"The Pedal Movie" Discussion Thread

[BitchPudding]

Its finally out, after I dunno like 3ish years right? Totally forgot it was dropping today. Who else has seen it? I'm watching it right now.

discuss! discuss! discuss!

https://reverb.com/page/the-pedal-movie

[Eivind August]

Is it any good?

[BitchPudding]

Im an hour and 28 minutes into it and yeah actually! Its very extensive. Long ass movie too.

[PanicProne]

Watched it in two sittings with my gf. Pretty damn mediocre if you ask me. Not enough examples/artists/songs where different sounds have been used etc. I thought like 30-40% of it was okay and the rest just passed by. I don't want to complain cause I bet there was milliions of hours of footage for this and everyone can't be featured but just feel it all ended up to much of a "surface-y" thing rather than a deeper documentary feel. More like a catalogue of gear avaiable to buy (which might be sort of the point considering Reverb is behind it?). The feminist/female builder part was way too short too, just ended up feeling like a "conscious branding" thing in an otherwise very male dominated film, obviously. But hey, this is all very subjective imo and I wouldn't advice against watching it. To me though, it just felt like I could get the same experience in a nicer bite sized way from spending not a lot more time on youtube or just googling. A cool effort but ended up a bit too much too little of everything and not enough of anything to feel interesting. Too niche to give anything to ppl not already really into pedals (my gf for example, though she really understands the appeal of it) but too shallow to add anything to us already a few years down the rabbit hole. Would've prefered a series consisting of shorter episodes with each builder or for instace focusing on each particular effect type. And yeah, that's already a google or youtube session away anyways. And yeah, the audio/sound (my that's just casting from my laptop) switching between and in within segments felt really annoying and unbalanced too. Perhaps I expected more focus on artistry and creativity etc than the pedal as a sellable product itself and perhaps I was wrong to do so. Just my two cents.

[cantremember]

How long is it? I've got a free rental but it only lasts 72hrs and honestly I can't sit through watching stuff for longer than maybe an hour without falling asleep.

[BitchPudding]

How long is it? I've got a free rental but it only lasts 72hrs and honestly I can't sit through watching stuff for longer than maybe an hour without falling asleep.

Its 2hrs 22mins. So not short.

[oldangelmidnight]

I watched the first hour or so last night and it was pretty clear that it was not made by historians or documentarians. Rumors were stated as fact and no citations given. Lots of the same stories we've heard before. The b-roll footage was pretty goofy.
Still, it was nice to see Fran Blanche and CBA Joel and other decent builders given some time. Unfortunately, we had to sit through a lot of JHS to get to it. Maybe Fuzzhugger Thomas in the last half?

[retinal orbita]

I’d be interested in seeing it and keeping my expectations low, but I just cannot imagine subjecting my wife to it. And given the lockdown no one leaves the house ever so I guess I probably won’t see it.

I certainly wouldn’t pay to see it

[Heraclitus Akimbo]

it all ended up to much of a "surface-y" thing rather than a deeper documentary feel.

Its 2hrs 22mins. So not short.

Man, if both these things are true, this is a bad piece of work.

Documentaries about collectors or "quirky" subcultures are generally in under 90 minutes and usually play off the personalities of the subjects. (Y'know, like typewriters/stamps/crossword puzzles/scrabble players and about sixteen others I can think of.) If you're at that kind of length you're doing a deep dive and you better be as researched and burrowed down as heck.

[retinal orbita]

I really like the reverb “aesthetic” with their videos so I’m hoping at some point I can catch it and it’s somewhat enjoyable. I mean I watched that Fuzz documentary and I remember that one being pretty good.

I saw that ZZ Top doc last year and I really like Sam Dunn’s work and I love ZZ Top but their story….. it’s just not that exciting! And I LOVED the Rush doc he did. I love effects pedals but maybe it’s the same thing. Like it’s not a “story” per say but like I can almost see that moment in every documentary where something really tragic happens and the subjects get a little morose…. What’s that point in this documentary? Rack gear?

“…..and then…. Everyone just started using multi effects” [Brian Wampler weeps]

[slow pan of the EHX factory with its windows shuttered]

“Then people started buying pedals again and it was like craft beer but like, with pedals!”

[long shot of NAMM being really busy]

[Montage of the Juan and the other guy from P&E laughing ]

[the end]

[a really boring Mogwai song plays]

[backwardsvoyager]

I couldn't pay money to see anything with JHS dude in it (unless it's a horror movie )

I was a bit discouraged that the list of people featured is like 98% North Americans, too.

[oldangelmidnight]

Yeah, it's real weird that it's all white guys talking about Boss.

[retinal orbita]

I would sit and watch ANY of those Earthquaker mini docs they make in a friggin’ heartbeat. I’d also totally watch a 25 min reverb video on envelope filters or whatever. But a generic movie “about” pedals and you sort of loose me. I’ll probably still see it, no hate but who is this targeted at? It’s almost like that movie Google made where those two guys from Wedding Crasher went to work at Google.

[coupleonapkins]

It feels like another ploy to justify $500 dollar pedals (stare into the JHS long enuff and you will believe), but that is the cynic in me talking, not the Etsy buyout hangover (I swear!), which, even with all the 101 flavors of mostly-free youtube pedal poop available (some of it even digestible), I am still shaking my head at.

However, if someone ever makes a film about ILF, I can only hope it's written exquisite corpse-style by every banned user (comsect, witt, bossman), directed by the Velvet Hammer and starring Daniel Craig as Tom and all the other characters are Muppets.

[coldbrightsunlight]

I am indeed a muppet.