Comment of the Moment: CSNY/Deja Vu Film
The Comment of the Moment is on The Politics of Music or the Music of Politics? and the CSNY/Deja Vu film by Simpson:
I was one of those unfortunate to have a theatrical showing of "CSNY: Deja Vu" anywhere near where I live...however I jumped with joy when my brother found it On-Demand on our digital cable. Since the DVD won't be out for a few months I instantly ran to the dollar store and bought a blank VHS tape to record it.
I just finished watching it about 10 minutes ago and I must say it was a really great documentary. Not too many docs I see really pull me in (and I'm not just saying this 'cause Neil is my favorite artist or 'cause I saw CSNY at Pittsburgh on this tour in '06) but because it was actually very well made. I had been looking forward to this film for 22 months and it was worth the wait.
Although I wanted a concert film more than a documentary...the final film actually hit me harder than the concert itself. I vividly remember that emotional feeling I got while the pictures of all the dead soldiers scrolled across the screen during "Find The Cost Of Freedom" and the film honestly captured that brutal feeling with the mother of the dead son during the concert. Watching the film, I began to choke up and tears filled my eyes.
My uncle just passed away the other day too and I was at the funeral all morning and to be completely honest, I didn't tear up until I saw my cousins having to talk about him at the church and how much his death affected them more than me. My grandma always said you shouldn't cry when someone dies because they're in a better place and their suffering is over (and it may seem selfish to some)...so I seem to only cry when I see how a death affects someone other than myself. So when I saw that mother watching the images of the fallen soldiers on the screen and break down into tears I got really choked up. My uncle lived his full life and his time to go was at age 66...but nearly all of those soldiers still had their full lives ahead of them and they were cut short. While I may agree or disagree with CSNY is irrelevant...to die so young, with so much left to give, in the grand scheme of things, is not right. So that scene struck me hard.
Also, I bought the "LWW" album and it's "Raw" version when they came out, and while it wasn't my favorite Neil Young album, I liked the message and thought the songs were pretty good...made even better during the CSNY tour...but to me they were just songs and it didn't hit me as hard as the film did. The film made me completely understand the connection between the songs and the war (which I obviously knew before) but the film gave me a more emotional look at the songs and now I think I appreciate them even more. I think the "Shock And Awe" scene with Josh Hisle was the other most emotional scene in the film. I got choked up during that part too...when they showed him watching the concert.
So while I loved the movie and will be getting it on DVD...I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for a full live CSNY concert from the tour. I have bootlegs, but they're not the same.
And I was hoping that version of "Rockin' In The Free World" from the CSNY '06 tour that Neil posted on his site during the 4th of July weekend was going to finish off the movie...but it wasn't even in the film! But I'd be happy at least if it's included on the DVD as a bonus feature. Keeping my toes crossed for that one.
Well...I think this has gone on a little long and don't believe anyone will have even read this far...but if you did then I appreciate you and Thrasher for taking your time to see what I had to say.
Will be checking on here later on to see what everyone else thought about the film!
Peace!
More on CSNY/Deja Vu film.
by thrasher@PermaLink: 7/26/2008 10:22:00 AM
6 comments
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6 Comments:
Appreciate this Thrasher. Thanks for listening.
Also...since politics and the war is the main concern I should point out that I saw this article on my homepage entitled "U.S. now winning Iraq war that seemed lost," written by a reporter who's been in Iraq since 2003.
Since I am a conservative and honestly have supported the war...but unfortunately not the number of so many lives...I see this as good news. Many of the Iraq veterans I have talked to said we are doing good over there. Somewhere in the article it mentions that "full families now fill parks in Baghdad, picnicking with their children, which was unthinkable only a year ago."
However they will not announce premature victory after Bush's "Mission Accomplished" speech years ago...but they do admit that violence is way down and they are now focusing on rebuilding the economy. They say there will still be violence, but the major combat operations are down and they are no focusing on rebuilding and keeping the peace.
However, I strongly believe that the United States armed forces are not a police force and that the Uited Nations should be considered for so our troops can finally come home. I always believed if we pulled out too early and all at once, the insurgents would just take back over and all those troops died for nothing. The vet in the film says he fears that this will be a "forgotten war" but I strongly doubt that. If we manage to pull through and are successful then maybe we can look back on this and say we did the right thing (even if our reasons did change and we were lied to). I feel we are finally nearing the beginning of the end in Iraq.
Here's the article. Check it out. It's really worth reading.
http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20080726/Iraq.Winning.the.War/
"Find the cost of freedom buried in the ground."
Iraq, like many places in the world, was a rough and vicious place before we got involved, and will continue to be a rough and vicious place after we leave. It will never become the fantasy oasis of enlightened democracy that has been the litmus test for "victory" that would ever justify the cost in lives and suffering. Ever. Time to just declare victory and get the bleep out.
Tom
Just saw the film in Philly last night. Agree every bit with the post. I got choked up at the same point when the mother breaks down when the soldiers are put on the screen during the show. I agree too this film was much more moving than my first time listenign to the CD or the live show I saw in Camden NJ. I thought it was rediculous how that one guy said "if you have never been on the front line or shot at you have no right to be speaking because the politians are smarter than you." What was he talking about!?!these songs are partly on blaming Bush and his fellow con-men but they mainly focus on stopping the war so that both sides can continue to love and live with their families and friends instead of crying about them! peace ain't much to ask at all!
Its easy to "Win" a war with bribery and resigning oneself to Iranian hegemony. In point of fact, the war was "won" before it began since it was fought on behalf of large corporations taht benefit from the welfare/warfare state.
So they bribed some Al Qaida types while allowing Iran to take over. What a win. Still, the real win is that US corporations have unimpeded access to untapped Iraqi oil.
The US has no torture camps all over the world. It is the most vicious power in human history, its victims over the ladts half century far surpassing even Nazi Germany. So you can spare the whole notion of winning. American people lost a long time ago to their ruling clasws.
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Blum/US_Interventions_WBlumZ.html
My son and I attended the July 30, 2006, LWW concert in Irvine CA and we were both blown away by the whole experience. We are die-hard fans of Neil's. I'm from the Woodstock generation and my son was born in 1970, listening to all the great music from that time. This concert was great musically and at the same time delivered a message through powerful imagery. We have the freedom of speech and this concert put it to good use. Long may you run, Neil,Graham,Steven, and David!
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