list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Great World of Sound on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Great_World_of_Sound/314002/default.aspx Title: Great World of Sound
Year: 2007
Director: Craig Zobel, R. Craig Zobel
Plot: Filmmaker Craig Zobel explores the shortcuts that some folks are willing to take to become famous while simultaneously exposing the unscrupulous manner in which others take advantage of these desperate souls with this story of two men who set out to train as record producers. Excited about the prospect of helping to sign undiscovered artists, Martin (Pat Healy) answers an ad to train as a record producer. Over the course of his apprenticeship, Martin is paired with like-minded trainee Clarence (Kene Holliday) -- a middle-aged man seeking out a new career path. Upon graduating from the program, Martin and Clarence are assigned the task of traveling to towns where the company has placed newspaper ads searching for untapped talent. For a fee, these emerging talents can have their music heard by an increasingly larger audience. Though at first everything seems to be going great with their new jobs, a few unsettling developments soon lead Martin and Clarence to suspect that the company may not always have the artists' best interests in mind. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 4
Number of Lists: 8
Number of blog posts: 37
Number of discussion threads: 2
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:47:06 GMTGreat World of Sound2007Craig Zobel, R. Craig ZobelFilmmaker Craig Zobel explores the shortcuts that some folks are willing to take to become famous while simultaneously exposing the unscrupulous manner in which others take advantage of these desperate souls with this story of two men who set out to train as record producers. Excited about the prospect of helping to sign undiscovered artists, Martin (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P___267767/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Pat Healy</a>) answers an ad to train as a record producer. Over the course of his apprenticeship, Martin is paired with like-minded trainee Clarence (<a href="http://www.spout.com/players/P____32909/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Kene Holliday</a>) -- a middle-aged man seeking out a new career path. Upon graduating from the program, Martin and Clarence are assigned the task of traveling to towns where the company has placed newspaper ads searching for untapped talent. For a fee, these emerging talents can have their music heard by an increasingly larger audience. Though at first everything seems to be going great with their new jobs, a few unsettling developments soon lead Martin and Clarence to suspect that the company may not always have the artists' best interests in mind. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide4Slightly Tagged (1-5)83723http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s314002.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Great_World_of_Sound/314002/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/jscott/archive/2008/1/2/23447.aspx Post By: JScott
Post To: JScott Blog
Post Date: 1/2/2008 6:07:34 PM
Body: Craig Zobel writes and directs this film produced by independent film maker David Gordon Green about a small record production company also called "The Great World of Sound" or GSW if you want to make a check out to them. Martin (Pat Healy) joins the new company in hopes to make a difference and get some pointers in the world of business to help promote his wife/girlfriend Pam's (Rebecca Mader) arts and crafts that she makes. Clarence (Kene Holliday of Matlock fame) is Martin's partner as they both learn the ropes of the industry together. For the record, Clarence is by far the most entertaining character in the film. The most true and talented artist of the entire film is Gloria a waitress at a bar in Indianapolis played very convincingly by Robert Longstreet.The film is about the choices made when faced with adversity. It shows the proverbial "slippery slope" when dealing with morals and success. From the small lie of using a cell phone as a camera phone to straight up taking people's hard earned money for a bogus venture the pair of Martin and Clarence run the entire gamut. Many of the potential artists are so willing to believe that they are something special that they blindly hand over checks of up to $3,000 in hopes of getting their music out there.Great World of Sound may turn people off with its ending which initially might leave some feeling unsatisfied. Zobel does a great job showing how a man even of the highest scruples can succumb to the lows of necessity, want and embarrassment of failure.I think this is one of the more real films in recent memory. There are con artists out there who are trying to play on the desire for people to become overnight sensations by making a quick buck without much work. It effectively shows the ways people are willing to compromise to believe in their dream. Smooth talking business men can accomplish a lot with just a few metaphors and words that strike the right chord with the right person.There are a lot of pitfalls to big business out there. Corporations set their own laws in a lot of cases but at least with them you know what you are getting even if getting them to hear your voice might be impossible. In this case it was the shady small businessman who had no remorse for his actions and left others to hold the bag both financially and morally.It is certainly not a positive film to watch in a lot of ways but it is enjoying and worth checking out.
