A Mighty Wind

May 9th, 2003







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A Mighty Wind

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Still of Parker Posey, Christopher Guest, John Michael Higgins, Eugene Levy, Jane Lynch, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer in A Mighty WindStill of Parker Posey, John Michael Higgins and Jane Lynch in A Mighty WindStill of Christopher Guest in A Mighty WindStill of Christopher Guest in A Mighty WindStill of Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Lynch, Michael Mantell and Fred Willard in A Mighty WindStill of Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer in A Mighty Wind

Plot
Mockumentary captures the reunion of 1960s folk trio the Folksmen as they prepare for a show at The Town Hall to memorialize a recently deceased concert promoter.

Release Year: 2003

Rating: 7.1/10 (15,743 voted)

Critic's Score: 81/100

Director: Christopher Guest

Stars: Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, Michael McKean

Storyline
When folk icon Irving Steinbloom passed away, he left behind a legacy of music and a family of performers he has shepherded to folk stardom. To celebrate a life spent submerged in folk, Irving's loving son Jonathan has decided to put together a memorial concert featuring some of Steinbloom's best-loved musicians. There's Mitch and Mickey, who were the epitome of young love until their partnership was torn apart by heartbreak; classic troubadours The Folksmen, whose records were endlessly entertaining for anyone able to punch a hole in the center to play them; and The New Main Street Singers, the most meticulously color-coordinated neuftet ever to hit an amusement park. Now for one night only in New York City's Town Hall, these three groups will reunite and gather together to celebrate the music that almost made them famous.

Writers: Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy

Cast:
Jim Moret - Newscaster
Stuart Luce - Irving Steinbloom
Mary Gross - Ma Klapper
Marty Belafsky - Ramblin' Sandy Pitnik (also as Marty Belasky)
Michael Baser - Pa Klapper
Jared Nelson Smith - Young Chuck Wiseman
Ryan Raddatz - Bill Weyburn
Todd Lieberman - Fred Knox
Matthew Joy - Boy Klapper
Laura Harris - Girl Klapper
Brian Riley - Young George Menschell
Harry Shearer - Mark Shubb
Michael McKean - Jerry Palter
Christopher Guest - Alan Barrows
Eugene Levy - Mitch Cohen

Taglines: Back together for the first time, again.



Details

Official Website: Official site [United States] | Soundtrack website (U.S.) |

Release Date: 9 May 2003

Filming Locations: Greystone Park & Mansion - 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Opening Weekend: $2,112,140 (USA) (20 April 2003) (133 Screens)

Gross: $17,508,936 (USA) (27 July 2003)



Technical Specs

Runtime:



Did You Know?

Trivia:
The moaning woman heard through Mitch's (Eugene Levy's) hotel-room wall was voiced by Christopher Guest.

Goofs:
Continuity: When he's playing alone in the motel room, one of Mitch Cohen's pill bottles moves between shots.

Quotes:
Mickey Crabbe: Is there a cockfight arena near here?



User Review

Guest and Levy orchestrate a nice tribute to the 1960s folk groups.

Rating:

We have a duo, a trio, and a group of 9. These three fictitious 'folk' groups from the 60s reunite for a concert in this mockumentary. What makes it so interesting is (1) I was a young adult in the 60s and vividly remember the folk group wave and (2) Guest, Levy and the others do their own singing and playing of songs they wrote for the movie. I think its IMDb ratings which cluster around 7 and 8 are about right. Not everyone will like 'A Mighty Wind' (song from final concert), it has improvised humor and many of the same actors from 'Best in Show'. But for fans of the humor of Guest and Levy it is a very nice little movie. The DVD has interesting extras, and the commentary track by Guest and Levy discuss how, for example, Levy had to take lessons to get is guitar skills back, and how O'Hara learned to play the autoharp for this role.

The movie is 92 minutes long, which includes the 7 minutes of end credits. Of the 85 minutes of actual movie, the first 60 sets up the characters and groups, shows them in rehearsals, covers several back stories, then the final 25 minutes are the concert itself, actually performed before a live audience. There were a few truly outstanding folk groups in the 1960s, but there also were a whole bunch of mediocre ones. The three groups featured in this movie are as good as many of the 1960s groups that actually made a living entertaining. And, as at least one critic said, that's part of the problem with 'A Mighty Wind' - the groups are good enough, and the final concert is real enough, that much of the impact of the humor went away during the last act. The lampooning was gone, replaced by a legitimate set of performances.

Still, I found it thoroughly enjoyable, and my favorite of the 'Guest/Levy' movies.





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