The Monks: The Transatlantic Feedback

I watch a lot of movies, and a lot of movies about music, but this one really stood out. The band themselves have always been amazing to me, or at least since I found out about them. And I'd seen this DVD kicking around for a while and forgotten to see it. I'm so glad I did.

It is rare to see a music documentary that doesn't play out like a VH1 Behind the Scenes. This film gives so much context that when they become the monks, you already feel like you know them as individuals. All the members are interviewed now. They talk to their managers. They explain the context of Germany and the US Army in Germany.

It is clear exactly how the band approached their music and how their managers actually worked with them to shape an approach that basically shaped modern music for the next half century. And of course there is so so much live footage that makes you just freak out. It is really well told and edited, and there are no jarring silly "filmic" techniques. A very "German" movie that focuses on the band and the people around them, giving broader cultural context only when needed. I love this film.