]]>Wed, 02 Jan 2008 23:07:34 GMTJScottJScott Blog1/2/2008 6:07:34 PMCraig Zobel writes and directs this film produced by independent film maker David Gordon Green about a small record production company also called &quot;The Great World of Sound&quot; or GSW if you want to make a check out to them. Martin (Pat Healy) joins the new company in hopes to make a difference and get some pointers in the world of business to help promote his wife/girlfriend Pam&#39;s (Rebecca Mader) arts and crafts that she makes. Clarence (Kene Holliday of Matlock fame) is Martin&#39;s partner as they both learn the ropes of the industry together. For the record, Clarence is by far the most entertaining character in the film. The most true and talented artist of the entire film is Gloria a waitress at a bar in Indianapolis played very convincingly by Robert Longstreet.The film is about the choices made when faced with adversity. It shows the proverbial &quot;slippery slope&quot; when dealing with morals and success. From the small lie of using a cell phone as a camera phone to straight up taking people&#39;s hard earned money for a bogus venture the pair of Martin and Clarence run the entire gamut. Many of the potential artists are so willing to believe that they are something special that they blindly hand over checks of up to $3,000 in hopes of getting their music out there.Great World of Sound may turn people off with its ending which initially might leave some feeling unsatisfied. Zobel does a great job showing how a man even of the highest scruples can succumb to the lows of necessity, want and embarrassment of failure.I think this is one of the more real films in recent memory. There are con artists out there who are trying to play on the desire for people to become overnight sensations by making a quick buck without much work. It effectively shows the ways people are willing to compromise to believe in their dream. Smooth talking business men can accomplish a lot with just a few metaphors and words that strike the right chord with the right person.There are a lot of pitfalls to big business out there. Corporations set their own laws in a lot of cases but at least with them you know what you are getting even if getting them to hear your voice might be impossible. In this case it was the shady small businessman who had no remorse for his actions and left others to hold the bag both financially and morally.It is certainly not a positive film to watch in a lot of ways but it is enjoying and worth checking out. http://www.spout.com/blogs/slipofthetongue/archive/2007/12/11/22708.aspx Post By: slipofthetongue
Post To: SlipOfTheTongue Blog
Post Date: 12/11/2007 11:31:28 AM
Body: I'm not sure where GREAT WORLD OF SOUND falls in the anthology of film. It has an understated, documentary quality which is admirable. It is at times funny but never strains for laughs. Perhaps its best achievement is in creating a seemless world of struggling losers who are at once believable and even in some regards likeable. This occurs even as the above said characters are seen duping apspiring local musicians and theme acts out of their very limited assets.Props for director Craig Zobel and to Kene Holiday for his engaging portrayal of a salesman who sees no shame in exploiting the grey areas in his dealings with would be clients. Pat Healy is low key in all the right ways and is belieavable as a somewhat likeable loser who is trying to improve his life. The annoying thing about this film (in retrospect) is that we are never actually sure while it plays out whether or not our two leads are in on the con or not. Are they slightly aware? Do they even have suspicions early on? Do they have niggling doubts? A little more character and script development here to see their progression as characters might have helped and certainly Martin seems smart enough to have caught on to much of the game earlier in the story.Much love goes out to the other supporting actors (including Robert Longstreet who strikes just the right tone as the creepy head honcho Layton). The audition scenes with real musicians are never overplayed, and it's a joy to see such restraint. The director is to be commended for getting the tone right and not overplaying the story. The film feels pitch perfect if it could only go back to the shop for a few script tweaks where it might benefit from a little more character and scene development. I'd call it a fascinating, well played, near miss.
]]>Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:31:28 GMTslipofthetongueSlipOfTheTongue Blog12/11/2007 11:31:28 AMI&#39;m not sure where GREAT WORLD OF SOUND falls in the anthology of film. It has an understated, documentary quality which is admirable. It is at times funny but never strains for laughs. Perhaps its best achievement is in creating a seemless world of struggling losers who are at once believable and even in some regards likeable. This occurs even as the above said characters are seen duping apspiring local musicians and theme acts out of their very limited assets.Props for director Craig Zobel and to Kene Holiday for his engaging portrayal of a salesman who sees no shame in exploiting the grey areas in his dealings with would be clients. Pat Healy is low key in all the right ways and is belieavable as a somewhat likeable loser who is trying to improve his life. The annoying thing about this film (in retrospect) is that we are never actually sure while it plays out whether or not our two leads are in on the con or not. Are they slightly aware? Do they even have suspicions early on? Do they have niggling doubts? A little more character and script development here to see their progression as characters might have helped and certainly Martin seems smart enough to have caught on to much of the game earlier in the story.Much love goes out to the other supporting actors (including Robert Longstreet who strikes just the right tone as the creepy head honcho Layton). The audition scenes with real musicians are never overplayed, and it&#39;s a joy to see such restraint. The director is to be commended for getting the tone right and not overplaying the story. The film feels pitch perfect if it could only go back to the shop for a few script tweaks where it might benefit from a little more character and scene development. I&#39;d call it a fascinating, well played, near miss. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2007/11/28/22269.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 11/28/2007 10:00:39 AM
