Greendale (2003)
Neil Young has had a career as a
musician that has spanned five decades now. His influence
in rock music and pop culture is immeasurable. With
"Greendale," Young shows that he is still as vital
and as interesting as he was in the 60's. Sadly, he
also proves that his message hasn't changed and, equally
as unfortunate, his message is still relevant. That
message, once again articulated word for word in "Greendale,"
is this: We've got to save mother Earth. I wonder
if Young sometimes feels like he's banging his head
against a brick wall.
Young's album "Greendale," and this,
the filmed music videos for the album, has a continuous
story throughout. He sets his work in the titular
town and focuses on a multi-generational family called
the "Greens." There are grandparents, and children.
The young daughter of the family eventually becomes
a sort of environmental terrorist. The son kills a
cop and goes to jail.
The music for the film, the electric
guitar infused album of the same name, is one of the
loudest and rawest Young has made in 20 years. His
theme is family and community, so it is fitting that
the album sound very low budget and garage. His songs
are good, simple and personal. The album does, however,
become a bit redundant as it runs for 80 minutes.
There are only a couple of tunes that don't sound
like all the others. One of these is "Be the Rain"
which Young uses as a climactic message here.
At first, to the uninitiated listener
and viewer, it seems like the film is just going to
be a collection of home movie type vignettes set to
the songs on Young's album. But as the music plays
and the film unspools, true themes and ideas begin
to emerge. Young may be an old hippie, and may live
the life of an old hippie, but he is also a teacher
and a mentor. The young people in his film (and presumably
his life) are as rebellious and as environmentally
conscious as he.
They are also anti-war and the film
repeatedly returns to mocking the modern "war on terrorism"
to present American leaders as idiots and politicians,
men not to be trusted. This idea is as relevant to
the old hippies in Young audience as it is to college
kids who might see his film on their campuses. Young
reflects modern America, with cops and firemen as
a part of the community (us) while the politicians
are a part of the world arena (them). The cops and
the firemen are on Young's side. As are the young
people.
Young is still a vital part of music
and he is still a vital part of American rebellion
(even though he is Canadian by birth). This is a relevant
and interesting film. His character of "Grandpa" in
"Greendale" may be a reflection of how Young feels
in his older age. But there are just as many elements
of Young himself in the rebellious teen Sun Green.
This is an artist who will never grow old. Sadly,
his message may never grow old either. "Greendale"
makes us wonder just how far we've come as a people,
as a community, and as a country, when Young's defiant
messages are just as relevant today in 2003 as they
were when he emerged on the scene in the late 60's.
Note:
Some of Young's relatives and friends
appear in the film. The devil is played by his road
manager, Eric Johnson.
Directed by Bernard Shakey, a Young
pseudonym. The film has two credits at the beginning.
One says "Directed by Bernard Shakey." This is followed
by the credit "A Film by Neil Young."
Edited by Young using the pseudonym
Toshi Onuki.
This is the forth film Young has
directed and the first since 1983's "Human Highway."
Filmed mainly on 8mm film.
Young has also done a stage show
and concerts based on the album and story.
Young did a Q&A at screening I attended
and he and his producer L.A. Johnson said that the
film will be released in February 2004 as will a vinyl
version of the album. They also said that the DVD,
when released, may have extras that include the live
concert version of the album.
Viewed
at the 2003 AFF, it's U.S. premiere, where it
was projected on video.
