Moog
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Movie Reviews of Moog
Movie Review: Brilliant Tribute to a Brilliant Man
Summary: 4 Stars
I recently discovered this outstanding documentary after hearing Bob Moog had brain cancer. He passed away yesterday (August 21st, 2005). This film is an amazing tribute to an amazing man. Without Bob Moog you can forget the existence of many of your favorite all-time albums. Pay your respects and check this documentary out!Movie Review: Incomplete, but interesting
Summary: 3 Stars
I enjoyed the movie very much and am glad I bought it, but at the same time was frustrated that it focused on so few of the people involved and such a small part of the whole story. I understand that the first-time director made this as a labor of love, but it wasn't clearly presented what the concept of the film was...instead, it was an attempt at a history, that ended up more as a personal portrait of the inventor.
The frustrating things that are omitted are critical history about the business errors that Bob made that nearly ruined him, his teaching career, the formation of Big Briar and the subsequent reclaimation of his trademark name for Moog synthesizers. Instead, you get Bob talking about his garden for a long time (which reminded me of "Being There".....people trying to read way too much into what plants he grows!)
As others have mentioned, the featured artists are a very odd mix, not representative of the musical pioneers that made the Moog synth a landmark instrument. It's cool to have Bernie Worrell, but where the heck are the mentions of influential artists like Stevie Wonder, Jan Hammer, Chick Corea, Klaus Shultz, Jean Michel jarre, Giorgio Moroder, etc, etc, etc. It's very odd to have extended performances of groups that aren't even using ANY Moog synths! And some of the Moogfest groups are OK, but not the influential groups that defined the vocabulary of the instrument.
It's too bad the filmaker didn't have a larger budget. Moog is such an important topic, that it's a shame that it wasn't more comprehensive. Perhaps Wendy Carlos and others will participate in a more complete picture of the history of this important instrument.
On the level of the film as a personal portrait, it largely succeeds. I was fortunate to know Bob a little bit from the industry and the film does a great job of capturing his spirit. It's now a particularly important film with Bob's passing, as it presents his mind and heart in a very special way that could have only been done while Bob was alive. So the decision to focus the limited resources the filmakers had on Bob's thought process turned out to be a very smart one indeed.
Well worth checking out, but just understand that it's not a very thorough history of Moog Music or of the synthesizer or of the artists that made it what it is today.
Movie Review: Worthwhile, But I was Looking for "Side 2".
Summary: 3 Stars
I hate to criticize this DVD since I love the topic and the central character. But, I feel that there was not enough coverage of the technology and other important contributors & collaborators.
While I enjoyed watching Dr. Moog in his garden talking about plants, I found myself wanting much more information, much more coverage of the other important people, competitors, academic activity during the time, and so many angles which seemed to be left out. It was still enjoyable, but lacking in breadth and depth.
I would recommend this DVD to anyone who knows, even vaguely, who Bob Moog was, and anyone interested in music synthesis or such history. But I agree with many of the other reviewers that this movie felt incomplete or not comprehensive.
I liked the "mood" and "feel" that the director produced here, as if he was trying to make a film that had the personality of Bob Moog, but anyone with some knowledge of this field, will get to the end and say, "Is there a side two or something?".
That's what I found myself doing... Looking for more information, extra scenes, etc, but there was less here than I would have liked.
I recommend it, just don't expect it to be comprehensive or deep.
Movie Review: interesting but not really complete documentary
Summary: 3 Stars
A very interesting documentary about the person Bob Moog, but I expected a more complete history, more about the full range of instruments wearing the name "MOOG".
Further I miss important names as Wendy Carlos, Manfred Mann and others who helped Moog to become famous around the world.
In spite of all this I'm happy that there exists a DVD to celebrate one of the most important inventors in musical history of the second half of the 20th century.
Movie Review: mumbling, muttering mess
Summary: 2 Stars
A documentary about Robert Moog, one of the most important figures in electronic music? Yes, please, sign me up. Alas, this premise goes awry from the outset. This mishmash of a documentary feels like a collection of outtakes from a better work. I don't need to see Robert Moog talking about pepper plants and Money Mark diddling around on a synthesizer.
MOOG demonstrates that sometimes it's best to not rely on the subject of the documentary as the subject matter expert of the film. Robert Moog is not the most well-spoken advocate and historian of his life's work. Likewise, showing the electronic guts of his machines doesn't do much to explain how they work or why Moog's work is important to the music world.
When utilizing archive footage, MOOG works. Unfortunately, these moments are few and far between leaving MOOG a mumbling, muttering mess for its interminable seventy-two minutes. Moog and electronica deserve better.