Body: Special guest SpoutBlogger Joe Swanberg already passed along the news that Ronnie Bronstein won the Gotham Award last night for Best Film Not Playing At a Theater Near You. Other Gotham winners: Into the Wild took Best Feature, Sicko took Best Doc, and Craig Zobel won the Breakthrough Director award for his wonderful Great World of Sound. From the Onion Headlines Come To Life file: a bunch of striking horror film scribes got together in LA yesterday and staged an exorcism in front of the Warner Brothers lot. Scott Kosar, who makes a living writing remakes of movies like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, used a bullhorn to ask God to “repel the greed that bewitches these studios.” Oh yeah — the strike’s still on, and no one but Nikki Finke has anything of substance to report. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:00:39 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com11/28/2007 10:00:39 AM Special guest SpoutBlogger Joe Swanberg already passed along the news that Ronnie Bronstein won the Gotham Award last night for Best Film Not Playing At a Theater Near You. Other Gotham winners: Into the Wild took Best Feature, Sicko took Best Doc, and Craig Zobel won the Breakthrough Director award for his wonderful Great World of Sound. From the Onion Headlines Come To Life file: a bunch of striking horror film scribes got together in LA yesterday and staged an exorcism in front of the Warner Brothers lot. Scott Kosar, who makes a living writing remakes of movies like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, used a bullhorn to ask God to “repel the greed that bewitches these studios.” Oh yeah — the strike’s still on, and no one but Nikki Finke has anything of substance to report. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2007/11/27/22225.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 11/27/2007 12:00:32 PM
Body: I’m sure a press release will be forthcoming, and when I get it I’ll post it, but here’s what I deem to be the exciting news from this morning’s Independent Spirit Awards announcement, most of which involve friends and/or pet projects of Spout: Aaron Katz’s Quiet City is nominated for the John Cassavetes Award for the best feature made for $500,000. Also nominated in that category: Shotgun Stories and The Pool, two films I’ve heard great things about but have yet to see. The Monastery, which was disqualified for Oscar consideration after it was broadcast against the filmmaker’s wishes on European television, got a Spirit nomination for Best Documentary. Ronnie Bronstein (director of Frownland and star of Joe Swanberg’s upcoming Spout web series Butterknife) and Ramin Bahrani (director of Man Push Cart and Chop Shop) have both been nominated for the IFC/Acura Someone to Watch Award, which comes with a grant worth (I think) $20,000. Craig Zobel and Julie Delpy were nominated for Best First Film, for Great World of Sound and 2 Days in Paris, respectively.?? Sound’s Kene Holliday was also nominated for Best Supporting Male. Broken English, a film which was dismissed by many but which I really enjoyed, earned nominations for Best Actress (Parker Posey) and Best First Screenplay (Zoe Cassavetes). Otherwise, the usual suspects are all there: lots of I’m Not There, Diving Bell, A Mighty Heart and Juno. More later. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 27 Nov 2007 17:00:32 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com11/27/2007 12:00:32 PMI’m sure a press release will be forthcoming, and when I get it I’ll post it, but here’s what I deem to be the exciting news from this morning’s Independent Spirit Awards announcement, most of which involve friends and/or pet projects of Spout: Aaron Katz’s Quiet City is nominated for the John Cassavetes Award for the best feature made for $500,000. Also nominated in that category: Shotgun Stories and The Pool, two films I’ve heard great things about but have yet to see. The Monastery, which was disqualified for Oscar consideration after it was broadcast against the filmmaker’s wishes on European television, got a Spirit nomination for Best Documentary. Ronnie Bronstein (director of Frownland and star of Joe Swanberg’s upcoming Spout web series Butterknife) and Ramin Bahrani (director of Man Push Cart and Chop Shop) have both been nominated for the IFC/Acura Someone to Watch Award, which comes with a grant worth (I think) $20,000. Craig Zobel and Julie Delpy were nominated for Best First Film, for Great World of Sound and 2 Days in Paris, respectively.?? Sound’s Kene Holliday was also nominated for Best Supporting Male. Broken English, a film which was dismissed by many but which I really enjoyed, earned nominations for Best Actress (Parker Posey) and Best First Screenplay (Zoe Cassavetes). Otherwise, the usual suspects are all there: lots of I’m Not There, Diving Bell, A Mighty Heart and Juno. More later. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/demndiary/archive/2007/10/29/21277.aspx Post By: Demndiary
Post To: Demndiary Blog
Post Date: 10/29/2007 8:17:08 PM
Body: Craig Zobel’s Great World of Sound is an account of a scam by the fools instructed to orchestrate it. It is a moral film about two men desperate for a job that seems to give hope to others. Martin and Clarence meet in training and hook up for the road trips. It is Clarence who delivers the final revelation. Pat Healy’s Martin is self- deprecating and moping in his life. Kene Holliday’s Clarence is a powerhouse of emotion and slick sales. Together they function on the road signing new artists. The auditions they conduct are reminiscent of the audition scene in Miike’s Audition where the good and bad are seen so fast it is both humorous and sad. It is also the standout point of the film. Martin’s girlfriend Pam (Rebecca Mader) seems under used on film. Their relationship is not fleshed out in the scenes it is given. Robert Longstreet’s Layton is slick and clean, and the hard sell. Great World of Sound is filled with many problems. The pacing of the film never seems fluid. Pat Healy’s Martin seems wooden in performance throughout. The film plods along in search of a meaning and waits too long to find it. It doesn’t reach out to the audience but stays stagnant. A stronger production budget might have helped, but it appears that the screenplay never reached the high drama moments. Great World of Sound is like the performers who audition in it, wanting something bigger, and not reaching it.
