A Mighty Wind

[bduncan]

I just saw this movie - a mockumentary re the folk music era of the 60's.
Same type of thing as Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show, done by the same
people - Eugene Levy, Christopher Guest and others. Its not a great flick
but it's OK

The reason for my post is this: The various actors playing the various
instruments appeared to actually be playing them - Christopher Guest the
long neck Vega 5 string and mandolin; Catherine O'hara the Autoharp, Parker
Posey the mandolin, Eugene Levy and others the guitar. The chording with the
left hand was recognizable and, to my eye, accurate. Guest's right hand on
the banjo seemed fairly intricate and bang on.

My question: It seems unlikely that all of these actors knew or were taught
to play for the movie. Is this a computer aided trick or what?

BD

[Sean Barry]

bduncan <bdun...@home.com> wrote:

: The reason for my post is this: The various actors playing the various

: instruments appeared to actually be playing them - Christopher Guest the
: long neck Vega 5 string and mandolin; Catherine O'hara the Autoharp, Parker
: Posey the mandolin, Eugene Levy and others the guitar. The chording with the
: left hand was recognizable and, to my eye, accurate. Guest's right hand on
: the banjo seemed fairly intricate and bang on.
: My question: It seems unlikely that all of these actors knew or were taught
: to play for the movie. Is this a computer aided trick or what?

I don't know about Catherine O'Hara or Parker Posey, but Christopher
Guest and the others in that band (aka Spinal Tap in another musical
iteration) are all good pickers, known to the good pickers' crowd for a
long time. Years ago they appeared as "The Folksmen" on Saturday Night
Live and did a creditable tune called "Old Joe's Place" that included some
nice instrumental work.

Sean Barry

[sidra]

Parker Posey did learn the mandolin for this according to the Canadian
program I saw on the making of this movie. Everyone really played, they
made up their own dialog as they went along (based on charactor histories
written for them) The only thing pre-written for them was the music. And
some of the actors had a hand in that also.

Sid
Please dont be offended that my email is fake
I hate internet spam

"bduncan" <bdun...@home.com> wrote in message
news:BcHpa.8878$h%2.89...@read1.cgocable.net...

[Paulsv]

>My question: It seems unlikely that all of these actors knew or were taught
>to play for the movie. Is this a computer aided trick or what?

You might remember the John Lithgow credit card ad of a few years ago, where he
played Cripple Creek on the banjo. I've been told that he actually played when
they were filming, but then they had a professional (Greg Cahill, originally,
and Dennis Caplinger for a later remix when they shortened the ad) come into
the studio and play while watching the video, to match the timing of their
playing to John Lithgow's hands.
Paul Vander Woude
Chicago, IL

Born to Tinker
Forced to Work

[Bill Wolcott]

Harry Shearer plays bass in the movie, as well as with Spinal Tap. He
co-wrote alot of the songs, also. Teri Gross had him on the other day, he
said then that everyone played their instruments themselves. O'Hara and
Posey learning them just for this movie.
Bill W

"bduncan" <bdun...@home.com> wrote in message
news:BcHpa.8878$h%2.89...@read1.cgocable.net...

[Dr. Rev. Chuck, M.D. P.A.]

Sean Barry wrote:
>
> bduncan <bdun...@home.com> wrote:
>
> : The reason for my post is this: The various actors playing the various
> : instruments appeared to actually be playing them - Christopher Guest the
> : long neck Vega 5 string

Always nice to see attention paid to historical accuracy.

> : and mandolin; Catherine O'hara the Autoharp, Parker

> : Posey the mandolin, Eugene Levy and others the guitar. The chording with the
> : left hand was recognizable and, to my eye, accurate. Guest's right hand on
> : the banjo seemed fairly intricate and bang on.
> : My question: It seems unlikely that all of these actors knew or were taught
> : to play for the movie. Is this a computer aided trick or what?
>
> I don't know about Catherine O'Hara or Parker Posey, but Christopher
> Guest and the others in that band (aka Spinal Tap in another musical
> iteration) are all good pickers, known to the good pickers' crowd for a
> long time.

Movie title should have been an immediate tipoff. And yes, they're not
just good pickers, but good -- great -- musicians.

> Years ago they appeared as "The Folksmen" on Saturday Night
> Live and did a creditable tune called "Old Joe's Place" that included some
> nice instrumental work.

They did it on Letterman a couple of nights ago. Dave forfeited a chance
for a great interview. Apparently, the patently unfunny Adam Sandler
was more worth wasting half a show on than Spinal Tap's latest project.