Greendale
Screened
Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto -- Lars von Trier isn't the only one evoking Thornton Wilder at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.
Like "Dogville", Neil Young's "Greendale" uses the deceptively simple "Our Town" foundation on which to build a platform for some highly personal sociopolitical criticisms, but unlike the contentious von Trier picture, the Young variation gets the job done in roughly half the time with a notable absence of histrionics, plus you can tap your toes to it.
Shot over a period of three weeks in Northern California, "Greendale" serves as the visual companion to Young's new 10-song album of the same name telling of a small-town family's saga -- with the assembled actors lip-synching to the singer-songwriter's vocals.
Count on the ever-innovative Young, who handles directing chores under the pseudonym Bernard Shakey (an allusion, perhaps, to his noticeably hand-held camerawork), to avoid repeating himself.
Although this made-for-DVD concept piece at times buckles under its feature-length demands, it's nevertheless rewarding to find its creator with still plenty to say and with fresh ways to say it.
Meet the Green family, including young Sun Green (Sarah White), her mom Edith (Young's wife, Pegi) and struggling artist dad Earl James Mazzeo), her cousin Jed (Eric Johnson) and her grandpa (Ben Keith) and grandma (Elizabeth Keith).
They all live in the mellow town of Greendale, population 22,000-odd, where not much usually happens. That is, until one unfortunate night when cousin Jed ends up shooting Officer Carmichael (Paul Supplee), who has pulled him over for speeding.
Jed's thrown in jail for his murder, Greendale becomes the object of a media feeding frenzy, Grandpa drops dead while yelling at an invasive TV reporter, and Sun finds meaning in her life as a political activist.
While some of those wall-to-wall tunes, with lyrics like "Save the planet for another day" and "A little love and affection in everything you do will make the world a better place" might on the surface seem like Young's Birkenstocks are planted firmly in the '60s, there's a fire burning just beneath.
Among the many issues addressed, either lyrically or through satirical CNN-style tickertapes, are various abuses of political and corporate power, the out-of-control news media, the environment and the erosion of civil liberties, just to name a few.
But thanks to the packaging, in such accomplished new Young tunes as the aching, acoustic "Bandit" and the anthemic "Be the Rain", with some muscular instrumental assist from Young's old band, Crazy Horse, it's medicine that goes down quite easily.
In his fifth decade working in an ever-shifting industry, Neil Young continues to strike fresh, artistically invigorating chords.
Greendale
Shakey Pictures
Credits:
Director: Bernard Shakey
Producers: Neil Young, L.A. Johnson
Executive producer: Elliot Rabinowitz
Screenwriter/director of photography/music: Neil Young
Editor: Toshi Onuki
Cast:
Sun Green: Sarah White
Jed Green/Devil: Eric Johnson
Grandpa Green: Ben Keith
Earth Brown: Erik Markegard
Grandma Green: Elizabeth Keith
Edith Green: Pegi Young
Earl Green: James Mazzeo
Officer Carmichael: Paul Supplee
Widow: Sydney Stephan
Running time -- 87 minutes
No MPAA rating...
Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto -- Lars von Trier isn't the only one evoking Thornton Wilder at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.
Like "Dogville", Neil Young's "Greendale" uses the deceptively simple "Our Town" foundation on which to build a platform for some highly personal sociopolitical criticisms, but unlike the contentious von Trier picture, the Young variation gets the job done in roughly half the time with a notable absence of histrionics, plus you can tap your toes to it.
Shot over a period of three weeks in Northern California, "Greendale" serves as the visual companion to Young's new 10-song album of the same name telling of a small-town family's saga -- with the assembled actors lip-synching to the singer-songwriter's vocals.
Count on the ever-innovative Young, who handles directing chores under the pseudonym Bernard Shakey (an allusion, perhaps, to his noticeably hand-held camerawork), to avoid repeating himself.
Although this made-for-DVD concept piece at times buckles under its feature-length demands, it's nevertheless rewarding to find its creator with still plenty to say and with fresh ways to say it.