]]>Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:17:08 GMTDemndiaryDemndiary Blog10/29/2007 8:17:08 PMCraig Zobel&rsquo;s Great World of Sound is an account of a scam by the fools instructed to orchestrate it. It is a moral film about two men desperate for a job that seems to give hope to others. Martin and Clarence meet in training and hook up for the road trips. It is Clarence who delivers the final revelation. Pat Healy&rsquo;s Martin is self- deprecating and moping in his life. Kene Holliday&rsquo;s Clarence is a powerhouse of emotion and slick sales. Together they function on the road signing new artists. The auditions they conduct are reminiscent of the audition scene in Miike&rsquo;s Audition where the good and bad are seen so fast it is both humorous and sad. It is also the standout point of the film. Martin&rsquo;s girlfriend Pam (Rebecca Mader) seems under used on film. Their relationship is not fleshed out in the scenes it is given. Robert Longstreet&rsquo;s Layton is slick and clean, and the hard sell. Great World of Sound is filled with many problems. The pacing of the film never seems fluid. Pat Healy&rsquo;s Martin seems wooden in performance throughout. The film plods along in search of a meaning and waits too long to find it. It doesn&rsquo;t reach out to the audience but stays stagnant. A stronger production budget might have helped, but it appears that the screenplay never reached the high drama moments. Great World of Sound is like the performers who audition in it, wanting something bigger, and not reaching it. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2007/10/23/21096.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 10/23/2007 8:01:14 AM
Body: New indie production/distribution company Elephant Eye is teaming with Palm Pictures to produce Craig Zobel’s follow-up to the Gotham-lauded Great World of Sound. Zobel co-wrote Turkey in the Straw with Barlow Jacobs, who wrote and starred in one of my favorite underseen films of the year, Low and Behold. The Hollywood Reporter says the project is expected to have a higher budget than Sound and to “include more A-list stars.” Following in the illustrious footsteps of Clint Eastwood and, um, Ben Affleck, Martin Scorsese’s next project will be based on a Dennis Lehane novel–this time, it’s Shutter Island. Scorsese will once again direct lil’ buddy Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead. Sidney Lumet will receive a Career Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association at their annual awards gala in January. Marc Graser reports on how the Southern California wildfires are impacting Hollywood life. You’ll take some comfort in knowing that although flames threatened to shut down productions in Santa Clarita and half of Los Angeles’ luxury hotels are booked full of Malibu refugees, “Paris Hilton’s home just steps away up the beach was unaffected.” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog's blog
]]>Tue, 23 Oct 2007 12:01:14 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com10/23/2007 8:01:14 AM New indie production/distribution company Elephant Eye is teaming with Palm Pictures to produce Craig Zobel’s follow-up to the Gotham-lauded Great World of Sound. Zobel co-wrote Turkey in the Straw with Barlow Jacobs, who wrote and starred in one of my favorite underseen films of the year, Low and Behold. The Hollywood Reporter says the project is expected to have a higher budget than Sound and to “include more A-list stars.” Following in the illustrious footsteps of Clint Eastwood and, um, Ben Affleck, Martin Scorsese’s next project will be based on a Dennis Lehane novel–this time, it’s Shutter Island. Scorsese will once again direct lil’ buddy Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead. Sidney Lumet will receive a Career Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association at their annual awards gala in January. Marc Graser reports on how the Southern California wildfires are impacting Hollywood life. You’ll take some comfort in knowing that although flames threatened to shut down productions in Santa Clarita and half of Los Angeles’ luxury hotels are booked full of Malibu refugees, “Paris Hilton’s home just steps away up the beach was unaffected.” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog's blog http://www.spout.com/groups/Mumblecore/What_are_your_favorite_Mumblecore_films/489/21065/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: csprague
Post To: Mumblecore
Post Date: 10/22/2007 2:54:09 PM
Body: Just from looking at the Mumblecore map, I would have to say that I enjoyed Great World of Sound quite a bit. It was torn down and transparent, which I felt added to the overall realism and humor of the film. I also liked George Washington for a lot of the same reasons. When I watched it, I wouldn't have labeled it "mumblecore", but when I think more about it, the filmmaking reflects a lot of the same characteristics. Its interesting seeing how all of these films and directors are related. I would never have drawn the connection between HomestarRunner and George Washington:)So, what are your favorites?
]]>Mon, 22 Oct 2007 18:54:09 GMTcspragueMumblecore10/22/2007 2:54:09 PMJust from looking at the Mumblecore map, I would have to say that I enjoyed Great World of Sound quite a bit. It was torn down and transparent, which I felt added to the overall realism and humor of the film. I also liked George Washington for a lot of the same reasons. When I watched it, I wouldn&#39;t have labeled it &quot;mumblecore&quot;, but when I think more about it, the filmmaking reflects a lot of the same characteristics. Its interesting seeing how all of these films and directors are related. I would never have drawn the connection between HomestarRunner and George Washington:)So, what are your favorites? http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2007/10/22/21046.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 10/22/2007 11:01:36 AM
Body: IFP has just announced the nominations for their Gotham Awards, which will be handed out in Brooklyn next month. I’m so happy to see that Craig Zobel’s fantastic Great World of Sound has been nominated in three categories–Best Feature, Breakthrough Director and Breakthrough Actor–the most nominations of any single film this year. Zobel’s feature, which Magnolia released with little fanfare last month, shares the Best Feature category with four, relatively “big” indie-arm titles: The Namesake, I’m Not There, Margot at the Wedding, and Into the Wild. I’ve privately bitched about the lack of publicity surrounding Sound (even the release date seemed misguided, as it fell right in the middle of the Toronto Film Festival and thus necessarily turned coverage of the movie by bloggers and other indie journalists of limited resources into an afterthought), so I’m hoping these nominations will give Magnolia the impetus to give the film a stronger push. According to the distributor’s website, they’re still planning a slow roll-out to smaller markets through December. Other Spout favorites to make the cut: Julia Loktev’s Day Night Day Night earned two nominations, for Breakthrough Director and Breakthrough Actor; and Ronnie Bronstein’s Frownland will compete in the Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You race. As of this writing, IFP hasn’t posted the list of nominees on their website, but you can check out an alphabetical list on nominees, ripped from the press release, after the jump. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog's blog
