>>REVIEW
MOOG
Directed By Hans Fjellestad
Plexifilm, 2005
Remember when technology was designed to look like the future?
Things were built to last. Bulky electronic contraptions were housed in massive wooden boxes with intricate spaceship-like control panels consisting of glowing switches and buttons. These objects were not only functional, but also works of art – simultaneously representing the present by idealizing where we wanted to go.
The Moog synthesizer is a prime example of kitsch technology, and it unquestionably changed the confines of electronic music. This beautiful and well-designed instrument was born from the mind of one inventor, Bob Moog.
Moog has since passed away, dying at his North Carolina home in August at the age of 71. This reflective documentary shows the soft-spoken synthesizer pioneer doing what he does best – enjoying life.
Moog combines vintage footage and current conversation-style interviews with Moog and some of the musicians who use his instrument. In addition to including performance footage, Director Hans Fjellestad gives musicians such as Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Money Mark, Mix Master Mike, DJ Spooky and Stereolab a chance to discuss Moog’s influence over their creativity.
When Moog came up with the idea to create a machine capable of creating new sounds, he was met with resistance from acoustic purists who were against such an invention. In the ’60s, electronic music was viewed with suspicion and many felt that Moog’s machine would be detrimental to composition. He was often charged with trying to destroy the musical process and it’s clear that those accusations still resonate with him to this day. Instead, he explains that he created the Moog not to annihilate the human condition, but because of his love for it. His intentions become apparent as he goes on to describe his savant-like ability to understand electronics and how he can "feel" the circuits as well as visualize sound.
Much like his passion for organic gardening, Moog’s idea for the synthesizer developed organically as well. In the ’60s, Moog built and sold Theremins and through this was introduced to electronically produced music. He began to experiment with sound and had a goal to design an instrument of unlimited possibility.
With Moog going to meet many of the musicians in face-to-face interviews, the documentary has a candid feel. Although the interviews can drag at times and the live performances become a bit boring, it’s fun to see Moog interacting with the people who use his instruments, especially since he is clearly still surprised by the impact his invention has had on the music world. Moog is an intimate portrait of a man who radiates with positivity and ideas and the film offers a unique view into the mind of a genius. |
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