Greendale
Director: Neil
Young
Year:
2008
Rating: 7.5
Neil Young says that he was writing a few songs
and realized that they were telling a story and that story became this film.
Young shot it himself on Super 8 and the visuals are strange and lovely.
It is ten songs and 90 minutes of music. And it tells a story of an imaginary
town called Greendale. Most of it centers on one multi-generational family
with Grandpa and extended family. A few other characters in the town float
in and out of the narrative. One of the family murders a policeman, ends
up in jail, the press descends on the family home, Grandpa dies from a heart
attack and the grand-daughter Sun becomes an activist for the environment.
All told through Neil's songs. There is no conversation though sometimes
the actors lip synch to his lyrics.
I had listened to this on CD a few times
and never was able to put the songs together but seeing the video they all
make sense. One's opinion of this depends entirely on how much you like Young's
music. I love it and it is a rare few days where I don't put something of
his on - Zuma, On the Beach or Tonight's the Night being my favorites but
I love most of his music except for some of his 80's albums and his more
recent experimental sounds. This is as basic as it gets - Neil on electric
guitar, harmonica and vocals, Ralph Molina on drums and Billy Talbot on bass
with some backing voices on a couple songs. It is grungy and direct. Play
it loud if you have no neighbors around.