]]>Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:01:36 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com10/22/2007 11:01:36 AMIFP has just announced the nominations for their Gotham Awards, which will be handed out in Brooklyn next month. I’m so happy to see that Craig Zobel’s fantastic Great World of Sound has been nominated in three categories–Best Feature, Breakthrough Director and Breakthrough Actor–the most nominations of any single film this year. Zobel’s feature, which Magnolia released with little fanfare last month, shares the Best Feature category with four, relatively “big” indie-arm titles: The Namesake, I’m Not There, Margot at the Wedding, and Into the Wild. I’ve privately bitched about the lack of publicity surrounding Sound (even the release date seemed misguided, as it fell right in the middle of the Toronto Film Festival and thus necessarily turned coverage of the movie by bloggers and other indie journalists of limited resources into an afterthought), so I’m hoping these nominations will give Magnolia the impetus to give the film a stronger push. According to the distributor’s website, they’re still planning a slow roll-out to smaller markets through December. Other Spout favorites to make the cut: Julia Loktev’s Day Night Day Night earned two nominations, for Breakthrough Director and Breakthrough Actor; and Ronnie Bronstein’s Frownland will compete in the Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You race. As of this writing, IFP hasn’t posted the list of nominees on their website, but you can check out an alphabetical list on nominees, ripped from the press release, after the jump. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog's blog http://www.spout.com/blogs/theworkingdead/archive/2007/10/8/20488.aspx Post By: TheWorkingDead
Post To: TheWorkingDead Blog
Post Date: 10/8/2007 12:38:08 PM
Body: Fame is an enticing drug, and it's attainment figures into the daydream of billions. In fact, anyone saying they don't want fame is either lying, or up to no good. Oh, I don't mean to say everyone wants to be Britney Spears or Leonardo Dicaprio, I mean that everyone wants to be noticed for their talents. To paraphrase Tyler Durden in Fight Club(I know, it's been done to death, but it fits here); we've all been raised to believe we'll be rock stars, or astronauts, or president of the United States, but for most of us, that stuff ain't gonna happen. That doesn't stop our dreaming, although it may stop our actually working for it. There are plenty of people out there playing on these dreams, shows like American Idol and America's Got Talent, and even Big Brother or Survivor style reality shows, all play on humanity's desire to be famous without too much exertion or talent. In fact, lack of talent is prized almost as much as actual talent in some cases, with all of the really hideously untalented American Idol contestants getting more airplay than some actual winners(how many CDs does William Hung have now? AND an Arrested Development cameo?!). This desire for fame, and the willingness to prey on that desire, informs almost every character you meet in Great World Of Sound, the excellent feature debut from writer/director Craig Zobel.Martin(Pat Healy) answers an ad looking for people to join the Great World of Sound production company as talent scouts, travelling the country to find new talent. Martin is a man with no real goals in life, forever latching onto whatever his girlfriend at the time is into, and basing his life around that. Eager to find something to define himself within his new marriage, he leaps headfirst into this job. Perhaps that explains why he is so blind to the fact that Great World of Sound Productions is a scam, an old school grift that dates back to at least the early 20th century. Now, I'm not giving anything away by saying GWS is a scam, I knew it right from the opening scene at Martin's interview, and you'll know it, too. In fact, the big question is; Why doesn't anyone else seem to know it? For a seemingly with it, intelligent guy, Martin is pretty slow on the uptake. Or maybe that's another jab at American fame-seeking, that our quest for glory will blind us to all of the moral compromises we make along the way.At the training seminar for GWS, Martin meets up with Clarence, a middle aged black man who is looking for a way out of manual labor so he can provide for his six(unseen) children. They bond quickly, and the early half of this movie plays like a particularly dry episode of The Office, with quiet, awkwardly hilarious moments and longer than normal camera takes. Sent on the road to scout talent in another state, Martin and Clarence use their hotel room to audition local 'talent' in scenes that are painfully realistic because, well, they are real. Most of the performances we witness were captured Dateline Hidden Camera style, with the artists being briefed about the film only after their audition. Some of these are played for uncomfortable laughs, but occasionally a true artist emerges. Not that it matters. To Great World Of Sound, EVERYONE is a potential celebrity, and they'll sign anyone who can give them enough money. Ideally they want 10% of the costs of printing a CD, which comes out to $3,000, but they'll take a 'good faith' down payment to get the ball rolling. Again, it's hard to see how the main characters don't realize this is a scam.Eventually things begin to slide from comedy to tragedy, somewhere around the time Martin and Clarence audition a young girl who has written a 'new national anthem'. For the first time Martin sees talent that moves him, and when her grandfather can't come up with the 'good faith payment' Martin helps with money out of his own pocket. This may not be when Martin and Clarence get wise to the scam, but it is when things begin to turn tragic, and the young girl is what begins to clue Martin in to the shady nature of his job. A visit to the recording studio to watch her record her song finds a technologically behind-the-times operation, inept/uncaring technicians, and a very angry grandfather. Suddenly the auditions are no longer funny, and they begin to become sad and tinged with slight dread