Instrument (film)

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Wikipedia article 'Instrument' is a documentary film directed by Jem Cohen about the band Fugazi. The film takes its title from the Fugazi song of the same name, from their 1993 album, 'In on the Kill Taker'. Content 'Instrument' was shot from 1987 through 1998 on super 8, 16mm and video and is composed mainly of footage of concerts, interviews with the band members, practices, tours and time spent in the studio recording their 1995 album, 'Red Medicine'.[http://www.dischord.com/release/080 Dischord Records - Instrument product page] The film also includes portraits of fans as well as interviews with them at various Fugazi shows around the United States throughout the years. Notable scenes in the film include Fugazi performing for inmates at Lorton Correctional Facility; singer/guitarist Guy Picciotto's performance in a Philadelphia college gym in 1988, where he stuffs himself through a basketball hoop and performs hanging upside down by his legs (filmed by Todd Crespi); and an interview of Guy Picciotto and Ian MacKaye by an 8th grade girl for a Public-access television cable TV show.Harrington, Richard. '"Keeping It Reel"', June 13, 1999, 'The Washington Post'. Background Cohen's relationship with band member Ian MacKaye extends back to the 1970s when the two met in high school in Washington, D.C.Savlov, Marc. [http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A73737 '"Walking the Straight Edge"'], September 3, 1999, 'The Austin Chronicle'; last accessed February 14, 2009. When asked what the goal was in making 'Instrument', Cohen responded: One such misconception is shared in a scene where drummer Brendan Canty tells his bandmates how his sister's boyfriend believes that Fugazi lives in a house together without heat and subsisting on a steady diet of nothing but rice.DiCrescenzo, Brent. [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/17898-fugazi-instrument-soundtrack '"Instrument Soundtrack"'] , December 31, 1999, 'Pitchfork'; last accessed February 15, 2009. Cohen has also said that "[o]ne of the reasons why I work with Fugazi and they work with me is that we enjoy traveling through this madness. It's what they write songs about and it's what I try to document in my films."Savlov, Marc. [http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A73737 '"Walking the Straight Edge"'], September 3, 1999, 'The Austin Chronicle'; last accessed February 15, 2009. Production Editing of the film was done by both Cohen and the members of the band over the course of five years. Soundtrack The 'Instrument Soundtrack' by Fugazi was released in conjunction with the film. It consisted primarily of instrumental and unreleased songs (including many demo cuts from 'End Hits', their next album after the soundtrack). Critical reception 'Time Out' and 'Variety''s reviews for 'Instrument' were generally positive, although they found it to be a bit lengthy, especially for those who do not find themselves to be fans of the band.Harvey, Dennis. '"Instrument: Ten Years With The Band Fugazi"', December 6, 1999, 'Variety'.[http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/76062/Instrument-Ten_Years_with_the_Band_Fugazi.html'"Instrument: Ten Years With The Band Fugazi"'], 'Time Out London'; last accessed February 15, 2009. However, The AV Club pointed out, "if 'Instrument' is purely self-indulgent, Fugazi is one band that has truly earned that luxury."Klein, Joshua. [http://www.avclub.com/articles/fugazi-instrument,18862/ '"Fugazi: Instrument"'], 'Onion A.V. Club'; last accessed February 15, 2009. According to DVD Talk, the film "is like a lot of the band's music; straight-ahead, consistently creative and down-to-earth." In an article by 'The Washington Post' discussing both 'Instrument' and Grant Gee's similar contemporaneous documentary 'Meeting People Is Easy' (on Radiohead), the former was found to be "much more fragmented than the Radiohead film. Then again, it's not meant to be a career overview. [...] And while Radiohead seems to take itself a tad too seriously, Fugazi takes itself just seriously enough, even addressing its hardcore-bred penchant for uncompromising ethical stands on everything from merchandising to community commitment (half the concerts in the film seem to be benefits or demonstrations). While they're thoughtful, they're not particularly self-absorbed and seem to actually enjoy what there is to be enjoyed on the road. And the release in Fugazi's music seems as emotionally cathartic for them as it is for their fans." DVD extras The DVD release in 2001 included 30 minutes of extra footage not released on VHS in 1999: three full songs - "Waiting Room", "Turnover" and "Long Division" - from various shows and two short films entitled "Glueman" and "Little Flags". References
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