Meet the Green family, including young Sun Green (Sarah White), her mom Edith (Young's wife, Pegi) and struggling artist dad Earl James Mazzeo), her cousin Jed (Eric Johnson) and her grandpa (Ben Keith) and grandma (Elizabeth Keith).
They all live in the mellow town of Greendale, population 22,000-odd, where not much usually happens. That is, until one unfortunate night when cousin Jed ends up shooting Officer Carmichael (Paul Supplee), who has pulled him over for speeding.
Jed's thrown in jail for his murder, Greendale becomes the object of a media feeding frenzy, Grandpa drops dead while yelling at an invasive TV reporter, and Sun finds meaning in her life as a political activist.
While some of those wall-to-wall tunes, with lyrics like "Save the planet for another day" and "A little love and affection in everything you do will make the world a better place" might on the surface seem like Young's Birkenstocks are planted firmly in the '60s, there's a fire burning just beneath.
Among the many issues addressed, either lyrically or through satirical CNN-style tickertapes, are various abuses of political and corporate power, the out-of-control news media, the environment and the erosion of civil liberties, just to name a few.
But thanks to the packaging, in such accomplished new Young tunes as the aching, acoustic "Bandit" and the anthemic "Be the Rain", with some muscular instrumental assist from Young's old band, Crazy Horse, it's medicine that goes down quite easily.
In his fifth decade working in an ever-shifting industry, Neil Young continues to strike fresh, artistically invigorating chords.
Greendale
Shakey Pictures
Credits:
Director: Bernard Shakey
Producers: Neil Young, L.A. Johnson
Executive producer: Elliot Rabinowitz
Screenwriter/director of photography/music: Neil Young
Editor: Toshi Onuki
Cast:
Sun Green: Sarah White
Jed Green/Devil: Eric Johnson
Grandpa Green: Ben Keith
Earth Brown: Erik Markegard
Grandma Green: Elizabeth Keith
Edith Green: Pegi Young
Earl Green: James Mazzeo
Officer Carmichael: Paul Supplee
Widow: Sydney Stephan
Running time -- 87 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 7/9/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Greendale
Screened
Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto -- Lars von Trier isn't the only one evoking Thornton Wilder at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.
Like "Dogville", Neil Young's "Greendale" uses the deceptively simple "Our Town" foundation on which to build a platform for some highly personal sociopolitical criticisms, but unlike the contentious von Trier picture, the Young variation gets the job done in roughly half the time with a notable absence of histrionics, plus you can tap your toes to it.
Shot over a period of three weeks in Northern California, "Greendale" serves as the visual companion to Young's new 10-song album of the same name telling of a small-town family's saga -- with the assembled actors lip-synching to the singer-songwriter's vocals.
Count on the ever-innovative Young, who handles directing chores under the pseudonym Bernard Shakey (an allusion, perhaps, to his noticeably hand-held camerawork), to avoid repeating himself.
Although this made-for-DVD concept piece at times buckles under its feature-length demands, it's nevertheless rewarding to find its creator with still plenty to say and with fresh ways to say it.
Meet the Green family, including young Sun Green (Sarah White), her mom Edith (Young's wife, Pegi) and struggling artist dad Earl James Mazzeo), her cousin Jed (Eric Johnson) and her grandpa (Ben Keith) and grandma (Elizabeth Keith).
They all live in the mellow town of Greendale, population 22,000-odd, where not much usually happens. That is, until one unfortunate night when cousin Jed ends up shooting Officer Carmichael (Paul Supplee), who has pulled him over for speeding.
Jed's thrown in jail for his murder, Greendale becomes the object of a media feeding frenzy, Grandpa drops dead while yelling at an invasive TV reporter, and Sun finds meaning in her life as a political activist.
While some of those wall-to-wall tunes, with lyrics like "Save the planet for another day" and "A little love and affection in everything you do will make the world a better place" might on the surface seem like Young's Birkenstocks are planted firmly in the '60s, there's a fire burning just beneath.
Among the many issues addressed, either lyrically or through satirical CNN-style tickertapes, are various abuses of political and corporate power, the out-of-control news media, the environment and the erosion of civil liberties, just to name a few.
