A while back I saw Jonathan Richman perform a live score for some old Swedish movie. Jonathan was great, it was fun to see him experiment with a bunch of unusual instruments and conduct a bigger band than usual, but the movie was pretty dull. Some kind of domestic melodrama or something. So I emerged feeling so-so about the experience.
Which is why I entered last night’s SFIFF Lost World/Dengue Fever/Esurance event with great caution. I even told myself I’d leave early if I got bored. But I’m happy to report that that didn’t happen. Because the movie was as action packed as the music. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that if you haven’t seen it, it might be worth seeing even without Dengue Fever’s accompaniment. It’s got laughs, adventure, action, and some epic twists. And that’s the key, the movie’s got to be up to challenge of competing with a band everybody loves.
So I’m also happy to report that prior to the show it was announced that the San Francisco Film Society in December will present a screening of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with live score performed by Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields. I imagine that movie is probably sufficiently gripping so as to be able to stand up to a musician so rabidly beloved.
Photo by Steve Rhodes.
I saw that Jonathan Richman performance too! It was, iirc, called “The Phantom Carriage”, and it was essentially a temperance film — like A Christmas Carol, except the moral is that alcohol is bad.
Any links available for that 20,000 Leagues/Magnetic Fields business in December?
Nope, just a quick mention by dude who introduced the band.
@Jo: Sign up for the Film Society’s general newsletter at http://sffs.org/; eventually they’ll mention something about it. Dengue Fever last night was a pretty fantastic show — I was right up front!