Authorised documentary on the UK's inspired and dissolute music label, Creation Records. Featuring Oasis, The Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, Primal Scream, Boo Radleys and more.
"Over 25 years after its first proper release and ten years after it closed its doors, Upside Down follows the Creation Records from the days of Jesus and Mary Chain to millions of sales on both sides of the Atlantic, near bankruptcy, pills, thrills, spats, prats, success, excess, pick-me-ups, breakdowns and of course some of the defining music of the late twentieth century... the story of the rock and roll dream and its accompanying nightmares." (Offical Synopsis)
An interesting and more traditional companion piece to Michael Winterbottom's 24 Hour Party People, Upside Down details the rise and demise of a fiercely independent British record label that ended up producing the mainstream sound of a generation.
Mixing archival footage, including music videos, live performances, interviews and talking heads, debutant director O'Connor's lively documentary goes some way to capturing the eclectic and eccentric nature of the label's management and recording artists – “a collection of outsiders, chancers and misfits'', as founder Alan McGee eloquently puts it.
He is the undoubted star of the show (despite the presence of Noel Gallagher) – the "one man charge of the light brigade'' who could "start a riot in a paper bag'' – as he details he drug-fuelled lifestyle, talent-spotting ability (although he was convinced Welsh-group Super Furry Animals couldn't actually speak English) musical obsessions and how his ambition eventually outstripped the company's finances.
Throw in sage musical advice from BP Fallon and you have a doco that the late great Dylan Tate would be proud of.
By James Croot, Flicks.co.nz
Some of my favourite bands get featured, so what better way to spend 1h 41mins?
For those already familiar with the story, there's little new to learn, but there are enough fresh interviews, plus plenty of airtime given to some of the lesser-known players, to keep Upside Down interesting.
It makes you want to go and play the records, and salute the environment and personnel that helped them to be made. You wonder, though, about the omissions in the film. What, for example, about any other music being made? Or any other record label? Eventually, you realise it’s intentional. To McGee’s mind, after all, there simply were no others.
Producer-director Danny O’Connor has done them a service not only by securing access to all the principals, but also by exhaustively including many of Creation’s lesser acts...
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 15th Sep 2011.
Release date: September 15th 2011.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
