Week of November 26, 2009, Issue #736
FILM
It Might Get Loud
Eden Munro // eden@vueweekly.com
The counterpoints are apparent as It Might Get Loud, a tale of three generations of guitarists, unfolds on the screen. The youngest of the trio, Jack White of the White Stripes, the Dead Weather, the Raconteurs and whatever other side gig he's got going on at the moment, is a handyman as seen here, building a primitive slide guitar out of a rock, a pop bottle and other odds and ends, then running it through an amplifier for a few wailing licks. The middleman is U2's The Edge, a man whose command of his instrument is usually obscured by the clouds of his effects, standing here in stark contrast to White's retro-flavoured approach. Finally, there's the elder statesmen of the group: Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page. Though known in some circles for his experimentation with the guitar, his reputation is based more on the deep catalogue of ferocious riffs (and, sometimes, pretty melodies) that he turned into songs for his former band.
Director Davis Guggenheim puts the three men together and lets their stories come together through a non-linear approach, mixing reflections on first guitars and influential guitarists with live footage of their respective groups and footage of geographical locations of significance to each player.
But It Might Get Loud is more than just a filmed catalogue of tales of glory delivered by a series of talking heads. Guggenheim understands that the individual approach of each player is built up from many an interwoven layer, constructed out of everything from the instrument to the background from which each emerged, his attitudes shaped in large part by his history, and the filmmaker delves into the myriad of parts with an even hand. For the most part, Guggenheim's presence is invisible as he stays out of the way and lets the story unfold without forcing straight, unbending lines between the subjects and any clear-cut breakdown of the topic at hand. Instead, the director lets the story emerge out of the individuals, their enthusiasm growing as the film plays out.
There's a scene where The Edge demonstrates a bit of a song for the camera, notes spiraling, ducking and fading away. Following that, he deconstructs the piece, removing the effects to reveal a simple pattern of picking at the heart of the music. There's an innocence to his tone as he shrugs—almost in wonder—at the way the guitar's sound can be manipulated. The same thrill is apparent when all three guitarists huddle together as The Edge teaches them U2's "I Will Follow," Page's eyes wide with wonder as he inquires about the song's key. It's refreshing, and compelling, to see these men who are far beyond practising in their bedrooms as excited as a kid picking up the chords to his very first song. And that's the attitude that permeates the film as the guitarists become comfortable with each other, sharing ideas as much as their love for music.
It Might Get Loud
Fri, Nov 27
Directed by Davis Guggenheim
Starring Jimmy Page, The Edge, Jack White
Princess Theatre (10337 - 82 Ave)
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