Loud Quiet Loud
A Film About the Pixies (Eagle Vision)
by Ewan Wadharmi
Heartwarming and highly recommended, but… Rather than learn the intimate details in the lives of The Pixies through interviews, we get second-hand glimpses from the people in their lives. There are no direct interview questions shown, but we do see the subjects talking about each other and reacting to situations. It’s a bit like gossip, we’re never given access to the source. Only a brief history is given, narrative is limited to a few paragraphs of text thrown up like a silent film. What is provided is fascinating character development with no real exploration.
Without being a spoiler, some are struggling with sobriety and some are succumbing. Frank Black and Joey Santiago are shown as quiet, unassuming family men. Kim Deal has a few unexpected hobbies like knitting and making snowflakes. Dave Lovering acts as excited as a new puppy as he shows off his treasure from beachcombing and his magic tricks. (Yes, but they’re our dorks.) The intro is what little the members have been able to accomplish without each other, while their protégés make a living off Pixie dust.
The concert footage is gorgeous, though the selections are repetitive. They must’ve started “Here Comes Your Man” four or five times but never get to the meat of it. But the unprecedented sellout shows and ravenous fans prove that the reunion was long overdue. On the road, Santiago works on a film score, Black and Deal work on side projects, and no one talks to anyone. Deal’s twin and fellow Breeder Kelly ponders how these four ever managed to get together without speaking. They pussyfoot around subjects like recording new material, and decide only that horror movies are cool.
After following the members around for awhile without really engaging them, I start to feel like a stalker. (A position with which I am not completely unfamiliar.) But I would have pressed more, these folks need a catalyst. And as we learn from Lovering’s metal detector, there’s more below the surface if you just do some digging.
(www.eaglerockent.com)
