Sonic Outlaws (1995) User Reviews

An examination of the nature of art and the things we all create is food for thought

[dbborroughs · 7/10 · 26 August 2007]

Craig Baldwin's essay/documentary on jam/cut up/found art, specifically that of the audio visual sort. Beginning with the story of Negativeland's infamous record U2, made from a mash of Casey Kasem out takes and U2 and then examining and commenting upon the people who do this sort of collage art, their legal troubles as well as the art itself.

Made from found footage itself this is a dizzying trip for about half its running time as we are forced to examine and consider the nature of art, all art as well as what is fair use and what should and should not be covered under copyright. The problem is that about half way in the film begins to wear down you down as it seems that its running the same ground again and a again. Its not bad, and actually there are some great pieces in the second half like an explanation of collage's history, what happens when a montagist finds his lifted work has been lifted, and some good bits of art, but there is also a great sense of I've been here before. The up shot is that the euphoria of the early part of the film and its unique vision is replaced by just a mundane documentary.

Despite the fall off I can't help but recommend this film to anyone who creates, and who likes the mash up art that runs rampant on the Internet. You may not watch it more than once but some of the questions it raises will rattle around in your brain for a long time afterward.

Keep Getting Freaked Out...

[ThurstonHunger · 8/10 · 3 January 2023]

A pretty handy, heady art-e-fact.

Was fortunate to be introduced to Negativland and John Oswald and the Tape Beatles via KFJC. Also via KFJC, the Ann Arbor Film Festival I was also introduced to Craig Baldwin, a cinematic collage creator who "directed" this movie. A match definitely made on the left end of the dial!

I've had Baldwin's movie in my N*tfl*x DVD queue forever, and am thinking about getting rid of that option, as many films are available either at the library, or like "Sonic Outlaws" available online. Baldwin breaks great visual chaotic focus to the documentary.

By coincidence I watched this shortly after Kiarostami's "Certified Copy" and found a mild connection there. In both cases, I do think that often the "copy" can be more meaningful to the viewer or listener, whether it was an interpretation or a "culture jammed" version.

There are some nice points in this doc about how certain media are more immune to law suits than "sound." Author Doug Kahn gets a fair amount of screen time to discuss this, as does lawyer Alan Korn. There is a broad range of course in sampling/plunderphonic efforts.

As the Negativland and Emergency Broadcast System (hilarious name for a band) folks discuss, part of this is a gag reflex to the omnipresent media attack. As they both say, the internet both makes it easier for people to grab sound and visions to scramble, while also loosening up the stranglehold that ma$$ive media once had.

I should say sometimes it's the capitalistic gag reflex, but sometimes it's just a gag. Humor to me is a noble goal even without the social commentary, but together they can be a bit of a Siamese Twin.

On the flip side, seeing the Weatherman (RIP) grab private cell phone chatter adds the concern of privacy vs the fact that the "airwaves" are shared waves. Is *everything* up for grabs, every where at all times. I might need to tidy up my thoughts and actions with some 409.

No surprise the document, like I suspect you and myself, are going encourage erring on the side of creative exploration and exploitation of sounds. The idea that it is a form of "folk music" was a fun-to-funky take. Maybe not for old blues musicians in Rolling Stone tongue-tie-dyed t-shirts?

Speaking of arena rock, the irony of U2 (the band) and their ZooTV I think just underscores the American notion that if you have more power/capital behind you, then you can "plunder" a lot more easily.

Here in post 2020 covid hindsight, Negativland continues to make waves, air/sound/societal, as do many influenced by them. Even my Chat GPT agrees it is important that they keep phreaking us out.

Excellent documentary on sampling / cut ups + much more

[sckmode · 8/10 · 22 October 2008]

Craig Baldwin's Sonic Outlaws is one of the best documentaries i've seen, a psychedelic blending of media commentary / music politics. Even if you aren't a fan of these bands or never heard of them, this is an essential film about subversive electronic music and social satire using mainstream media outlets. The band Negativland is put on full display here, and their infamous troubles with Island records resulting in a career breaking lawsuit are well documented. The whole film is presenting in the style of a noisy cut up, jumping back and forth between taped telephone calls and sonic distortion to the talking heads and archive footage. Anyone interested in sampling, copyright laws, media criticism, noise, or video art should put this one on their 'to see list'

Excellent documentary on Fair Use

[Flibble-5 · 10/10 · 3 November 2000]

Combining five formats, including FisherPrice Pixelvision, this is a great film on the legal and ethical issues that surround the work of such groups as Negativland, EBN, the Tape Beatles, and John Oswald. It follows the issues raised by Negativland's infamous single "U2" and is of a format (musically and visually) that one would expect from people who have a collage aesthetic in creating art to comment on the media...