Documentary for music aficionados and not so much the musically challenged. Re: Generation is principally for those of you who know the names DJ Premier, The Crystal Method, Pretty Lights, Mark Ronson and Skrillex but perhaps you are just plain interested in the goings-on in recording rooms. The idea of the film is funded by the National Academy of Recording Artists. The hook: Challenge each DJ/producer to embark upon a music genre and electronically remix the music into a new creation. The rapid editing keeps the film moving quickly, and the way it works towards a final remix package had me curious.
The challenges are only sometimes defying. Hip hop expert DJ Premier is handed the genre of classical music, and by the end, it’s more humorous just seeing him squeeze into the role of conductor. Pretty Lights is given the assignment of country music even though he’s a techno jam kind of guy (he also shows little interpersonal skills when he’s directing bluegrass codger Dr. Ralph Stanley to do it his way when they meet for a recording session). The final result of the re-synched music mash-up, surprisingly, is lingeringly powerful.
Funk and hip hop man Mark Ronson slides into the role of jazz mash-up smoothly enough. The Crystal Method is another funk DJ duo who enthusiastically tackle R&B – but even with a strong authorial voice has a difficult time pushing Martha Reeves of the Vandellas to sing certain lyrics which offend her sensibilities. Skrillex has the easiest partnership of all with Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek and John Densmore of The Doors (don’t call them dinosaurs, they still gel compatibly with the present).
Does this doc swell into something great? I think at the end we get passages and samples of the final work and not the complete concert performance (inevitable for movie restraints). See the doc at your convenience but put your investment into buying the CD.
82 Minutes. Unrated.
DOCUMENTARY / MUSICAL / LATE NIGHT VIEWING
Film Cousins: “Standing in the Shadows of Motown” (2002); “24 Hour Party People” (2002); “Shine a Light” (2008); “Exit Through the Gift Shop” (2010).