that these people actually WILL sign up. These aren't talentless and deluded slackers, these are daughters and husbands and grandmothers that are being conned.The performances are pretty stellar all around, whether in the 'caught on tape' musical performances, the weasely-but-not-slimy vibe from those running the GWS scam, and the interplay between Clarence and Martin. Pat Healy plays Martin with a deadpan sincerity, quiet, reserved and awkward, but truly desiring to help guide these people to stardom. Kene Holliday-good enough in this role that I wonder where the hell he's been since Matlock- plays Clarence almost diametrically opposed; gregarious, loud and crude, wanting nothing more than to make an easy buck and a better life. He isn't a bad man, but he does hold a bit of contempt for these people, looking to make it in life on 'talent' when most people have to make it with sweat and tears. It doesn't sound like the basis for a very good friendship, but the two connect, and the friendship feels real.As I said, it's a bit of a curiousity that no one notices this is a scam. It's odd that in this day of the information highway, no one even thinks of checking into the history of GWS, but it's a minor flaw. Specifically because these people are so blinded by their own dreams that they would grasp at any way out of their ordinary lives. If I have one complaint with this movie, it's that it offers no real conclusion. Oh, sure, Clarence and Martin see the error of their ways, but it's too late; GWS has pulled stakes and moved on to greener pastures and more gullible marks. But what next? Does anyone seek out and hold GWS liable? Do any of the swindled artists seek out Clarence or Martin? The finale of this movie never lets it's characters off the hook for their duplicity in swindling people out of their savings, but neither does it offer the catharsis of confrontation. These are sad things happening to sad, desperate people, and in the end we're not given any sense of what to expect as they go their separate ways. I suppose this isn't necessarily a bad thing, and on a future viewing I'll probably change my mind about that, but I did eject the disc wanting... more. Which is the goal of any entertainer, after all.
]]>Mon, 08 Oct 2007 16:38:08 GMTTheWorkingDeadTheWorkingDead Blog10/8/2007 12:38:08 PMFame is an enticing drug, and it&#39;s attainment figures into the daydream of billions. In fact, anyone saying they don&#39;t want fame is either lying, or up to no good. Oh, I don&#39;t mean to say everyone wants to be Britney Spears or Leonardo Dicaprio, I mean that everyone wants to be noticed for their talents. To paraphrase Tyler Durden in Fight Club(I know, it&#39;s been done to death, but it fits here); we&#39;ve all been raised to believe we&#39;ll be rock stars, or astronauts, or president of the United States, but for most of us, that stuff ain&#39;t gonna happen. That doesn&#39;t stop our dreaming, although it may stop our actually working for it. There are plenty of people out there playing on these dreams, shows like American Idol and America&#39;s Got Talent, and even Big Brother or Survivor style reality shows, all play on humanity&#39;s desire to be famous without too much exertion or talent. In fact, lack of talent is prized almost as much as actual talent in some cases, with all of the really hideously untalented American Idol contestants getting more airplay than some actual winners(how many CDs does William Hung have now? AND an Arrested Development cameo?!). This desire for fame, and the willingness to prey on that desire, informs almost every character you meet in Great World Of Sound, the excellent feature debut from writer/director Craig Zobel.Martin(Pat Healy) answers an ad looking for people to join the Great World of Sound production company as talent scouts, travelling the country to find new talent. Martin is a man with no real goals in life, forever latching onto whatever his girlfriend at the time is into, and basing his life around that. Eager to find something to define himself within his new marriage, he leaps headfirst into this job. Perhaps that explains why he is so blind to the fact that Great World of Sound Productions is a scam, an old school grift that dates back to at least the early 20th century. Now, I&#39;m not giving anything away by saying GWS is a scam, I knew it right from the opening scene at Martin&#39;s interview, and you&#39;ll know it, too. In fact, the big question is; Why doesn&#39;t anyone else seem to know it? For a seemingly with it, intelligent guy, Martin is pretty slow on the uptake. Or maybe that&#39;s another jab at American fame-seeking, that our quest for glory will blind us to all of the moral compromises we make along the way.At the training seminar for GWS, Martin meets up with Clarence, a middle aged black man who is looking for a way out of manual labor so he can provide for his six(unseen) children. They bond quickly, and the early half of this movie plays like a particularly dry episode of The Office, with quiet, awkwardly hilarious moments and longer than normal camera takes. Sent on the road to scout talent in another state, Martin and Clarence use their hotel room to audition local &#39;talent&#39; in scenes that are painfully realistic because, well, they are real. Most of the performances we witness were captured Dateline Hidden Camera style, with the artists being briefed about the film only after their audition. Some of these are played for uncomfortable laughs, but occasionally a true artist emerges. Not that it matters. To Great World Of Sound, EVERYONE is a potential celebrity, and they&#39;ll sign anyone who can give them enough money. Ideally they want 10% of the costs of printing a CD, which comes out to $3,000, but they&#39;ll take a &#39;good faith&#39; down payment to get the ball rolling. Again, it&#39;s hard to see how the main characters don&#39;t realize this is a scam.Eventually things begin to slide from comedy to tragedy, somewhere around the time Martin and Clarence audition a young girl who has written a &#39;new national anthem&#39;. For the first time Martin sees talent that moves him, and when her grandfather can&#39;t come up with the &#39;good faith payment&#39; Martin helps with money out of his own pocket. This may not be when Martin and Clarence get wise to the scam, but it is when things begin to turn tragic, and the young girl is what begins to clue Martin in to the shady nature of his job. A visit to the recording studio to watch her record her song finds a technologically behind-the-times operation, inept/uncaring technicians, and a very angry grandfather. Suddenly the auditions are no longer funny, and they begin to become sad and tinged with slight dread that these people actually WILL sign up. These aren&#39;t talentless and deluded slackers, these are daughters and husbands and grandmothers that are being conned.The performances are pretty stellar all around, whether in the &#39;caught on tape&#39; musical performances, the weasely-but-not-slimy vibe from those running the GWS scam, and the interplay between Clarence and Martin. Pat Healy plays Martin with a deadpan sincerity, quiet, reserved and awkward, but truly desiring to help guide these people to stardom. Kene Holliday-good enough in this role that I wonder where the hell he&#39;s been since Matlock- plays Clarence almost diametrically opposed; gregarious, loud and crude, wanting nothing more than to make an easy buck and a better life. He isn&#39;t a bad man, but he does hold a bit of contempt for these people, looking to make it in life on &#39;talent&#39; when most people have to make it with sweat and tears. It doesn&#39;t sound like the basis for a very good friendship, but the two connect, and the friendship feels real.As I said, it&#39;s a bit of a curiousity that no one notices this is a scam. It&#39;s odd that in this day of the information highway, no one even thinks of checking into the history of GWS, but it&#39;s a minor flaw. Specifically because these people are so blinded by their own dreams that they would grasp at any way out of their ordinary lives. If I have one complaint with this movie, it&#39;s that it offers no real conclusion. Oh, sure, Clarence and Martin see the error of their ways, but it&#39;s too late; GWS has pulled stakes and moved on to greener pastures and more gullible marks. But what next? Does anyone seek out and hold GWS liable? Do any of the swindled artists seek out Clarence or Martin? The finale of this movie never lets it&#39;s characters off the hook for their duplicity in swindling people out of their savings, but neither does it offer the catharsis of confrontation. These are sad things happening to sad, desperate people, and in the end we&#39;re not given any sense of what to expect as they go their separate ways. I suppose this isn&#39;t necessarily a bad thing, and on a future viewing I&#39;ll probably change my mind about that, but I did eject the disc wanting... more. Which is the goal of any entertainer, after all. http://www.spout.com/blogs/analogzombie/archive/2007/10/8/20486.aspx Post By: analogzombie
Post To: analogzombie Blog
Post Date: 10/8/2007 11:09:22 AM
Body: Much has been out of the fact that Great World of Sound’s writer/director Craig Zobel is also a producer on David Gordon Green’s first film George Washington. You can chalk up their connection to their studies at North Carolina’s School for the Arts more than any major thematic similarities, though both film maker’s mix humor with sorrow in heaping doses. Great World of Sound is a biting comedy that not only delves into the dark side of the music industry and those desperate to break into it, but also the depths of those who are desperate for personal and financial success. Great World of Sound is a record label, at least in name. By placing ads in mid level city newspapers GWS draws prospective musicians to seedy hotel rooms for auditions after which they are hit up for 30% of the supposed production costs of their first cd. Of course the “producers” need that money now and preferably in cash. Moral dilemmas mount and cash runs out in this tale of lower class America woe.The film is driven by some excellent performances by its two leads. Martin (Pat Healey) is a struggling young guy who seems to be bouncing from one job to another in a vain attempt to get a career started. With minimal education and an artist girlfriend to help support he is the perfect foil to Kene Holliday’s Clarence. Clarence has “lived on the streets, and been there” as he puts it, he doesn’t have time for the moral qualms Martin experiences. He wants to make money, he wants to get a leg up, and he isn’t concerned with who he burns in the process. This difference in their personalities is brilliantly and hilariously demonstrated in a scene of a young girl who has written a new national anthem. Zobel doesn’t let Clarence drift into scumbag territory though, he remains immensely sympathetic. He’s desperate for a break, and he knows just how hard life can get. Something he tries to impress upon Martin several times throughout the film. Together the young white bread Martin, and the middle aged black Clarence are a new Tango & Cash, only they’re scamming low level musicians instead of fighting Jack Palance’s drug cartel.If Zobel can make the primary characters decent guys despite their profession he reserves no such chance of sympathy for the men behind GWS Productions. John Baker is absolutely pitch perfect as the head of scam (GWS are also his initials which make for easy check cashing). His character of Shank seems dredged from the very bottom of late night TV get rich quick advertising. His right hand man, Layton (Robert Longstreet) is the enforcer of GWS, and cracks the whip on the new salesmen/producers. Together they use the specter of financial success (if $13,000 in a checking account is runaway success) to cajole and coerce Martin and Clarence into their roles. Some mention should be made about the way in which Zobel filmed the audition scenes. Some are staged, but many where filmed with hidden cameras and are set up much the way that Martin and Clarence would have. Only after the audition and sales pitch were the artists told what was really happening. Many of them agreed to be in the film, presumably, to help Zobel illuminate this real world scam. This technique generates some amazing exchanges between the faux music producers and their victims. There is no way you’d be able to script the awkwardness of these conversations, let alone afford enough quality actors to pull them off. Some of the musicians jump for their check book, others dither and question the need for the money, and some even call the hoaxsters on the scam. It all adds up to some of the most squirm inducing scenes in the film, and really forms the backbone for the drama.Great World of Sound is an outstanding debut film for Craig Zobel. He investigates a real world scam with a compelling and intelligent narrative. The film can leave you with a lingering feeling of unease. This unease is not for the amorality of its characters but for their humanity. At a critical turning point in the film Clarence and Martin realize what is really going on. Their separate choices to continue the scam despite their knowledge defines them and the film.