But thanks to the packaging, in such accomplished new Young tunes as the aching, acoustic "Bandit" and the anthemic "Be the Rain", with some muscular instrumental assist from Young's old band, Crazy Horse, it's medicine that goes down quite easily.
In his fifth decade working in an ever-shifting industry, Neil Young continues to strike fresh, artistically invigorating chords.
Greendale
Shakey Pictures
Credits:
Director: Bernard Shakey
Producers: Neil Young, L.A. Johnson
Executive producer: Elliot Rabinowitz
Screenwriter/director of photography/music: Neil Young
Editor: Toshi Onuki
Cast:
Sun Green: Sarah White
Jed Green/Devil: Eric Johnson
Grandpa Green: Ben Keith
Earth Brown: Erik Markegard
Grandma Green: Elizabeth Keith
Edith Green: Pegi Young
Earl Green: James Mazzeo
Officer Carmichael: Paul Supplee
Widow: Sydney Stephan
Running time -- 87 minutes
No MPAA rating...
Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto -- Lars von Trier isn't the only one evoking Thornton Wilder at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.
Like "Dogville", Neil Young's "Greendale" uses the deceptively simple "Our Town" foundation on which to build a platform for some highly personal sociopolitical criticisms, but unlike the contentious von Trier picture, the Young variation gets the job done in roughly half the time with a notable absence of histrionics, plus you can tap your toes to it.
Shot over a period of three weeks in Northern California, "Greendale" serves as the visual companion to Young's new 10-song album of the same name telling of a small-town family's saga -- with the assembled actors lip-synching to the singer-songwriter's vocals.
Count on the ever-innovative Young, who handles directing chores under the pseudonym Bernard Shakey (an allusion, perhaps, to his noticeably hand-held camerawork), to avoid repeating himself.
Although this made-for-DVD concept piece at times buckles under its feature-length demands, it's nevertheless rewarding to find its creator with still plenty to say and with fresh ways to say it.
Meet the Green family, including young Sun Green (Sarah White), her mom Edith (Young's wife, Pegi) and struggling artist dad Earl James Mazzeo), her cousin Jed (Eric Johnson) and her grandpa (Ben Keith) and grandma (Elizabeth Keith).
They all live in the mellow town of Greendale, population 22,000-odd, where not much usually happens. That is, until one unfortunate night when cousin Jed ends up shooting Officer Carmichael (Paul Supplee), who has pulled him over for speeding.
Jed's thrown in jail for his murder, Greendale becomes the object of a media feeding frenzy, Grandpa drops dead while yelling at an invasive TV reporter, and Sun finds meaning in her life as a political activist.
While some of those wall-to-wall tunes, with lyrics like "Save the planet for another day" and "A little love and affection in everything you do will make the world a better place" might on the surface seem like Young's Birkenstocks are planted firmly in the '60s, there's a fire burning just beneath.
Among the many issues addressed, either lyrically or through satirical CNN-style tickertapes, are various abuses of political and corporate power, the out-of-control news media, the environment and the erosion of civil liberties, just to name a few.
But thanks to the packaging, in such accomplished new Young tunes as the aching, acoustic "Bandit" and the anthemic "Be the Rain", with some muscular instrumental assist from Young's old band, Crazy Horse, it's medicine that goes down quite easily.
In his fifth decade working in an ever-shifting industry, Neil Young continues to strike fresh, artistically invigorating chords.
Greendale
Shakey Pictures
Credits:
Director: Bernard Shakey
Producers: Neil Young, L.A. Johnson
Executive producer: Elliot Rabinowitz
Screenwriter/director of photography/music: Neil Young
Editor: Toshi Onuki
Cast:
Sun Green: Sarah White
Jed Green/Devil: Eric Johnson
Grandpa Green: Ben Keith
Earth Brown: Erik Markegard
Grandma Green: Elizabeth Keith
Edith Green: Pegi Young
Earl Green: James Mazzeo
Officer Carmichael: Paul Supplee
Widow: Sydney Stephan
Running time -- 87 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 9/8/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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