Down from the Mountain (2001)
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97% of critics liked it
(31 reviews) -
81% of users liked it
(1,084 ratings)
For their film O Brother, Where Art Thou?, set in the American South during the 1930s, filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen collaborated with musician, songwriter, and producer T-Bone Burnett to compile a score that reflected the rich variety of musical influences of the rural South during the Depression.… More For their film O Brother, Where Art Thou?, set in the American South during the 1930s, filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen collaborated with musician, songwriter, and producer T-Bone Burnett to compile a score that reflected the rich variety of musical influences of the rural South during the Depression. Burnett brought together a veritable who's who of American roots music for the project, and while the film was a moderate success, the soundtrack album to O Brother, Where Art Thou? was a surprise hit, topping the country charts for several weeks and helping to open the ears of a new audience to the beauty and rough-hewn poetry of bluegrass, traditional country, rural blues, and gospel music. Shortly before the film's release, Burnett assembled many of the artists who appeared on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack for a special concert at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium (the original home of the Grand Ole Opry) to benefit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum; the evening was filmed, and Down From the Mountain documents this very special night of music that celebrates America's musical past as it points to the future. Performers include Emmylou Harris, Dr. Ralph Stanley, Alison Krauss, the Cox Family, the Fairfield Four, the Whites, Chris Thomas King, and Gillian Welch. Holly Hunter, one of the stars of O Brother, makes a cameo appearance, as does noted country music enthusiast Billy Bob Thornton. Songwriter, musician, and historian John Hartford served as master of ceremonies for the concert (and the film); sadly, he died after a long bout with cancer less than two weeks before Down From the Mountain premiered in New York and Nashville in June 2001. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Rating, Runtime
- G, 1 hr. 38 min.
- Directed By
- D.A. Pennebaker, Chris Hegedus
- Genres
- Documentary, Television, Musical & Performing Arts
- In Theaters
- Jun 15, 2001 Limited
- On DVD
- Oct 23, 2001
- Studio
- Cowboy Booking
Critic Reviews
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Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
A film that's lovely to hear, though not much to look at.
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Richard Harrington, Washington Post
The music is grand, the performances are direct and Down From the Mountain is unpretentious in its presentation of both.
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Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer
In her performances and asides to the documentarians, it is Welch who best articulates why this music is so moving.
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Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
Has the ease of a casual get-together by musicians who enjoy jamming with each other and who give us the privilege to sit there and listen and watch.
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Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle
Like the old-timey music that inspired it, Down From the Mountain is sweet, serene and utterly unconcerned with polish.
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