From Neil Young's (Bernard Shakey’s) ‘Rust Never Sleeps’ (1979) Vs. ‘Human Highway’ (1983) | Split Picks:
Split Picks wrestles with an all-time great concert film from Neil Young and a comedy with a complicated history
When he’s not behind the camera, director Bernard Shakey spends his time as a Canadian-born rock ‘n’ roll star who goes by the name Neil Young. Split Picks returns to look at two films directed by Shakey, with Breanna McCann joining for the first time, and Bennett Glace returning for yet another episode. They discuss all things Neil Young, Crazy Horse, and the passion projects Young directed as his alter-ego.
Rust Never Sleeps (1979) stands tall among the finest concert films ever made. With a stage full of comically oversized props set by Roadeyes, Young begins solo and runs through the highs of his career before Crazy Horse joins him to debut some now classic songs. Each shot of the film is near-iconic and its setlist will fulfill any Young fan’s requests.
Taking cues from Japanese horror films, The Wizard of Oz, and Jerry Lewis, Human Highway (1983) follows a small group of workers at an auto shop and diner who all have dreams of getting out, or at least winning the local talent show at the nuclear power plant. It just so happens to be the last day on Earth. Human Highway flopped when it came out, but a vastly improved director’s cut has given it new life.
Listen to the episode to see which film reigns supreme, and why, after all this, Bennett’s biggest question is why didn’t Neil Young star in more comedies?
More on The Ultimate Cult Classic Double Feature: Neil Young's Human Highway & Rust Never Sleeps.
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ReplyDeleteGreat listen! This has got to be one of my favorite outside sourced posts from TW of all time. It was a treat to hear these Neil needs hash it out together. And I agree 100% with the take that Human Highway Director’s Cut is a top recommendation. I wasn’t expecting a whole lot after seeing the original theatrical edition, but they really did come out with a fine film after all those years. Successful comedy depends on the editing, so it makes sense that a recut did so much for it. HH went from just a weird movie to a funny weird movie which makes all the difference! And of course Rust Never Sleeps is an all time classic, no question. They don’t take much about how the films complement each other, which I had expected from the “double feature” angle. Any thoughts on how each of these two Shakey Pictures inform the other?
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