Moog (2004)

29% of critics liked it
(17 reviews)
55% of users liked it
(269 ratings)

Born in 1934, Robert Moog grew up in New York City, where he developed a passion for playing the piano around the same time he started tinkering with electronic equipment, an interest he picked up from his father. In 1949, Moog had learned how to build and play theremins, one of the world's first… More Born in 1934, Robert Moog grew up in New York City, where he developed a passion for playing the piano around the same time he started tinkering with electronic equipment, an interest he picked up from his father. In 1949, Moog had learned how to build and play theremins, one of the world's first electronic musical instruments, and he began selling mail-order theremin kits out of his apartment in the early '60s. Moog's obsession with using electronics to create music led him to invent and market the Moog synthesizer in 1964; while hardly the first electronic keyboard, its broad range of strange but inviting sounds (as well as its unique simulations of "real" instruments) pushed the keyboard-based synthesizer into the forefront of electronic music-making. The award-winning album Switched on Bach by Walter Carlos (later Wendy Carlos) was performed entirely on the Moog, and soon everyone from the Beatles to Buck Owens began exploring the possibilities of the synthesizer. Moog is a documentary that chronicles Robert Moog's life and times, as well as his philosophies about electronics and music, and features testimonials from some of the many musicians who have used his instruments, including Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Money Mark, and DJ Spooky. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 10 min.
Directed By: Hans Fjellestad
Genres: Musical & Performing Arts, Documentary

In Theaters: Sep 17, 2004 Wide
On DVD: May 31, 2005
Studio: Plexifilm

Critic Reviews

Leighton Klein, Boston Globe
For every insight, there are a half-dozen meandering conversations and unguided reminiscences.
, Los Angeles Times
Fjellestad exhibits a playful adoration for the man and the otherworldly sounds of his machine in an intriguing rendering of one of music technology's seminal figures.
Robert Dominguez, New York Daily News
An affectionate portrait of Robert Moog.
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
A collection of dry interviews and so-so music, it's better suited to public TV than the big screen.
Stephen Holden, New York Times
Offers a fascinating historical look at the technological side of the 60's revolution in pop music.
John Anderson, Newsday
Somewhat cursory portrait.
Rachel Gordon, Filmcritic.com
It's unfortunate that there are so many ideas left behind before they get a chance to start
Brent Simon, Now Playing Magazine
Lacking in a rigidly formal structure and explication of exactly how and why the Moog's emergence shaped music...
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
There are things to be learned here, but it would take a real aficionado to geek out on all the knobs and circuit boards on display.
, E! Online
The testimonials are plentiful, coming from the varied likes of prog-rock kings Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson to current turntablists like DJ Spooky, Money Mark and Mix Master Mike.
Sheri Linden, Boxoffice Magazine
Would that this affectionate tribute to the unassuming man behind a musical revolution had more energy of its own.
Greg Burk, L.A. Weekly
Largely, you get to watch a nice old guy waxing philosophical in his beloved vegetable garden, in his workshop or amid city traffic.
Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International
If you're not fascinated by synthesized sound, this could be the longest seventy minutes of your life.
Erik Lundegaard, Seattle Times
The doc focuses exclusively on Robert Moog, and Robert Moog is, well, kind of boring.
Ken Fox, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Even at his most obtuse ... Moog's deep, almost spiritual connection to his creation is evident.

Read all 15 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Eric B

As someone who loves his piano and old Juno-60, I was highly interested in this film's subject matter. But what a disappointment. This film isn't sure whether to be a portrait of Robert Moog or a history of his products, and it fails on both counts. Little chronology of the… More
As someone who loves his piano and old Juno-60, I was highly interested in this film's subject matter. But what a disappointment. This film isn't sure whether to be a portrait of Robert Moog or a history of his products, and it fails on both counts. Little chronology of the important Moog artists and albums. Little sense of the Moog keyboard's evolution through the years. Not even much sense of how different knobs and plugs affect the keyboard's output. And the showcased artists seem somewhat arbitrary, as if it was just a case of including those who were easiest to book. I mean, really, if you can't get Wendy Carlos to appear in your Moog documentary, maybe it would be best to just scrap the project. And the climactic scene of Moog playing "Old Man River" on Theremin is wonderful, but it's preceded by a segment on other Theremin players which comes off totally out of sequence (this is a *pre*-synthesizer instrument, after all). Meanwhile, we twiddle our fingers as Moog putters around his garden and kitchen, plays video games in Tokyo and offers cosmic philosophizing on the relationship between musician and instrument which simply isn't too compelling. Note the film's short length -- it *feels* short.

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Moog (2004)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Eric B

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