Mediation Paper: This Is Spinal Tap
This Is Spinal Tap is a Mockumentary that simultaneously depicts and parodies the life of rock stars, by capturing performances (both on and off stage) of the made-for-film rock band, Spinal Tap. The fabricated band is an exaggerated attempt to recreate a generic hard rock band that would generally fit somewhere from the 70’s through to the 80’s, and it happens to do it very well. Leaders of the group have distinct snobbish/dimwitted personalities like most bands that took themselves way too seriously at the time. The members look and act like rock stars, and stumble upon problems that artists alike may encounter. Throughout the film, entire songs, costumes, and set designs are generated to make the band appear all the more real. This Is Spinal Tap covers the band touring across the states, and depicts them as any rock documentary would. Interviews and concert shows are spliced in a mostly linear fashion throughout the band’s back stage discussions and preparations. Everything about this artificial world is meant to seem real; because the humor in spoofing something can be observed mostly in it’s tragic accuracy.
There’s a lot to be learned from this movie. Although completely fictional, the uncanny accuracy that This Is Spinal Tap holds, tells us much about the things wrong with the life of a rock star and the actions of big-label music industries. It still remains a fact that what’s represented in This Is Spinal Tap is a reality for many artists, companies, and audiences that surround themselves with popular rock music. More importantly, it matters because it affects all involved in the demand for this form of entertainment.
I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you this, but the life of a roc...
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...a Rae article that, “moviemakers are in the movie business, not the social change business”. Although they talk about film specifically, any medium of entertainment could still apply to this statement. This cycle of production is unhealthy, but if the process works, why fix it?
What can we take away from This Is Spinal Tap? Although a comedy, it teaches us much about the ridiculous nature of rock and roll. Bands alike live in their own world, and fixate everything they do, from their behavior to their performances, off of the basic trends of showy hard rock music. Audiences will eat it up, and the industry will feed off of it. Commercial success can be toxic to a band, and may overwhelm the integrity of music if anything else. The film has the purpose of being a comedy, but it certainly puts a spotlight on many issues with the world of music.
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While speaking to the young adults, Linkin Park’s music video utilizes rhetoric by showing credibility, intense emotional symmetry, and logistical facts to influence escaping the oppressive expectations of society.
...t happen even in Hollywood. You don’t have a revolution in which you love your enemy, and you don’t have a revolution in which you are begging the system of exploitation to integrate you into it. Revolutions overturn systems. Revolutions destroy systems.”
The movie represents a change in all of culture, including rock and roll. The mother of William represents the traditional type of mentality as it relates to rock and roll. At one time, rock and roll was considered ‘the Devil’s music’. The culture shift in rock n roll itself can be shown through capitalism. The big record companies wanted to expand the artist’s skillset in order to profit from more revenue. The pressure of the group as a whole suffered in this process.
Aside from its acting, the other major influence which Mean Streets had upon American film-makers was through it's use of a rock n' roll soundtrack (almost perfectly integrated with the images), and in its depiction of a new kind of screen violence. Unexpected, volatile, explosive and wholly senseless, yet, for all that, undeniably cinematic violence. The way in which Scorsese blends these two - the rock and roll and the violence - shows that he understood instinctively, better than anyone else until then, that cinema (or at least this kind of cinema, the kinetic, visceral kind) and rock n' roll are both expressions of revolutionary instincts, and that they are as inherently destructive as they are creative. This simple device - brutal outbreaks of violence combined with an upbeat soundtrack - has been taken up by both the mainstream cinema at large and by many individual `auteurs', all of whom are in Scorsese's debt - Stone and Tarantino coming at once to mind.
Music has always been a way for people to express themselves, to share emotions and to escape, at least for a while, from the real world. It is, undoubtedly, an extremely important part of human life and history. On the last thirty years, music has changed radically, going from original, deep and real, to superficial and commercial stuff. In the documentary “Before the Music Dies”, directed by Andrew Shapter and produced by Joel Rasmussen in 2006, we get a whole new perspective of what is happening with the music industry nowadays, which might not be very comforting. Actually, the simple title of the video makes you wonder if music can really stop existing as we know it this days. How bad could the situation be?
