Themes: Twentysomething Life, Bohemian Life, Musician's Life
Release Year: 2001
Country: US
Run Time: 91 minutes
Plot
In this documentary from director Justin Mitchell, the world of the U.S. indie-music scene of the 1980s and '90s is explored, specifically with regard to how it transcended clichés about where music was heading in that era. Taking its title from renowned independent cinema pioneer John Cassavetes, the black-and-white film takes a peek at several fringe bands of the period, including Sleater-Kinney, the Make-up, and the Hi-Fives, and their various attitudes toward the ever-changing business. Often revealed is the intense rivalry between bands considered to be "sell-outs" and those who remain true to the DIY spirit of indie rock. Cutting between interviews of various artists as well as performance segments, the film also explores the pioneering efforts of Calvin Johnson, the former Beat Happening frontman who is widely regarded as a founding father of the era's burgeoning underground scene, having founded one of the few independent labels (K-Records) that has thrived without the aid of major investments from a larger source. The film also features the acts Henry's Dress, Further, and Tullycraft. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
Review
The space between the mainstream and the underground has nearly evaporated in the years following the grunge fad of the early '90s. Bands that would have once been happily doomed to marginal audiences might suddenly find themselves in the pages of Rolling Stone, while more cynical types can use their "punk" status as a stepping stone to stardom. This queasy fact is always in the air during the interviews that make up the meat of Songs for Cassavetes, as a string of young underground musicians think out loud about their work and how it fits into a culture geared toward compromise and commerce. Media darlings Sleater-Kinney express their surprise at finding themselves discussed in Time Magazine and their disgust at how the record industry has turned music into a product. Calvin Johnson talks about his early experiences with punk rock when adherents were few and far between, years before advertisers thought to target them as a demographic. An exhausted, bleary-eyed member of Further curses the time he wasted under contract to a major label, followed by a scintillating performance of psych-pop rock before a nearly empty 5,000-seat arena in the film's most impressive visual image. Songs for Cassavetes can't be considered a music film in the conventional sense, as many performances are cut short for more commentary and the low-budget production values result in cheap, tinny sound; this is strictly a documentary, not a promotional video. Director Justin Mitchell strives for a dignified tone, as if to justify the importance of his topic, but sometimes the grad-school theorizing becomes tiring and the viewer might wonder if these young musicians ever have any fun. The black-and-white cinematography adds to a dour, rainy-day mood, even when great bands like the PeeChees and the Hi-Fives are belting out energy on-stage. Non-fans of this branch of thinking-person's punk rock will certainly be irritated by what will come off as high-minded blather. Still, the question of how to remain creative past age 21 is an important one, and the subjects of Songs for Cassavetes are actively trying to answer it. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide
