The movie High Fidelity

Subject: The movie High Fidelity
From:
Date: 23 May 00 - 09:25 PM

In addition to this film being a side-splitting, supremely acted show, it has to appeal to musical trivia loves such as yourselves. The musical premise of the show is not folk, but it is rock obscurities (not only obscurities, but mainly) and how the minutia of that rock world obsesses the main characters. Agreed?

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 24 May 00 - 12:46 AM

I'm not familiar with it but I love the premise. Got any more info?

Rick

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: DougR
Date: 24 May 00 - 01:06 AM

I didn't think it was a "knee slapper" but it was a pretty good story about lots of disfunctional people and a few chuckles thrown in. Only my opinion of course :>).

DougR

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Callie
Date: 24 May 00 - 01:32 AM

It's one of the funniest novels I've read in a long time. Especially the music trivia bits. I loved the bit where they were compiling lists of their favourite B-sides etc etc. I spend a lot of time with a bunch of friends crapping on about similar stuff. Besides the humour though, it was pretty black.

I didn't know it was a film and hope the film is as enjoyable.

A good but not close friend recently revealed to me that he was exactly like the main character in "High Fidelity". A bad admission to make: it has made me want to know him less!

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 24 May 00 - 01:39 AM

Oh oh, Doug and Callie, now you've got my curiosity up. Is it similar to Spinal Tap? What did you think of that?

Rick

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Peter T.
Date: 24 May 00 - 08:42 AM

I didn't think it was a great movie, but it was pretty good. I would happily recommend it -- and very well written (I assume from the novel). I can't imagine any guy taking a woman to it as a date movie! It says far too much about men to be really safe! The music was very well chosen -- I especially liked the hybridized Stevie Wonder at the end -- a nice touch!!

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Wesley S
Date: 24 May 00 - 08:56 AM

My wife and I loved it. I worked in record stores during the 70's and some of the characters were very true to life. I've always liked John Cusak. It's in my top 5 list of favorite movies of the year. One of the cameos suprised the heck out of me. I didn't think he did any movies.

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 24 May 00 - 08:57 AM

Many years before the novel and the film there was an unrelated song with this in the title. It was one of Flander & Swann's and was called "A song of reproduction" and features the man going on about his woofers and his tweeters etc. The punch line was that he could "make Caruso sound like Hutch. But then I never did care for music much: it's the High Fidelity".
Creeping this thread even further I cherished an old Punch cartoon which made me stop and think and be less pompous about my collection. It had a man listening to a windup horn gramophone and saying to his friend: "And on this one, if you listen really carefully, you can hear when Louis drops his handkerchief" !
RtS

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: DougR
Date: 24 May 00 - 07:57 PM

Don't know, Rick, I never saw Spinal Tap. I probably would have liked the movie more had I been a young lad like you, instead of an old fart like me. :>)

DougR

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Callie
Date: 24 May 00 - 11:17 PM

Rick - High Fidelity isn't a spoof, it's a story about one man behaving very badly. As always, I'd say "read the book first"!

As far as I can remember, the title of the book is taken from the Elvis Costello song of the same name which is mentioned in the course of the story.

Dunno if the bits about making compilation tapes is in the movie. It was one of the best bits of the book - I'm a chronic compilation-maker myself.

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Peter T.
Date: 25 May 00 - 09:37 AM

Not to worry, Callie, compilation tapes are almost the essence of the movie!
yours, Peter T.
P.S. Probably no one has ever heard of Hutch any more!

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 25 May 00 - 11:52 AM

Doug, you're NEVER too old for Spinal Tap! Never has the pop music business ever been satirized better. The acting is so good at times it's scary.

Does anyone know if "High Fidelity" is available in "normal" video places or do I have to go to the "cult films" one.

Rick

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 25 May 00 - 12:34 PM

Rick,

It's in the Theatres now. I think my brother went to see it, I'll get his review.

