MYST POST #3: Not Fade Away

Not Fade Away is a movie that I would not have heard about if it were not for the Chicago Tribune. I had been meaning to check it out since I saw the good review it gave on the front page of A&E, so I was glad to see it show up on Netflix. This indie movie (and directorial debut of The Sopranos creator David Chase) was released in 2012 but is set in the 1960s and features a cast in which I didn't recognize anyone other than the late James Gandolfini. What interested me the most about this film was the mix of history into the movie-often times early video or sound clips of The Rolling Stones or The Beatles would play along with narration of what was going on with big bands at the time. The inclusion of these clips made the movie a lot of fun to watch and imagine what it must have been like to hear and see bands like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles for the first time.

The movie tells the story of a group of friends who form a band and have dreams of making it big in the '60s. They are inspired by artists such as Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and The Beatles. Throughout the movie the band members face struggles as they realize that it takes more than just a love of music to be successful as a band. While trying to balance (at some points unsuccessfully) his band,  school, and girlfriend Grace (Bella Heathcote), Douglas, played by John Magaro, takes over as lead singer for the band, which causes some tension. The movie follows the band through several trials and errors, including auditions and studio time, until the band ultimately begins to crumble after one member gets into a serious motorcycle accident. Doug is left contemplating what his future will hold for him.

The intro to the movie was awesome and got me hooked right away. After a black and white clip, a television announcement leads straight into The Rolling Stones' hit "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." An important scene-and my favorite scene-came when the band was forming together while jamming to Bo Diddley. The camerawork in this scene featured many close-ups of the instruments while they were being played. I noticed that close-ups were also big throughout the rest of the movie. Something interesting that I noticed was that often times, including in this scene, there would be a close up of somebody's (usually Doug's) eye and then ear, which I didn't completely understand the point of. I liked how the camera worked in this scene because it created a kind of rhythm with the shots that went well with the music. I also noticed how vibrant colors were often used, which made me think maybe this was to try to emulate the color technology that was being used in the '60s-- like the vibrant colors in Rebel Without a Cause (1955). The look of the movie, including the coloring and the costumes, made Not Fade Away more believable as a movie set in the '60s.


The movie was really cool but left me feeling like some of the issues were unresolved. After the halfway point we find out that Doug's dad, Pat (James Gandolfini), has cancer. Other than it being mentioned a few times, it isn't brought up for the rest of the movie. Also there isn't much of a conclusion with Grace, Doug's girlfriend. She kind of just disappears from the movie after the band falls apart. It also felt like the movie took an unexpected turn when the band faced an early demise. I was surprised to see the band dissolve so quickly when I was expecting something more to come of it. But the more I thought about it, the more I think I understand why that happened. A big theme of the movie was not knowing what was going to happen next and living in the present. By taking a completely different direction than the viewer was probably intending, the movie exemplifies the theme of not knowing any further into the future than what is happening at the moment. Because of its compelling story and rock 'n roll history infusion, I would give Not Fade Away 4/5 stars. 

Rating: ★★★★☆