From director Davis Guggenheim, comes a documentary film about the guitar and three famous players: guitar god Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, U2's The Edge, and Jack White III (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather).
Unlike much of the usual documentary fare, It Might Get Loud does more than follow these three famous guitarists around. Guggenheim has each musician take you on their personal journey of guitar discovery, and then allows you to be a fly on the wall during a two day "summit" at a Los Angeles soundstage where the three meet. Archival footage is interspersed sparingly to give context and only enriches the experience of meeting these artists.
Jack White, at home in his recording studio
You get to visit The Edge's high school in Dublin, where the members of U2 first began playing together. You sit with Jack White at his home in Tennesee, where he makes a guitar from wood, string, and a coke bottle. And perhaps most captivating, is the opportunity to go to Jimmy Page's home, where he browses his vinyl collection, playing his favorites for you.
Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page, second from right)
Equally intriguing is the tour through Headley Grange, where part of Led Zeppelin IV was recorded. While there, Page strolls around the grounds and begins an impromptu performance of The Battle of Evermore on the mandolin.
Headley Grange
If you started out as a fan of one of these players, you'll leave with a newfound respect for all of them. That said, it is clear who the "guitar god" among them is. And as interesting as each of the individual stories are, the summit not only allows you to see them interact, but also lets you see both White and The Edge in awe of the elder statesman, Page.
Jack White, Jimmy Page, The Edge
There are plenty of moments during this film that will thrill any guitar player or fan of rock and roll--and I don't want to ruin the experience by listing any more of them. While any guitarist should be salivating by now--and this film is best suited for them, It Might Get Loud is enough of a film about three people, to entertain even the casual fan of rock and roll.
If you already know their music, you'll leave the theater with an even greater appreciation of how great so much of it is. If you don't know it well, you'll likely be seeking it out. This film is being released gradually, but like any limited release, it might not last, so see it while you can.
Highly Recommended
It Might Get Loud -- Release Dates
Related: The Dead Weather -- Horehound 180 gram vinyl review
In Print Vinyl From Led Zeppelin and The Dead Weather:
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