Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage (2010) Reviews

• A Mostly Great Rock Doc

  crossbow01062010-07-03

  Just to get it out of the way, if you have zero interest in Rush, proceed with caution. I am a casual fan and thought this was great. The best thing is it explores the relationships between the band, from the beginning. Also, along with insightful commentary from various musicians, the guys tell their own story. Always maligned by critics, this is an exploration into why they are still so popular. Even better, all three guys, especially Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, are just good people. Neil Peart is a bit more difficult to warm up to, but you'll like him also by the end (actually, way before that). You get concert clips and the aforementioned commentary and what basically comes through is that these guys deserved every bit of fame that came their way. They are all superb musicians, actually all three amongst the best in rock. While Geddy Lee's singing voice takes a bit of getting used to (there is a funny part where various people quote critics on what they thought his voice sounded like), by the end you realize that its also part of what makes the band unique. That over 30 years on they can still sell out tours is amazing, and it really is about time they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The only reason I didn't give it a ten was that if you have little knowledge of the band you may feel its a bit much to go through the records one by one. However, as I am a casual fan only (to date, I have "Permanent Waves" and the two disc compilation "Chronicles" only), this documentary makes me want to go out and buy more Rush music. If that isn't an endorsement for this film, then there just isn't one. Congratulations on their well earned success and bravo to this career spanning, insightful and thoroughly entertaining documentary.

• Fantastic doc that respects the subject

  bs-302010-04-25

  Saw the premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival last night. A theater full of Rush fans guarantees that if the film faltered it would get immediate feedback. Not the case here at all. What us rabid Rush fans have been waiting for all these years has finally happened: a serious piece of film that accurately details the background of the band and their rise from obscurity to, as Geddy says "not mainstream, but OUR stream", with the ups and downs along the way. Everything is covered, from their struggle for a recording contract until their first stateside 'fans' Donna Halper from WMMS in Cleveland and Cliff Burnstein of Mercury Records helped them out, the early years w/ John Rutsey (someone who up until now was just a name - seeing and hearing him made me appreciate his early contributions to the group), the triumphant release of 2112 that gave them their independence, all the way to Neil's tragic loss of his daughter and wife years ago that almost spelled the end of the band. Peppered w/ interviews from other musicians who you would not typically think of as Rush fans (Trent Reznor, Billy Corgan, etc.) as well as those who absolutely fit the bill (Jack Black, Les Claypool, etc.) you see that their influence is not just musical but spiritual - not one of these people, except for maybe Mr. Claypool, play like Rush, but they all relate how their admiration for the band fueled their own push to be better musicians and hold onto their integrity. As you would expect, my only complaint is that it's not long enough. But that's what DVD extras are for. :) All in all a hearty thumbs-up! Be sure to catch the TV premiere in late June over at VH1/VH1Classic! And one last thought - this has solidified the growing position among us hardcore fans that it's irrelevant if they ever get into the R&R Hall of Fame. That's a popularity contest that the band has never cared for and nor do I.

• Band-positive but comprehensive

  hanfuzzy2010-06-11

  This film does a good job of presenting and explaining what Rush is all about, and how the group has earned respect from fans, producers, DJs and other musicians (just not critics). Not quite hagiography, as it quotes some of the negative reviews and the band's own dissatisfaction with some of their albums or directions or even wardrobe choices. Unlike the filmmakers' heavy metal survey films (Headbanger's Journey and Global Metal), in this film Dunn is never on screen and is only heard once or twice asking questions of interview subjects. The spotlight (or limelight) is clearly placed on the band - this is a straight-up documentary, without dwelling on a fan's relationship to a band or genre. As in previous films by this team, the interviews with a surprisingly wide variety of subjects provide much of the meat of this film, giving a broad perspective and keeping it from having too much of a narrow viewpoint. Of course at least half the interviews are with Rush members themselves. You get a real sense of the men behind the music, including their relationships to each other, family, other musicians, and fans. A special aspect is some great earlier footage, even from family discussions while they were still in high school. There are also some powerful landscape shots while exploring Peart's response to deaths in his immediate family. And the examination of the song-writing process, including shots of original hand-written lyrics drafts, provides good value for viewers. Overall, a well-made film that does justice to the topic. Not as poignant or story-arced as Anvil: the Story of Anvil, this film has a more successful subject and didn't need to become a real-life Spinal Tap to make a interesting watch.

• That's Entertainment

  modesttaker2010-06-12

  It is a very well directed and edited collection. Home movie footage of Alex and Geddy as kids all the way to interviews from the Snakes and Arrows tour put the bands personalities and philosophies to the forefront. Fans will feel like they know these guys. There is much humor with the occasional sobering aside. People who barely know Rush's music will probably get converted. There isn't a lot of technical discussion (equipment, technique). Most people who contribute commentary have worked with them in some capacity. "Celebrity" fans are mostly from the heavy metal camp. The Grace Under Pressure to Roll The Bones era is covered the least (which will make many happy). It was awesome! See it in a theater if given a chance.

• The greatest rock band of all time may NOT be the Beatles (!)

  psc9142010-09-28

  I only "discovered" RUSH 3 short months ago. Before seeing this documentary, I was aware of the few RUSH songs I'd heard on radio - but I would never have name checked them as a great rock band. In the short time since then (a period during which I have picked up almost all their CDs), RUSH has displaced the Beatles as my favourite band of all time. I assure you that's no small feat - I remain one of the most avid Beatles fans you will ever encounter. This said, if you love the Beatles, you won't necessarily love RUSH - and unlike the almost universally appealing Beatles, RUSH's music seems to be a love it or hate it affair. RUSH has many different styles and eras to their vast repertoire of songs, and their level of musicianship is without parallel. It's rarely "conventional" rock, but that's what makes it so interesting. To date, Rush has 24 gold records, 14 of which are platinum (3 multi-platinum). That places them third behind The Beatles and The Rolling Stones for the most consecutive gold or platinum albums by any rock band. Amazingly, they've achieved that distinction with comparatively little radio support. This documentary provides insights into how word-of-mouth made that happen one fan at a time. A key strength of this documentary is highlighting the significance of Neil Peart's lyrics as well as it does. I appreciate the written word, and never have I come across musicians whose artistry fuses music and lyrics so well. This film (and RUSH's music generally) is highly recommended to anyone who appreciates intelligent lyrics, highly crafted musical artistry and exceptionally good music.