]]>Mon, 08 Oct 2007 15:09:22 GMTanalogzombieanalogzombie Blog10/8/2007 11:09:22 AMMuch has been out of the fact that Great World of Sound&rsquo;s writer/director Craig Zobel is also a producer on David Gordon Green&rsquo;s first film George Washington. You can chalk up their connection to their studies at North Carolina&rsquo;s School for the Arts more than any major thematic similarities, though both film maker&rsquo;s mix humor with sorrow in heaping doses. Great World of Sound is a biting comedy that not only delves into the dark side of the music industry and those desperate to break into it, but also the depths of those who are desperate for personal and financial success. Great World of Sound is a record label, at least in name. By placing ads in mid level city newspapers GWS draws prospective musicians to seedy hotel rooms for auditions after which they are hit up for 30% of the supposed production costs of their first cd. Of course the &ldquo;producers&rdquo; need that money now and preferably in cash. Moral dilemmas mount and cash runs out in this tale of lower class America woe.The film is driven by some excellent performances by its two leads. Martin (Pat Healey) is a struggling young guy who seems to be bouncing from one job to another in a vain attempt to get a career started. With minimal education and an artist girlfriend to help support he is the perfect foil to Kene Holliday&rsquo;s Clarence. Clarence has &ldquo;lived on the streets, and been there&rdquo; as he puts it, he doesn&rsquo;t have time for the moral qualms Martin experiences. He wants to make money, he wants to get a leg up, and he isn&rsquo;t concerned with who he burns in the process. This difference in their personalities is brilliantly and hilariously demonstrated in a scene of a young girl who has written a new national anthem. Zobel doesn&rsquo;t let Clarence drift into scumbag territory though, he remains immensely sympathetic. He&rsquo;s desperate for a break, and he knows just how hard life can get. Something he tries to impress upon Martin several times throughout the film. Together the young white bread Martin, and the middle aged black Clarence are a new Tango &amp; Cash, only they&rsquo;re scamming low level musicians instead of fighting Jack Palance&rsquo;s drug cartel.If Zobel can make the primary characters decent guys despite their profession he reserves no such chance of sympathy for the men behind GWS Productions. John Baker is absolutely pitch perfect as the head of scam (GWS are also his initials which make for easy check cashing). His character of Shank seems dredged from the very bottom of late night TV get rich quick advertising. His right hand man, Layton (Robert Longstreet) is the enforcer of GWS, and cracks the whip on the new salesmen/producers. Together they use the specter of financial success (if $13,000 in a checking account is runaway success) to cajole and coerce Martin and Clarence into their roles. Some mention should be made about the way in which Zobel filmed the audition scenes. Some are staged, but many where filmed with hidden cameras and are set up much the way that Martin and Clarence would have. Only after the audition and sales pitch were the artists told what was really happening. Many of them agreed to be in the film, presumably, to help Zobel illuminate this real world scam. This technique generates some amazing exchanges between the faux music producers and their victims. There is no way you&rsquo;d be able to script the awkwardness of these conversations, let alone afford enough quality actors to pull them off. Some of the musicians jump for their check book, others dither and question the need for the money, and some even call the hoaxsters on the scam. It all adds up to some of the most squirm inducing scenes in the film, and really forms the backbone for the drama.Great World of Sound is an outstanding debut film for Craig Zobel. He investigates a real world scam with a compelling and intelligent narrative. The film can leave you with a lingering feeling of unease. This unease is not for the amorality of its characters but for their humanity. At a critical turning point in the film Clarence and Martin realize what is really going on. Their separate choices to continue the scam despite their knowledge defines them and the film. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/con/MemberTagFilms.aspxcon
Number of films tagged: 24

Number of people who tagged: 17

Number of times used: 26

]]>Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:02:24 GMT241726Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/disillusionment/MemberTagFilms.aspxdisillusionment
Number of films tagged: 265

Number of people who tagged: 5

Number of times used: 6

]]>Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:05:23 GMT26556Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/auditions/MemberTagFilms.aspxauditions
Number of films tagged: 2

Number of people who tagged: 2

Number of times used: 2

]]>Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:00:22 GMT222Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Producers/MemberTagFilms.aspxProducers
Number of films tagged: 1

Number of people who tagged: 1

Number of times used: 1

]]>Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:01:17 GMT111Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/songsharking/MemberTagFilms.aspxsongsharking
Number of films tagged: 1

Number of people who tagged: 1

Number of times used: 1

]]>Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:31:27 GMT111Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/recordproducer/MemberTagFilms.aspxrecordproducer
Number of films tagged: 34

Number of people who tagged: 0

Number of times used: 0

]]>Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:01:25 GMT3400Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/recruit-verbhire/MemberTagFilms.aspxrecruit-verbhire
Number of films tagged: 12

Number of people who tagged: 0

Number of times used: 0

]]>Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:02:29 GMT1200Tag