They Might Be Giants Doc: "Gigantic" (1 Viewer)

Jesse Blacklow · Jun 10, 2003

Saw this at the AFI Silver Theater in Maryland yesterday. Definitely a must-see for any fan of TMBG, casual or otherwise. There are some slow moments in a couple interviews, but the lyric readings by people like Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and Andy Richter are priceless. Although it's a documentary, the tone is very humorous, and the two Johns are good interview subjects. Easily the best aspect of the film is the live performances. There's one in a NYC music store, with the Johns playing "New York City", on September 10, 2001.

The website for the film lists locations it's playing at. For now, I think it's just in NYC and Silver Spring (DC area), but it'll be coming to more cities this summer.

Scott Littlefield · Jun 10, 2003

As a huge TMBG fan I'd love to see this, but so far I haven't heard anything about it coming to Jacksonville. If it doesn't get a national release I guess I'll have to wait for the DVD.

Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Everything I've heard about this has been very positive.

Jesse Blacklow · Jun 10, 2003

Scott: Fear not. If you can't catch it in the listed theaters, the website says that a "DVD release will follow in the fall of 2003". I can't wait.

Rob P S · Jun 10, 2003

We're getting this on the 4th of July - I'm looking forward to it.

Dana Fillhart · Jun 10, 2003

What's that blue thing....doing here?!

(sorry, couldn't resist a total TMBG-style non-sequiter

)

Andrew 'Ange Hamm' Hamm · Jun 11, 2003

I hear a sound
I turned around
I turned around and saw the thing that made the sound

Scott Weinberg · Jun 11, 2003

As a longtime Giants fan, I cannot wait to see this movie. Some friends and I were considering a day trip to NYC in order to see it but laziness won out.

Jesse Blacklow · Jun 12, 2003

Scott: Opens July 2 - Philadelphia, PA | Prince Music Theatre

Jeff Kleist · Jun 12, 2003

Then it's going to be a 1-shot showing. Better get tickets

MickeS · Jun 12, 2003

Owen Gleiberman in Entertainment Weekly described this movie as something unintentionally similar to "This is Spinal Tap".

Made me want to see it.

Derek Miner · Jun 12, 2003

I think Owen Gleiberman completely missed the point of the film and They Might Be Giants altogether. Far from the raving egotists Gleiberman paints them as, they definitely seem bemused by their success.

I would love to see this documentary again, after having the lucky break of catching it at the Florida Film Festival last year. See my review post from way back then:
http://www.minerwerks.com/rockdoc.html

I originally had posted this here at the HTF, but I can't seem to dig up the link in the search function.

Jesse Blacklow · Jun 13, 2003

I think Gleiberman's right about the film being somewhat similar to "Spinal Tap", especially since Harry Shearer and Michael Mckean do lyric readings in "Gigantic". And it does have that giddy, mockumentary feel to it. But his claims that the Johns are full of themselves is crazy. Linnell in particular looks almost uncomfortable with success, while Flans is exuberant but restrained.

Of course, this is Entertainment Weekly we're talking about. They rank around People or other gossip rags in terms of grasp of artistic ability. If both of my local paper's notoriously hard-ass critics like a movie, it's usually worth seeing.

MickeS · Jun 13, 2003

I find that those who claim that rarely read EW. It is IMO an excellent magazine and their "grasp of artistic ability" is just fine...

I didn't want to cut and paste the whole review due to the rules about copyright infringement in this forum, but it's obvious Gleiberman doesn't think very highly of these guys.

/Mike

Rob P S · Jul 6, 2003

I saw it today - fun flick with lots of great tunes and analysis of "Particle Man" - and too much Sarah Vowell.

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