"A Mighty Wind" is one of those movies which is more rewarding to view on DVD than in a theatre. Directed by Christopher Guest, "A Mighty Wind" is the latest "mockumentary" featuring Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer, joining "This Is Spinal Tap", "Waiting For Guffman" and "Best In Show".
All of these movies are improvised, with the actors creating a detailed background for their character, and a series of scenes, with the improv filmed, and then assembled into a feature.
"A Mighty Wind" centres around a memorial tribute concert to a folk music promoter, featuring the groups The Folksmen, The New Main Street Singers and Mitch & Mickey. Written by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy, "A Mighty Wind" is more gentle than the previous movies. All of the songs are originals, and, especially in the case of the Mitch & Mickey songs, played straight.
Since the movie shoot was improvised and includes "archival footage" this means there is an abundance of extra material on the DVD. The disc includes the full television broadcast of the concert which is the centre piece of the movie, a half-hour of deleted scenes (including a hilarious press conference — "rap is just like folk music, with all the melody removed, and a lot of profanity added"), and archival television appearances by the groups (including The Folksmen's attempt to "go electric"). There is a full commentary by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy. While there are no belly laughs, the movie is consistently amusing, and the attention to detail is rewarding.
Article comments
1 - Al Barger
"A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" so far looks like record of the year. And it several times more powerful knowing the context.
This may well also be the movie of the year.