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Page/Edge/White Documentary


Dandu

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Sorry, Aqua, I didn't mean to offend--I didn't remember your having said anything about JW here! Actually, I was more responding to the idea of a boy as opposed to a girl, and to the many Ozzy, Dio, etc. suggestions that people had put forth all around the forum.

Not at all offended, just a huge JW fan! There are so many threads on similar topics around here, who knows where I may have been holding forth about his virtues. :D Tartan pants didn't come into it, that I do know . . .

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Here is the first review I have seen of the film by someone who has actually seen it:

LINK

TIFF Review: IT MIGHT GET LOUD

Posted by Todd Brown at 8:27am.

New rock doc It Might Get Loud is a bit of an unusual beast. The normal procdure with this sort of film is to pick one central figure and tell their story, to make a sort of bio-picture. And while there are three major rock figures front and center throughout the picture, and while there is indeed a decent amount of biography at play, It Might Get Loud is much less about the people who populate the screen and much more about the instrument they have chosen and - more interestingly - why. The film is, in essence, a love letter to the electric guitar.

The concept behind the film is simple. Take three recognized guitar gods, each from a different generation. Then put them in a room together and let them talk about their craft, their instrument. And for good measure, throw a few of their favorite instruments in there with them and let them jam a bit. The players? Led Zeppelin‘s Jimmy Page, U2‘s The Edge and White Stripes front man Jack White. Two of these men are arguably the most influential players of their respective generations while the third has a fighting shot of claiming that title for the current age, and each has a radically different approach from the rest. Should be interesting, yes?

Well, yes, though perhaps not quite to the degree that you would hope. Page seems perfectly comfortable playing the elder statesman throughout, White is a curious mess of contradictions, while The Edge comes off as the most thoughtful and heartfelt of the three. The film follows a very simple structure, cycling through the three players one at a time and allowing them to tell their own stories in their own words: how did they come to the instrument, when did they realize this was who they were, how does the creative process work, etc?

White gets some of the most compelling individual moments - the film starts with a brilliant bit in which he knocks together a single stringed electric slide guitar out of some scraps of lumber, two nails, a length of wire and a pop bottle before defiantly asking why anyone would need to go out and buy a guitar - but despite his protestations that art needs to be about honesty and truth he never quite steps out from behind his carefully molded image. Much more interesting are the sequences with The Edge and Page, both of whom have spent the bulk of their careers hugely overshadowed by larger-than-life vocalists being given the chance to talk about themselves and their craft in their own words, with scarcely a mention of their respective front men.

Also fascinating are the sequences are the scene in which the trio sit to jam together, each of them taking a turn to show off a favorite riff, to teach one of their songs to the others. When White and The Edge step up to the plate the other two men watch intently, trying to figure out how the man playing does what he does - what is different from what they themselves would do if left to their own devices, and why. But when Page steps up and hits the opening notes of Whole Lotta Love both The Edge and White visibly struggle to keep themselves from cracking up like a couple of star struck kids. Yes, as much as they’ve accomplished they’re both still fans first, both still in it for the love of the music and the people who make it.

It Might Get Loud suffers a touch from a lack of focus, it could use a more pointed approach to its material. But then again, had it gone that route it would very likely have lost most of the casual intimacy that is its greatest strength and that would be a shame. So while it’s hard not to wish for a bit more it’s also hard to knock it for being what it is.

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My own interest in getting Jack White involved was to hear him play with Jimmy, not as a substitute for Robert. But I also think he's a great singer (certainly not as good as Robert, who has learned to use his voice in so many ways, but not dissimilar), in a very different way--at any rate, I have to take issue with describing him as a "squalling boy singer," if only because he's too old! :D

Wow are they playing together or just being edited together? Some sort of Page/White collaboration would be VERY awesome.

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Wow are they playing together or just being edited together? Some sort of Page/White collaboration would be VERY awesome.

My understanding - from what I have read - is that there is a 3 man jam session at the end of the film. I will be sure to confirm or deny once I see it.

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Thought this may have already been posted - You'll find info and pics on the film's official site: http://www.itmightgetloud.com

I worked on this film project for Jimmy's segment and it's exciting to finally have it ready for screening this week. B)

man, this really looks good! what a great idea for a doc. i can't wait.....

any behind the scenes stories you can share sam? did you meet the filmmaker?

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Has anybody gotten tickets yet for the screening on Friday?

As I understand it, tickets do not go on sale until Wednesday morning at 7 am (at least for mere mortals like myself). The Toronto film festival is notorious for making people jump through all kinds of hoops to secure tickets to anything worth seeing. I will not be surprised to find out that the film is completely sold out to big donors or insiders by the time the sale to the general public opens up. My fingers are crossed.

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I will not be surprised to find out that the film is completely sold out to big donors or insiders by the time the sale to the general public opens up.

I hope this doesn't happen. I plan on trying my luck on Wednesday as well.

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Thought this may have already been posted - You'll find info and pics on the film's official site: http://www.itmightgetloud.com

I worked on this film project for Jimmy's segment and it's exciting to finally have it ready for screening this week. B)

Thanks for the link. The site looks incredible. My husband and I have been following the progress of this film and are really looking forward to seeing it. In our case that means that we will have to do a bit of traveling. For a film that holds such interest for both of us, I'm sure it will be worth it.

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FYI for anyone who hasn't done TIFF, if you get tickets, get there early and wear comfortable shoes. The venue is a good size so that increases your chances of getting a ticket, but it also means larger lines. People get there EARLY so that when the doors open, they dash for the best seats available (GENERAL SEATING). I saw "I'm Not There" there last year and got lucky with great seats even though I was well back in the line. But if JP happens to come, you know where you want to be in that line B)

Forgot to add - bring an umbrella, forecast calls for 70% chance of showers, 20°C

Edited by Patrycja
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Jimmy will indeed be in Toronto...but only AFTER first meeting up with Jonesy and Plant tonite (Tuesday ) in London.

That's right, for the first time since O2, JP, JPJ and ROBERT together in London....

You will just love the reason why!!!! :D

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Jimmy will indeed be in Toronto...but only AFTER first meeting up with Jonesy and Plant tonite (Tuesday ) in London.

That's right, for the first time since O2, JP, JPJ and ROBERT together in London....

You will just love the reason why!!!! :D

My stomach is now in knots!Thanks a lot Nech!!!!

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