<p>Ah, the Mellotron. Few instruments in recent history have inspired such passionate feelings. To its detractors, it represents the bloated excesses of the worst of prog rock, while its admirers see inerrant beauty in this orchestra-in-a-box. <strong>Dianna Dilworth</strong>‘s compelling documentary <cite>Mellodrama</cite> puts this much-misunderstood piece of hardware in proper perspective, making a strong case that it not only played an important role in the development of rock – and not just prog – but also in the sample-based music of hip-hop and electronica. Much of the documentary chronicles the development of the Mellotron, from its predecessor the Chamberlin to its various offshoots, and if you thought you knew the instrument, think again: Did you know, for example, that the flamenco riff at the start of the Beatles’ “Bungalow Bill” was a Mellotron? The instrument is strongly linked to prog-rock acts like <strong>Yes</strong>, <strong>King Crimson</strong>, the <strong>Moody Blues</strong> and <strong>Pink Floyd</strong>, but it was also prominently used by the <strong>Beach Boys, the Kinks, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Rolling Stones, Cheap Trick</strong> and <strong>David Bowie</strong>. The filmmakers convincingly show what a seismic change this instrument brought to the musical world. Who needs an orchestra or big band when you have a Mellotron? But it was no cheap piece of machinery. Heavy, cumbersome and fragile, the Mellotron was a bitch to tour with, and it soon fell out of favor when synthesizers became more advanced and prog in general was frowned upon. After a long period of disuse, however, the Mellotron reemerged in the 1990s, playing a key role in the music of <strong>Radiohead, Tom Waits, Flaming Lips, Pulp, Grandaddy, Sigur Ros, Air</strong> and even <strong>Kanye West</strong>. One drawback in <cite>Mellodrama</cite>: we don’t hear enough music. We gets lots of talking heads <em>talking</em> about all these amazing songs that featured the Mellotron, but we hear none of them, doubtless a result of the filmmakers’ inability to secure their copyrights (read: pay enormous sums of money). A pity. Still, if you love the keyboards, and if you ever went a little weak at the knees during “In the Court of Crimson King,” you’ll have a blast watching <cite>Mellodrama</cite>. (James)</p>2010-01-31T14:55:52-05:00mellodrama-the-mellotron-movie12826512Movie2010-01-31T14:55:52-05:00Mellodrama: The Mellotron Movie2010-01-31T15:55:35-05:00Bazillion Pointsdocumentary, prog
Ah, the Mellotron. Few instruments in recent history have inspired such passionate feelings. To its detractors, it represents the bloated excesses of the worst of prog rock, while its admirers see inerrant beauty in this orchestra-in-a-box. *Dianna Dilworth*'s compelling documentary ??Mellodrama?? puts this much-misunderstood piece of hardware in proper perspective, making a strong case that it not only played an important role in the development of rock - and not just prog - but also in the sample-based music of hip-hop and electronica. Much of the documentary chronicles the development of the Mellotron, from its predecessor the Chamberlin to its various offshoots, and if you thought you knew the instrument, think again: Did you know, for example, that the flamenco riff at the start of the Beatles' "Bungalow Bill" was a Mellotron? The instrument is strongly linked to prog-rock acts like *Yes*, *King Crimson*, the *Moody Blues* and *Pink Floyd*, but it was also prominently used by the *Beach Boys, the Kinks, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Rolling Stones, Cheap Trick* and *David Bowie*. The filmmakers convincingly show what a seismic change this instrument brought to the musical world. Who needs an orchestra or big band when you have a Mellotron? But it was no cheap piece of machinery. Heavy, cumbersome and fragile, the Mellotron was a bitch to tour with, and it soon fell out of favor when synthesizers became more advanced and prog in general was frowned upon. After a long period of disuse, however, the Mellotron reemerged in the 1990s, playing a key role in the music of *Radiohead, Tom Waits, Flaming Lips, Pulp, Grandaddy, Sigur Ros, Air* and even *Kanye West*. One drawback in ??Mellodrama??: we don't hear enough music. We gets lots of talking heads _talking_ about all these amazing songs that featured the Mellotron, but we hear none of them, doubtless a result of the filmmakers' inability to secure their copyrights (read: pay enormous sums of money). A pity. Still, if you love the keyboards, and if you ever went a little weak at the knees during "In the Court of Crimson King," you'll have a blast watching ??Mellodrama??. (James)
24.992010-01-31T14:55:53-05:00manual032421162deny1DVD118.9912826512falsefalseDVD2010-01-31T14:55:53-05:002010-01-31T14:56:00-05:00265068921128265122010-01-31T14:56:00-05:00http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0000/4544/products/mellodrama_cover.jpg?1268275979