... middle of paper ... ... Despite the progress that blacks have worked toward since the days of slavery, society continues to give in to the monetary benefits of producing self-disparaging entertainment and media. It is not only up to the directors, editors, producers and writers to establish this change, but it should also be the demand of the people, or the consumer.
Most things have their beginnings in something small: a word, a breath, or idea; but not music. Music begins with a single vibration. It explodes and carries on, morphing worlds of unrelated personas. It lives rampantly in the mouths of millions of unruly and free-spirited teenagers, like a fever. The rock 'n roll trend that defiantly rose against the conformist ideology of the mid-twentieth century left remnants that commenced the start of a progressing society: a culture that redefined the rules of society and pushed social and moral limits while addressing social concerns.
Stereo Review’s Steve Simels spoke for many when he called This is Spinal Tap “possibly the funniest movie ever made about rock-and-roll.”
While Price does make a persuasive argument I cannot agree with the theme of his commentary. I have been a fervent viewer of television and films for years on end. Admittedly, much of what I watch on television qualifies as escapism or mere entertainment. I do not have a high degree of respect for the medium; however my love and admiration of film is intense. One could easily dismiss movies as superficial, unnecessarily violent spectacles, although such a viewpoint is distressingly pessimistic and myopic. In a given year, several films are released which have long-lasting effects on large numbers of individuals. These pictures speak to us as people and convey messages that are timely and timeless. Words are powerful, but visual images are overwhelming.
In conclusion, I have learned that the use of mass communication that accurately depicts cultural and political issues can ultimately raise awareness. During my mission here on earth, I hope that my productions can to be different and somehow help the development of society as Lee has. Using the skills that Lee has obtained, he has accurately showed modern society that life is not all picture perfect. Despite all of the controversy and his downplay of stereotypical Hollywood setting and characters, Lee still stands strong toward the movement of cultures as a whole to a better understanding of life itself. This understanding can influence others to move toward change and innovative ways of promoting equality.
Rock and Roll is commonly known as the greatest music ever created. Most people do not know that Rock and Roll emerged out of the United States in the 1950s. Artists during this time like Elvis Presley, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, and Bob Dylan were the first major stars among the birth of Rock and Roll in America. Since the 1950s, we have seen a rise in Rock and Roll culture. A peak in the 1960s-1970s was when the world began a musical, political, and social revolution. The revolution takes place during some tense times in the world- The Vietnam War, Political Issues with Cuba, JFK Presidency/Assassination, Malcolm X’s Assassination, Martin Luther King’s Assassination — you name it. The world was in a turmoiled state of mind, but what
This is a very different tone from School of Rock, which is set in a more realistic world that the audience is able to
School of Rock’s plot is not very original. The parents’ dislike of rock music resembles the grown-ups’ attitudes in countless early rock and roll film “classics” like Mi...
It takes a special team of creative individuals to come together to produce a story that can touch the lives of millions. for the future of the industry I believe we need to step back and really re-evaluate what is it to make films. If we don’t I think we are going to lose a key element that brings us together in this community we call film or animation. A lot of what’s been said in these presentations are that we feel like we are losing something in the process of making our art. What I think I've learned through the process of this project, is that we as artists need to take responsibility for the amount of influence we have on people's lives. To be in this line of work means we have this incredible tool to be able to inspire people and going forward in our careers, wherever that may take us. think that’s something we can’t
Each song on the album referenced so many emotion and thoughts to the point where I was exhausted. I now realized that I had taken the album way to literally and forgot to enjoy it. There is a beauty in this album that once I had dwelled on the thoughts and lyrics I found myself letting go more and losing myself in the music. The band is clearly influenced by film, this evident in songs such as Good Grief and Fake It. This is something that I admire. This band has a way of taking a simple song, with the lyrics and the music and they manage to find another angle and another layer in which they can add more depth. Adding quotes from movies gives the songs on this album much more naked feel when hearing the voices. It's haunting to hear those voices echo in the distance even when they have long passed. But then again I may just be thinking too