Music Movies
This month’s Music Movies forge ahead with the tradition of Mexican music in PASAJERO: A JOURNEY OF TIME AND MEMORY; another helping of WE JAM ECONO: THE STORY OF THE MINUTEMEN; special screenings of the best feature and documentary from this year’s Chicago Underground Film Festival (CUFF); and beautifully strange outsider music in EVERYTHING’S COMING MY WAY: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF GORDON THOMAS.
--Jim Dempsey
film descriptions
Back by popular demand!
Chip Eberhart in person!
UNUSUAL SUSPECTS:
ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHICAGO HOUSE MUSIC
2004, Chip Eberhart, USA, 90 min.
With Steve “Silk” Hurley, Frankie Knuckles
After sold-out screenings at August’s Black Harvest festival, we bring back UNUSUAL SUSPECTS. Directed by House pioneer Chip Eberhart (aka Chip E), UNUSUAL SUSPECTS is divided into 16 chapters that bring to life the mercurial Chicago mix of music and culture that is House. DigiBeta video.
Director Eberhart will be present for audience discussion at the Sunday screening.
Sunday, October 30, 5:15 pm;
Thursday, November 3, 8:15 pm
PASAJERO: A JOURNEY OF TIME AND MEMORY
2004, Ricardo Braojos, USA, 60 min.
A group of young inner-city Mexican-American musicians accompany their teacher, an elderly violinist, on a homecoming visit to his pueblo in Jalisco. Discovering a long-forgotten style of pre-commercial mariachi, they meet fascinating characters who embody the spirit of old Mexico. PASAJERO is a heartfelt reminder of the vital role that music plays in defining our identities. The film’s music was performed by Los Cenzontles, who play live at Hothouse (www.hothouse.net) on Sat., Nov. 5. DigiBeta video. (JD)
Sunday, November 6, 5:15 pm;
Thursday, November 10, 8:15 pm
Back by popular demand!
WE JAM ECONO: THE STORY OF THE MINUTEMEN
2005, Tim Irwin, USA, 90 min.
With his band the Minutemen, the late D. Boon helped shape the Southern California postpunk scene of the early ‘80s, forging an original, heady sound with fragments of political rage, vanguard/populist musical ingredients, and an inspiring DIY attitude. This, the only documentary about the legendary band, is guided by Minutemen bassist Mike Watt and features rare live footage and interviews with Richard Hell, Fugazi, Black Flag, Sonic Youth, Flea and many others. DigiBeta video. (JD)
Sunday, November 13, 5:00 pm;
Thursday, November 17, 8:00 pm
CUFF Best Feature winner!
WHO KILLED COCK ROBIN?
2005, Travis Wilkerson, 82 min.
With Barrett Miller, Charlie Parr
Neo-populist filmmaker Travis Wilkerson follows up his acclaimed documentary AN INJURY TO ONE (2002) with this fictional portrait of an outcast struggling to hang on in Butte, Montana. WHO KILLED COCK ROBIN? was selected for this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where John Cooper wrote, “Like a rare piece of American folk art, WHO KILLED COCK ROBIN? is hand-forged from ideas and ideals. . . Wilkerson’s filmmaking rides the rhythms of the origins of American music, from folk songs that sing the story of struggle to the rigorous drumming of Irish clogging.” DigiBeta video. (MR)
Sunday, November 20, 5:00 pm
Wednesday, November 23, 8:30 pm
Please note that the second screening of WHO KILLED COCK ROBIN? substitutes the showing of THE WILL OF DEAN SNIDER. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Back to topChicago Premiere!
Filmmakers in person!
EVERYTHING’S COMING MY WAY:
THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF GORDON THOMAS
2005, D. Stacey DeWolfe and Malcolm Fraser, Canada, 65 min.
Now 89 years old, Gordon Thomas is still making music and dreaming of success. A former big-band trombonist, Thomas is a born storyteller whose songs--catchy and simple, peculiar and personal--are a kind of musical folk-art. This in-depth character study tells Gordon’s life story and explores the appeal of his music, with testimonials by pop musicologists such as Irwin Chusid and Citizen Kafka. The film also captures his dream-come-true: performing his music live for the first time ever and discovering the audience that he never knew he had. DigiBeta video.
Directors DeWolfe and Fraser will be present for audience discussion at the Sunday screening.
