Now the people that know me, know that I love Neil. Though I have tired of his act in the past ten years, he is still owed a debt for the tremendous contribution he made to the modern music scene. So with that in mind, I Went to see the new Neil Young, Jonathan Demme doc at the Bloor Cinema last night. What a disappointment. Self indulgent and badly made it was essentially a record of the concert he did at Massey in 2011.
This hippie twaddle mainly focused on songs from La Noise performed solo at Massey, complimented by inserted B roll inserted, sporadically at best, of Neil driving from Omemee to Toronto
I was hoping for more. Like Neil articulating something about his past and something about his present. Something about the journey. Nothing. Nada. Neil is still hiding behind his gruff anti-social "you'll never know me" persona.
I think Demme likes Neil a little too much, and lacks the objectivity necessary to make a document of any lasting value.
This thing is bad. Thrown together, unfocused. And on a purely technical level, who the hell's idea was shoving the
camera on the mic stand that provided the extreme close ups of Neil's
nostrils and fillings.
It's time Neil got someone he trusts to stand up to him and say simply - people want to know Neil.
Maybe there's nothing to tell. Or maybe Neil is holding out to write his own Chronicles like opus. One can only hope.
And if Neil read this he would probably say it's none of your f...ing business.
Other reviews.
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/article/962301--neil-young-take-a-look-at-his-life
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/film-reviews/neil-young-journeys-a-solemn-affair-kinda-like-the-singer-himself/article4410643/
Friday, July 27, 2012
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