Monday, September 22, 2014

Pulp: a Film about Life, Death & Supermarkets (2014)

I saw this at Rakkautta & Anarkiaa film festival. Screening was followed by Q&A with director Florian Habicht, producer Alex Boden and drummer of Pulp Nick Banks.

Movie interviews people in Sheffield before and after the last Pulp concert. Band is interviewed too and there is some music from last concert and albums. But that is not the main point. Director Florian Habicht told his inspiration for movie was not to make regular rock band document like Queen documents he watched as kid. That really shows. Movie is much more art movie than your regular rock band movies. Florian didn't want to do this only for Pulp fans. That was reason why there was less Pulp than you might expect from Pulp movie.

Pulp was always more like art students that rock stars. Lyrics were more intellectual and had more depth than your average rock lyrics. Songs were about common people and their gloomy lives. This movie shows us those people. Movie is almost over the top gloomy and gray. It doesn't show Pulp as successful band. It shows band members as common people, who doesn't want to be on spotlight. Except Jarvis Cocker, who must have so terrible life because he is so well known. He can't do the normal things and that is the worst thing that can happen to you. Then comes last Pulp concert. In the concert everyone can forget their gloomy lives and enjoy the music. But it will end and everyone must get back to their normal lives.

It felt like Pulp members weren't most interesting characters of the movie. Jarvis Cocker was among most interesting, but rest of the band were quite mundane. The kids stole the show. They were only ones wanting to be famous. Older ones knew they shouldn't seek anything more than they are getting. Kids were found when crew went to interview other people. Other people got only ten minutes interview and then crew interviewed the kids for an hour. Florian Habrcht told he felt bad to have scheduled interview so short, but he knew those kids would be on the movie.

Movie is not just for Pulp fans. It is for Pulp fans and people who want to see movies where life is poor, gloomy and grey. Movie has some Pulp music and few Pulp covers by common people. I liked it even when it was bit too gloomy and let the band take back seat.

I already covered few answers from Q&A. Nick told there wouldn't be new Pulp album in near future since making albums is so hard and the band is so lazy. Alex told the last concert was shot and Jarvis Cocker has been interested releasing it, but it is not as easy as pressing the button. He didn't promise anything, but it is not impossible that it will be released. Five song from concert will be as extra material on movie's dvd release. Probably on blu ray too if they release that. They only talked about dvd. Nick told his favorite Pulp concert was Glastonbury 1995, where Pulp was called to head line the show with two weeks warning after The Stone Roses had to cancel. Band was recording their biggest album Different Class at the time. Band was scared to do the show, but it became one of their greatest. It was the first time people heard songs from Different class.

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