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| Ang Lee: Taking Woodstock (US 2009). |
Taking Woodstock / Taking Woodstock.
US © 2009 Focus Features. P: Ang Lee, James Schamus.
D: Ang Lee. SC: James Schamus - based on the book Taking Woodstock: A True Story of a Riot, a Concert, and a Life (2007) by Elliot Tiber and Tom Monte. DP: Eric Gautier - Arricam Cameras, Zeiss and Angenieux Lenses - Super 35 (3-perf) - DeLuxe - digital intermediate 2K - print 35mm 1,85:1. M: Danny Elfman + a great compilation score.
CAST: Demetri Martin (Elliot Tiber), Imelda Staunton (Sonia Teichberg), Henry Goodman (Jack Teichberg), Liev Schreiber (Vilma), Jonathan Groff (Michael Lang), Emile Hirsch (Billy, a recently returned Vietnam vet), Paul Dano and Kelli Garner (a hippie couple in a VW), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Dan, Billy's brother and in opposition to the festival), Eugene Levy (Max Yasgur).
110 min
A FS Film release with Finnish / Swedish subtitles by Taina Komu / Ditte Kronström.
Viewed at Tennispalatsi 14, 11 Sep 2009 (Finnish premiere).
A cheap digital look.
A satirical account on the mounting of the Woodstock Festival. Based on a book, whose factual validity has been contested, but it does not matter, at least it is good fiction.
I'm aware that this film has been rated as minor Ang Lee, but to me this is Ang Lee at his best. I'm a fan of his first trilogy (Pushing Hands, The Wedding Banquet, Eat Drink Man Woman), and this film has a similar humoristic approach.
From a small angle it lets us have a look at a big story: the biggest concert ever, with world historical gravity. It's about world politics, about the generation gap, about sexual orientation, about drug delusion, about finding oneself, about disorientation, about freedom. I look forward to revisiting this.
Visually shoddy, yet with a pleasant and elaborate homage to Michael Wadleigh's great documentary, complete with split screen sequences.
The music score is an enjoyable compilation of vintage tracks, new reconstructions, and original Danny Elfman compositions.
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