Taking Woodstock is an account of how one Elliot Teichberg (Martin) inadvertently set the wheels in motion for Woodstock, the generation-defining concert of 1969. However, this is not a docudrama about the festival, it’s an emotional journey and coming-of-age drama as young Elliot matures into a man. Oscar-winning Brokeback Mountain director Ang Lee, composes a textured drama about the prolific 3-day music festival taken from the perspective of one “square” young man.
Elliot’s Russian immigrant parents run a beat-up motel in the Catskills and on a whim, Elliot decides to help the hippie concert organizers find a space to set up for their expected 100,000 music lovers to descend. The traffic will boost the motel’s attendance, create economic opportunities for the wider community and become a landmark for future trade. The idea literally sprouts wings and after some soulful PR, the event becomes a lighthouse to moths as every hippie from around America makes the pilgrimage to the rolling hills of the Catskills.
Taking Woodstock’s charm lies in its unassuming lead’s innocence. Nerdy, fresh out-of-the-box Demetri Martin gives the film a fresh-faced perspective on what it may have been like to experience Woodstock. From an outsider’s perspective, Ang Lee infuses the drama with an accurate retelling from the free love politics, nudity and drugs to the droves of young people and their various modes of transportation, scattered across the fields. The right atmosphere gives the drama credibility and a sense of nostalgia as Elliot’s story unfolds.
Apart from Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake) and Emile Hirsch (Into The Wild), the cast is relatively unknown with out-of-character and funny cameos from Liev Schreiber, Paul Dano and Dan Fogler. Demetri Martin plays a similar role to Jason Schwartzman in Rushmore as the young upstart calls the shots and dons the tie. The performance holds the film together, yet offers audiences a chance to get a landscape view as the event relays the small struggles of the roadside motel to the expanses and symbolism of the festival.
One strong criticism, is that Ang Lee failed to capture the musical essence of the festival. The low-key soundtrack fits in with the era, but without a Forrest Gump type track list, Taking Woodstock feels a little empty on music. The nudity, drugs and sexuality of the time distract audiences, but there’s no hiding the fact that the big show-stopping performances and main reason for Woodstock are absent. Now it’s a good thing that Lee didn’t get a bunch of celebrity look-a-likes to emulate the stars onstage with dubbing, but the festival-defining music seems like an afterthought or mood setting.
This focuses our attention on the emotional story of Elliot, which is tempered by good performances, twists of comedy and some interesting behind-the-scenes concert footage. The narrative baits the audience with promises of what could be, but never actually rises to the occasion. The political and sexual slant of the drama is reminiscent of Milk with several references to San Fransisco. Elliot has a degree of power in the little town as the chair on their economics board, the glorified event organizer/spokesman and his path is intertwined with Woodstock’s sexual revolution. The film acknowledges the conservative backlash with a good dose of comedy, but resists turning into a small town comedy about a bunch of disgruntled townsfolk.
Taking Woodstock also dabbles with the era like Across the Universe did with The Beatles. The recreation of moods and atmospheres becomes more important than simply translating classic songs. The film may not be as fun and happy-go-lucky as The Boat That Rocked, but captures the Zeitgeist quite effortlessly with the freedom of expression and the recklessness of youth. Taking Woodstock features some fine performances and you could say it’s a blend of Rushmore, Milk and Across The Universe with its kaleidoscope transfixed on Woodstock.
The bottom line: Elemental.
Screenplay with Spling
Stephen ‘Spling’ Aspeling
www.spling.co.za
Browse Timeline
Add a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
