The Holy Modal Rounders: Bound to Lose (2005)
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100% of critics liked it
(8 reviews) -
65% of users liked it
(291 ratings)
Filmmakers Paul Lovelace and Sam Wainwright Douglas invite viewers to follow the tale of two true American originals in this documentary detailing the collaboration between fiddler Pete Stampfel and guitarist Steve Weber -- aka the Holy Modal Rounders. It was during "The Great Folk Scare"… More Filmmakers Paul Lovelace and Sam Wainwright Douglas invite viewers to follow the tale of two true American originals in this documentary detailing the collaboration between fiddler Pete Stampfel and guitarist Steve Weber -- aka the Holy Modal Rounders. It was during "The Great Folk Scare" of the early 1960s that these two eccentric souls collided in New York's Greenwich Village, and their partnership was soon solidified thanks to a mutual appreciation for American roots music and early psychedelia. But this was only the beginning, because over the course of the next four decades Stampfel and Douglas would exist on the fringes of the music industry while gaining a steady cult following. From their work on the Easy Rider soundtrack to the lost years and ultimately a shot at redemption in the form of a 40th anniversary concert in Portland, OR, this is the story of the American outlaw subculture at its most volatile and luminous. Special appearances by Dennis Hopper, Sam Shepard, Loudon Wainwright III, John Sebastian of the Lovin' Spoonful, and Peter Tork of the Monkees give testament to the endless influence of a duo that beat the odds to endure for four decades and counting. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Directed By
- Paul C. Lovelace, Sam Wainwright Douglas
- Genres
- Musical & Performing Arts, Documentary
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Jan 23, 2006 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times
As much the chronicle of an era as of a band, The Holy Modal Rounders ... Bound to Lose casts an affectionate eye on the kind of hedonism no one is meant to survive.
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Jim Ridley, Village Voice
They [Rounders] stand as perhaps the truest heirs to the Harry Smith Anthology's wild and woolly Americanaâ"a point Sam Wainwright Douglas and Paul C. Lovelace's affectionate doc makes with a minimum of fuss and lots of bawdy hilarity.
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Ted Fry, Seattle Times
A truly mad tale of a band that began as a loose amalgamation out of the Greenwich Village folk scene in the early '60s and managed to keep getting back together for reunions and revivals until 2005.
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Joe Leydon, Variety
Charged with alternating currents of affection, exuberance and ineffable melancholy, The Holy Modal Rounders ... Bound to Lose offers an intriguing overview of the cult-fave combo.
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Eric Monder, Film Journal International
The humor and eccentricity of the band members should prevent a "Who cares?" response, and the twist that occurs in the final section of the piece will keep every viewer mesmerized.
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