Spinal Tap, how brilliant was that? I had read reviews of it and for some reason never got that it was a satire. Rented it anyway, was in tears and doubled over in pain laughing.

I'm glad to see you learned from it and didn't put too much 'dobly' on "This One's The Dreamer." I think that you could incorporate "Stone'enge" into your live show though.

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Whistle Stop
Date: 25 May 00 - 01:18 PM

Haven't seen High Fidelity, but I agree with the opinions about Spinal Tap -- brilliant! The thing that made it so good was that it was so close to the reality of 1970's rock and roll culture. Those were my teen years, during which I took in shows by Deep Purple, Humble Pie, Savoy Brown, and other blues/rock "play till their ears bleed" types (along with people whose work has stood the test of time -- Dylan, the Who, Springsteen, etc.). Marshall stacks and a roll of quarters tucked into your jeans; nothing like it!

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Fortunato
Date: 25 May 00 - 01:24 PM

Ah, D minor, the saddest of all keys.

Another hilarious film like that is UHF with Weird Al Yankovic. Anybody seen it?

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From:
Date: 25 May 00 - 04:14 PM

Hey, I initiated this Hi Fidelity thing, so I'd like to comment. The film under discussion and "Spinal Tap" pursue different devils. The outrageous "S.T" is a send up of Rock n Roll's pretentious aspects. "Hi Fi" uses rock n roll archana (trivia) to explore how pop culture fixations can keep us from living healthy, satisfying lives. Some one in this thread said that the film was full of disfunctional people. Chain smoking John Cusak's obsession about his record collection is wrecking his life. It could have been obsession over electric trains or comic books. The movie choses something all you folks in this discussion group know something about: lists, names, release dates, who's musically in and who's out. This movie should appeal to you as you'll recognize many trivia items and the kind of people who go overboard about them. It's a knee slapper, and wonderfully acted.

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 25 May 00 - 06:27 PM

I'm getting excited! A guy who obsesses over his record collection? Yah, that's my kinda guy. I'm missing something though...is this a new movie...Steve says it's in the theatres now. I thought it was old.

Rick

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Amergin
Date: 25 May 00 - 06:34 PM

Yes, Rick, I think it is a new movie. I haven't seen it though.

Amergin

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: GUEST,Steve Latimer
Date: 25 May 00 - 07:03 PM

Rick,

It was just released a couple of weeks ago.

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 28 Nov 00 - 11:52 AM

I missed this in the theatres by a week. It wasn't there long. I rented the video last night. I LOVED IT. I think it's a guys movie though. The main Characters would definately be Mudcatters. I think it's a must see for this community.

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Wesley S
Date: 28 Nov 00 - 12:13 PM

My wife called it a "chick flick" for and about men. Hmmmmmm......

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Whistle Stop
Date: 28 Nov 00 - 12:52 PM

I just saw it myself, as it's out on video now (just about the only way I see movies these days). I wouldn't put it in the same class as Spinal Tap; I'd consider it a pleasant diversion that I'll forget all about a year from now.

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Bagpuss
Date: 28 Nov 00 - 01:01 PM

Not a bad film - made better by the inclusion of Belle and Sebastian in the soundtrack!

Bagpuss

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: GUEST,Steven Sellors
Date: 28 Nov 00 - 01:12 PM

My wife and I both loved it. REALLY funny. It was scary though. When John Cussack's character pulled off a relationship coupe, my wife asked, "How did he do that?" At that point Cussack looked directly into the camera and said, "You're asking yourself: How does he do that."

SS

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 28 Nov 00 - 07:18 PM

Haven't read the book yet, but I did love this movie. One of my favourites this year, actually (that's not saying much, though).

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: The movie High Fidelity
From: Bugsy
Date: 28 Nov 00 - 07:36 PM

I prefered the book to the movie.

The book is based in UK, and I went to see the movie expecting it also to be UK based. The fact that it was US based seemed to take the edge off it a little. However, if you saw the movie first, then maybe it would be the other way round.

CHeers

Bugsy