bold stance maintaining Toronto's catastrophic state. It is literally an homage to Toronto in piles of garbage.
The film begins with a flashy Broken Social Scene intro with "Almost Crimes." All the women are out - Feist, Emily Haines, Amy Millan and Lisa Lobsinger. Lobsinger, the only 'real' female member of the band now, took a backseat - really only captured singing in two or three songs. The intro was a bit interesting, it serves to piece together a purpose for the film. Each of the members of the band are introduced in big, orange writing, one by one.
For that inclusive reason, I kept thinking how much this approach reminded me of the Band's epic finale 'The Last Waltz.' Other performers were there - paying tribute and jamming with the Band. In a way, this film did the exact same thing. The outer crust members of the band who were lost in the band's 2010 fine tuning (to only seven members!) were featured in this film. Full 'crust' member Broken songs were featured - "I'll Bring the Sun" by Jason Collett, with a brilliant jam ending, a Kevin Drew song, a Brendan Canning song and even a medley of Feist and Kevin Drew songs.
This is a clip of "I'll Bring the Sun" off of his legendary album 'Idols of Exile.' Apparently, earlier that night Collett had opened for Steve Earle at Massey Hall. The person who posted that video commented how he or she had been first introduced to Jason Collett in 2004 at Harbourfront. I think it was 2005/6 that I saw him and very likely that person did too (despite what they claimed). I was still in high school and still sneaking into Collett shows with an ID that barely resembled me.
After playing "I'll Bring the Sun" the band jammed into the Guided By Voice's tune "Glad Girls."
Apostle of Hustle's "Soul Unwind" was played at the show but left out of the film.
The medley kept me on edge because I really adore the things that Feist does to a song. The medley consisted of Drew's "Safety Bricks," and Feist's "Past in Present" and "I Feel it All."
Drew's "Safety Bricks":
Feist and Drew playing "Safety Bricks":
I missed the show, due to a family wake on the other side of the country. Watching such a rich concert in my city really broke my heart a bit. The love story accompanied just served to bash it a little more. The films hopeful storyline portrays two attractive twentysomethings that have mysterouslsy found themselves together. They aren't in love, but they definitely have some kind of relationship going for them. Basically, they serve to represent the average Broken fan, which builds to make the story all the more believable.
MacDonald really shaped the storyline and music well together. I really dug the way he could just shut out the storyline for sake of the live performance, very seamlessly. I gave a lot of consideration to why certian songs were selected. They really emphasised the 'crust' Broken projects - including members from the past or occasional Broken Social Scenesters. Perhaps more simply thinking it was just a case of MacDonald chosing to follow a good show, where everyone showed up.
No, I doubt that's the case. Although we came pretty close at the island show this past weekend.
This movie was really rough to watch, because of its flashy images and quick flips. It was a typical Bruce MacDonald head bender. I kept thinking back to how scatterbrained I was throughout the Tracy Fragments. This film is challenging because he goes beyond music and uses the sequence and pace of an image to frame a scene. For instance, he'd take a single moment and twist it into three or four images, very strategically placed together.
The catchlines of this film were a bit ridiculous... "Love is instrumental" and "A Rock show romance" enough to make you think the band's selling out.
The ended the show with "7/4 (Shoreline)" emphasised a bunch in the film.
"Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl"
This bit below captures what the movie's beginning documentary type feel. It felt less like a story and more like a tribute documentary to Toronto.
Another thing that was left out of the film was a serious tribute to DJ Martin Streek who took his life earlier that year. They played the tune "Meet Me in the Basement" in rememberance of him. The movie cut out this tribute but kept the song in it.
I love love love the tune "The Sweetest Kill," which finally made it on a Broken album. Did not make the film.
Amazingly near the beginning of the film "Pacific Theme" was performed! I don't think I have ever heard this song live until the film.
They really emphasised good friends and music... At the very end of the film and the performance they all linked together and sang "You've Got a Friend" originally done by Carole King on her perfect album 'Tapestry.'
"You just call out my name, you know i'll come running to see you again" was featured I think... Drew likes to end on a sappy note, he even penned a song to mirror this sort of feeling. The band similarly ended with the lines by Drew himself - "It's gonna be really hard to get to the end... and Don't forget what you felt" in the tune "When it Begins" off of his album 'Spirit If...'
I have been thinking a bit about how i initially pieced together my thoughts. Not much has changed, but in posting all of the videos that were not captured in the film misses a lot of the actual show. MacDonald has essentially made the show he wanted to combine with the storyline. MacDonald did the thinking for you.
ReplyDeleteThis is not why I want to see a concert film. I don't think this can possibly be considered a 'concert film.'
In looking up all the Youtube videos all I can think of is that I really want to see the concert in its entirity. I wish I was at that show. However, it was not the love story that made me want to be there, or the character's acting, it was seeing all the bits that MacDonald didn't show in his film.
The Johnathan Demme film 'Stop Making Sense' is so remarkable because it follows the show. Although there is very little audience involvement included - it is the show you're watching on your TV at home. It's a live show inteneded to be watched and enjoyed for the music. Viewers are free to form their own ideas and thoughts of the music in front.
'This Movie is Broken' robs the viewers of this. I know I have already made reference to this in a former post but as much as I enjoy the emotional male lead I am completely robbed of forming my own purpose for the music.
So consequently, this film is not a concert film. Perhaps it is closer to a 'rock show romance.'
At another angle, I think this film is absolutely impressive. The odds are most of the viewers are in their twenties, looking for love and listening to Broken Social Scene along the way. Fair, but I think that's thinking very little of the fans of Broken Social Scene. I can't think of a band who has done this in the past. This film made sense of the music and culture that follow the band. It takes a real approach to the music. Unlike the Beatles, who made cheesy stories with the music - 'Help!', and Ringo's ring.
I personally like the Rolling Stones' approach to film. I had a serious kick where I tried to tackle their catalogue last fall -
I started with the Maysles 'Gimme Shelter' (1970) where they hired the Hell's Angels to guard their show that was in response to Woodstock (as they did not play it!).
I moved on to the odd Godard film 'Sympathy for the Devil' (1968). Without connecting the fact that Godard made the film, I was extremely surprised by its content. It was in whole the song "Sympathy for the Devil."
I also heard about the hard to find film 'Cocksucker Blues' which isn't officially a Stones film. It's a documentary by Robert Frank following their 1972 tour. It is not legally allowed to be shown unless Frank is present at the screening. Apparently, the band, especially Jagger was portrayed poorly (or perhaps as they really are!). It played at the Cineforum, but I really need to get looking for a copy.
OK a bit of a tangent, but my point was that this film is different because it capitalises on the hearts of twentysomethings, while pleasing them musically. I personally felt no affinity towards the characters, but the plot is subtle at times and others being brassy and bold.
The music definitely saves this film.
Correction: the tune "The Sweetest Kill" was featured in the film.
ReplyDeleteAnd how great is the Kevin Drew/Leslie Feist medley?
Is the band "selling out" or "cashing in"?
ReplyDeleteIs there a difference between the two?