Stars: Phish

Director: Todd Phillips

Summary: A low-key addition to the rockumentary genre, BITTERSWEET MOTEL is a behind-the-scenes look at life on the road with the mega-cult jam band Phish. Fans of Phish's anything-goes musical philosophy--one segment finds them bringing down the house with their take on a barbershop quartet--will surely be begging for more, while the uninitiated will get a glimpse not just of the curveballs they throw onstage, but also their goofball camaraderie offstage and the down-to-earth quality that obviously endears them to their ardent followers. As the primary inheritors to the Grateful Dead's fanatic posse of latter-day hippies, the band steers clear of that band's more mystical deep end in favor of a we're all in it together approach, and it's this lack of pretension that BITTERSWEET MOTEL most accurately reveals.<BR>The film was commissioned by the band, and some of the funniest moments arise as they begin to question why they did it--apparently uninterested in trotting out the usual rock-star cliches, but hoping to show what makes them tick. Directed by Todd Phillips (who also directed HATED, a documentary of punk renegade GG Allin), BITTERSWEET MOTEL roams freely from onstage to backstage to rehearsals to interviews with fans, giving a three-dimensional look into a band that studiously avoids big-media hype.

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Phishheads may be hard-pressed to define what they love about their idols, the Vermont-based jam Band Phish, but they know it when they see it--and hear it. Bittersweet Motel, the 2000 documentary by Todd Phillips, serves up exactly what they want: generous dollops of the band's free-form, jazz-laced music and by-the-numbers backstage glimpses of the musicians relaxing during rehearsals, between sets, and after hours. The 84-minute film follows a year in the life of the band, from the happening, called the Great Went, in Maine in August 1997 through the band's 1998 European tour (but inexplicably, the film begins with Europe and ends with the Great Went). Along the way, viewers are treated to long snatches of band favourites such as Wilson and Down with Disease. Affable singer-guitarist Trey Anastasio is the focus of most of the non-musical scenes, trying to explain the band's cult appeal, or griping about lunk-headed critics who are all too dismissive of the band's often-stellar virtuosity. It's clear that wearing the mantle of the Grateful Dead--especially since the 1995 death of Jerry Garcia--is a mixed blessing for Anastasio, who bristles in one interview about Dead comparisons. Phillips, who directed the fascinating but discredited documentary Frat House and the Tom Green vulgar-fest Road Trip, does have an eye for the absurdly comic, especially evident in the few scenes he features of stoner Phishheads, who follow the band from show to show. Bittersweet Motel may not earn the band any new converts, but fans will find more than enough to satisfy those long dry spells between tours. --Anne Hurley, Amazon.com

Description:

Bittersweet Motel takes a look at the iconoclastic musicians of Phish, one of rock & roll's most successful touring bands, a group Rolling Stone magazine has called "the most important band of the 90s." This 80-minute documentary tracks the band over the course of a year--on and off stages across the United States, Europe and at home in Vermont. The film wraps with an extensive section devoted to one of Phish's grand festivals, "The Great Went", where 70,000 fans descend on the tiny village of Limestone, Maine, for a spectacular multi-day musical event. Director Todd Phillips, best known for his ground-breaking films, Sundance Award winner Frat House and the blockbuster comedy Road Trip, reveals the amazing phenomenon of the band--their music, loyal fans and spectacular live shows. Phillips presents a compelling film that every music fan will find fascinating.

Aspect Ratio:	1.85 Wide Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Original Theatrical Trailer, Interview With Director Todd Phillips, Additional Scenes, Full Length Version of Punch In The Eye, Full Length Version Of Big Black Furry Creature From Mars, Full Length Version Of Maze, Full length Version Of Lawn Boy
Subtitles:	Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish
Year:	2000
Release Date:	May 7, 2001
Runtime:	84 minutes
Certification:	Exempt.
Catalogue Number:	I X 9783 B S U K D
Keywords:	Music, Rock, Motel, Pop, Wide, Screen, Performing, Arts, Popular, Phish, Bittersweet
Genre:	Music/Performing Arts