Brain Fertilizer

Okay, I'm boycotting Hollywood. I offer a clarification: there are exceptions to any sweeping I might care to make. Thus, not every Hollywood movie exemplifies a "throw away quality to appeal to lowest common denominator to make a buck" mentality. Not every Hollywood movie uses eye candy to titillate and seduce into lower moral standards. Not every Hollywood movie is a waste of time. Not every Hollywood movie corrupts or modifies classic stories.

However, all these trends together are enough to make me swear off of Hollywood, and refuse to support them. Additionally, I refuse to even sponge off the system by watching pirated versions.

All that being said, I guess I'm willing to bend my rules enough to check out a good movie from the library. I did just that with A Mighty Wind.*

This is an excellent, top-notch movie. The music was amazingly good, especially considering that it was all written and performed by the actual actors you see. I am stunned by the quality of Eugene Levy's singing voice, and when Katherine O'Hara joins in....they did some stuff as good as the Indigo Girls, IMHO. I absolutely love the song "When You're Next To Me". I've transcribed it and at some point will record it with me performing.

I am not what you would call a folk music fan. I ended up with a decent emotional connection to the movie, however, because I grew up listening to the New Christy Minstrels' Christmas album that the New Main Street Singers were emulating, because I've heard of the Kingston Trio (and love the musical synergy of the Guest/McKean/Shearer trio playing them), and the harmonies of Mitch and Mickey. In their music, I could clearly hear the same approach to duet singing that I adore in the Indigo Girls. Though, to be honest, I have no idea who Mitch and Mickey were supposed to be representing...

Two complaints about the movie:
1) Even in a quality Christopher Guest improv film, they had to include some absolutely unnecessary lowbrow humor, when a couple (clear implication of a prostitute and John**) in Mitch's hotel had loud intercourse. I consider it unnecessary because it is such a stale joke, and also because Mitch's hotel wasn't an obvious dive. The room was rather clean and looked like your average Regal 8 to me.
2) One bit of improv went flat, when the Folksmen were revealing why some of their albums had difficulty gaining wide acceptance, and Michael said they put the albums out without holes in the center. That prompted Harry to say that the album would teeter on top of the turnstile, but then Michael interrupted and and said No, you had to cut your own... Guys, that was just stupid. It should have ended up on the cutting room floor.

On the other hand, the riff they did on the "Nonny Nonny No Nonny Yo" was truly hilarious, I thought. And the "Never Did No Wanderin' After All" is a great parody of folk music, methinks.

An excellent movie. I may end up having to buy this one on DVD...

*which includes the classic double entendre: "It's blowing you and it's blowing me."

**No indication whether it was Kerry or Edwards or even another John entirely.