When director Rob Reiner put together his masterpiece, "This is Spinal Tap", a spoof of heavy metal bands in 1984, he picked up on the "mockumentary" format, previously dominated by the geniuses that were Monty Python. Reiner pulled off the coup de grace, in making many people believe that Spinal Tap was real. He cast as his band three virtual unknowns, comics Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer and Michael McKean. McKean had the dubious honor of playing Lenny (to his partner, Squiggy!) in the television show, "Laverne and Shirley". Guest proved to be a comic writer of little parallel, and all three pretend British rockers ad libbed their heads off in making what is arguably one of the funniest movies of all time.

Guest and Shearer went on to be in the SNL cast, and when McKean hosted, they performed again as a band, this time spoofing folk music as "The Folkmen". The Folkmen even toured as an opening act (which was widely boo-ed) on the Spinal Tap tour.

Guest learned at the hands of the master, and the last 25 years of his career have been spent on mockumentary efforts ("Waiting for Guffman", "Best in Show", and, in 2002, "A Mighty Wind", where he decided to give new breath to The Folkmen). There are hallmarks in Guest's work. He utilizes a co-writer, the newly popular Eugene Levy (the best part of Steve Martin's recent "Bringing Down the House"), he has a regular cast of character actors that ad-lib their way through zany and satirical situations in all three films, and he conquers the art form of teasing fans and popular culture icons with gentle spoofing, double entendres, hidden meanings, and really great filmmaking.

I first saw "A Mighty Wind" (AMW) in its limited theatrical release, and my early thoughts were that it was a 4-star effort. I came to this conclusion because "Guffman" and "Best in Show" were, in my opinion, much better and funnier. Although AMW was chock full of quirks and bizarre behavior, there were no belly laughs in the film, and, let's face it, dedicated folk music fans (who have the most to gain and lose) are all boomers with fond remembrances of the pre-Beatle music era....a definite minority. I almost changed my mind and increased the rating to 5 stars for this review when I watched the DVD at length and could marvel at the details and depths of Guest and Levy's imagination, and the brilliance of their comedy. It is strewn throughout the film, but a lot is captured and hightlighted in the DVD's special features.

It was easy to pick out the most outstanding performance of the film, it belonged to co-writer Levy (as Mitch), who completely convinces you, iron gray wig and all, that he is an unhinged, deer-in-the-headlights folk icon, with much of his early musical promise deadened by the cornucopia of meds he's taken over the last three decades, to try to capture some mental stability. To fully appreciate his performance, and the droll wit that drives Levy, see his ad-lib in the Special Features press conference, where Mitch does a completely credible and incredible speech, comparing Rap music to folk music. You gotta see it to believe it!

Strolling through the DVD also brought out the idiosyncrasies in the film and let me marvel at the comedic turns of the delightful Jennifer Coolidge (as Amber Cole, eastern European escapee and PR agent) and John Michael Higgins (as Terry Bohner. Leader of the New Main Street Singers). Both were completely over the top in "Best of Show", and even more laughable here. Both are amazing scene stealers, but you have to think back over the scene to realize it.

In the Special Features, you are really crushed to find deleted scenes that should have survived the film's editing (particularly Coolidge in a deadpan piccolo joke), memorable songs ("The Good Book', by the New Main Street Singers, is hilarious) and the unmatched wry and acerbic humor of commentators Guest and Levy. Guest, with amazing attention to detail, even filmed the concert portion of A Mighty Wind with TV cameras to be able to recreate the concert as it might have appeared on PBS or public access.

But, I digress. The premise of the film is simple:

Irving Steinbloom, aged icon of the 50's and 60's folk music scene, has died in New York. His son, who followed him in managing folk music acts, Jonathon (Bob Balaban)endeavors to create a concert in his dad's memory, bringing together three of dad's oldest and most famous acts. We get to see the faded stars in their lives today, deciding to do the show, then practicing, traveling to the Big Apple and enduring some mild hoopla and memories. Finally, we see the big event.

