Film Review: Under the Great Northern Lights
by Timothy Hogg
It was just a couple of days ago that I was scanning through the internets as I do everyday that I stumbled upon the news that the White Stripes have a new documentary coming out soon. Tonight, for whatever reason, it was on Comcast's On-Demand service. I had seen an HD preview just a few days before and was intrigued, so I paid the $6.99.
Simply put, its a great film and probably the best music documentary I have seen in years. There is just something about Jack White and the way that he markets himself and the band that makes all of this such a neat little package. It works so well because the grainyness of the homemade film fits perfectly with the style that the White Stripes puts out musically.
The film centers on the brother/sister duo from Detroit who make the trip to our great northern partners. It serves as a perfect showcase of what the band essentially wants to do, play small shows and even smaller shows during the daytime. It makes the supergroup seem more human, quaint even. I am a bit prejudiced in that I simply love the music, its rawness authentic and because of this film, legitimate. Jack White's fame has sort of spoiled this band, which is always seemingly in contrast to Meg, who has the personality of a church mouse, quiet and cute (albeit sexy). Often as Jack plays through his philosophy on everything, Meg is often in the sequence, quiet while he roars--the same goes with the band--his guitar loudly rebelling against the demanding timing of Meg's drum.
This is what they are all about--and the film really shows them beautifully in this world of mostly black and white, antique cars and animated crowds. It's so beautifully done, comedy at times, emotional at others that it will be somewhat disapointing to see the band live in concert again someday, in full color. This is the concern when documentary rock films are just that good, it makes it difficult to really appreciate how good the band is live the next time you see them.
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