Velvet Underground: Under Review

Velvet Underground: Under Review is an enlightening and immersive documentary film that offers a meticulously detailed examination of the avant-garde rock band, The Velvet Underground. Enshrouded in controversy and hailed as pioneers in the realm of punk, art-rock and alternative music, The Velvet Underground pioneered a distinctive sound that still captures the interest of music lovers worldwide, decades after their inception.

Known for their distinctive sound that blends raw, noisy elements with thoughtful and skilled songwriting, Velvet Underground was a band that stood out from the flower power aesthetic of the 1960s and set a course for the alternative and punk genres that would emerge in the subsequent years. This movie is a deep dive into the band's unique journey, a story both iconic and inspirational.

The film provides a chronology of the band's journey from its formation in 1964 through to its dissolution in 1973. It embraces the band's ambitious quest to challenge the conventions of contemporary music and to break new grounds in the realms of artistic expression. The Velvet Underground is painted as a band that lividly straddled the boundary between music and art, crafting a narrative of their insatiable pursuit of musical innovation and artistic authenticity.

Velvet Underground: Under Review showcases a wealth of rare archival footage, interviews, and music excerpts that paint a vivid timeline of the band's career against a backdrop of social, cultural, and musical changes in 1960s America. The film presents unique insights into the band's daring and groundbreaking approach to music, characterized by the lead singer Lou Reed's brutally honest lyrical narratives and John Cale's forward-thinking instrumental experimentation.

This admirable documentary is particularly notable for its capacity to delve deeper and peel through layers beyond just the music. It addresses the band's relationships, dynamics, struggles, and victories whose culmination is reflected in its innovative sound. The film paints a comprehensive portrait of each member, delving into their unique backgrounds and contributions, and how they served to shape the band's overall aesthetic and sound.

A striking highlight of the film is the focus on the band’s collaboration with the iconic pop artist Andy Warhol, who played an instrumental role in their early career. It analyses how this intriguing relationship helped shape the band's artistic vision and how it influenced their exploration of various themes such as urban realism, drugs, and sexual deviancy that were considered taboo during their era. Warhol's impact on the band’s image, sound, and overall aesthetic is expertly explored, reflecting on how this relationship was synonymous with the band’s rise to prominence.

The movie includes interviews from key personnel who were there at the beginning including Norman Dolph and Paul Morrissey, Nico's first meeting and her role with the band, the Black Angel's Death Song and much more. Moreover, the film features interviews with key music journalists, cultural commentators, and musicologists who shed light on the band's influence and legacy.

The film's narrative structure and editing are commendable for the efficient collaborative effort that succinctly presents a comprehensive snapshot of the Velvet Underground's unique journey. Rich in contextual details and packed with objective insights, Velvet Underground: Under Review acts as a retrospective that captures the zeitgeist of a time that saw the band leave a lasting impression in rock history.

In essence, Velvet Underground: Under Review is more than just a biography of a band; it equally explores the cultural and societal contexts that allowed their music to flourish and resonate. It serves its purpose by not only shedding light on the revolutionary nature of this band but also by illustrating why and how their music still retains its relevance and intensity after all these years. This film is a must-watch for all fans of The Velvet Underground, music history enthusiasts, and those who have an interest in understanding the evolution of alternative musical genres.