A big part of the fun is guessing who Guest and Levy are parodying in the acts, because each is a composite of real-life folk groups. It is perhaps true that Higgins' group, a "neuftette" (ensemble of 9!) is a jocular version of the "New Christy Minstrels". The real Minstrels, fresh as apple pie, were a quasi-Christian right ensemble; their devotion to religion is mocked by the New Main Street Singers leaders Bohner (Higgins) and his wife, Laurie Bohner (delightful guest regular Jane Lynch). The Bohners and their group have invented an off-kilter religion, which Laurie introduces in an interview, after she discloses she used to work in porn movies. She is enthusiastic about WINC (Witches in Nature's Colors) as the product of hers and Terry's fascination with the bright palette of colors they use for their costumes. Their group is perky, and each of them, even freckle-faced Sissy Knox (Parker Posey) seems to have a dark edge based on childhood abuse. To the world they present an artificially positive face, and you're struck by the resemblance to the followers of Jim and Tammie Faye Baker (even to the Bohners physical likenesses, and hidden sexual edge). Higgins, in the press conference, talks about public reaction their being witches..."....once, the audience threw a dog at us....once they set the stage on fire; we put it out with our sweater vests!".

Wacky Fred Willard plays their agent, repeating his Guest-films-schtick as a man just full of inappropriate remarks. Willard refines this comedic dance and gets better and better in every Guest outing.

The second act is a reincarnation of the three comics playing The Folkmen. This time, Guest, McKean and Shearer, with their instruments, harmony, and attire of black dickeys and crisp, matching, short sleeved button-down shirts, leave little room for doubt that they are either the Limelighters or the Kingston Trio. They take you back through their album covers, and it is easy to see that when they tried to change styles (to mimic Peter, Paul and Mary?) and evoke a more earnest leather-and-long-hair-clad series of folk dirges, they went under and had to stop performing. Their final record was produced by a company that forgot to put the hole in the center of the album.

Like the rest of the cast, the three are remarkable on their instruments (they also wrote the songs!). McKean's character, with a monumental effort, succeeds in not letting his irritation with the non-commercial earnestness of the other two take over. Their funniest bit, besides the words to their songs ("there's a puppy in the parlor") is their panic when their concert opening song "Never Did No Wandering" is usurped by the New Main Street Singers, and they have to come up with an alternative song.

Last, but certainly not least, is the separated duo, Mitch and Mickey (Ian and Sylvia?) played by Levy and another Guest regular Catherine O'Hara (best known as the mom in the Home Alone movies). O'Hara's performance as Mickey is the most wistful; she's devoted to Mitch and would leave her middle class life and husband of 20 years (he is a catheter salesman) and gladly play her auto-harp for him for the rest of her life. She can't show this for fear of sending Mitch over the edge of his frail grip on sanity. Mitch is oblivious, and it is almost painful to watch them together, with the sweet harmony of their music. They share one of the outstanding special features moments, psychedelically dressed as a mod singing duo in a spoof of a 60's private eye show (Columbo, anyone?).

Can't go without mentioning cameos by sourpuss Paul Dooley, who is the first person on film to ever have the difference between North and South Dakota explained to him, and Guest regular Ed Begley, Jr., as a PBN executive, who dabbled in Swedish folk music in his early career. Both are amusing.

"AMW" is not for everyone. Those who won't want to probe for the humor or the double entendre or can't reminisce about the golden age and the innocence of folk music will probably think it dull, dull, dull.

But, Guest is a genius at understated, satirical comedy and at making gentle, loving jibes at pop culture stereotypes. Although "AMW" may be the lesser of his three films, it still proves that he is truly the king of film comedy. Can't wait for his next one!

Update/Oscar Watch (1/28/04):

In the true fashion of this dreadful category of the Academy Awards, it has just been learned that the song, "A Kiss At The End of The Rainbow" has been nominated as best original song. No doubt the only way to have it brought to the ceremony is by Mitch and Mickey (Levy and O'Hara) themselves. Sugar-sweet, the song is memorable for the "will he kiss her, won't he kiss her" debate that goes on. But, don't they get it? The music on the CD (which I rate 5 stars; film only got 4) is part of the parody, part of the schtick. It was intended to play up the goofy-60's retro theme. Christopher Guest laughed when told that many thought these were real songs of the era, not just send-ups or parodies. Apparently, the Academy was one group that was clueless. Watch Michael McKean and wife (actress Annette O'Toole) who wrote the song, on Oscar night. I bet they will be glazed at the surreal character of it all, and acknowledge their nomination with tongues firmly in cheeks!


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age