Greendale (2003)

A musical look at the lives and struggles of people in the small fictional town called Greendale.

Director:

Neil Young (as Bernard Shakey)

Writer:

Neil Young

Stars:

Sarah White, Eric Johnson, Ben Keith

Cast

Credited cast:
Sarah White	...	Sun Green
Eric Johnson	...	Jed Green / Devil
Ben Keith	...	Grandpa Green
Erik Markegard	...	Earth Brown
Elizabeth Keith	...	Grandma Green
Pegi Young	...	Edith Green
James Mazzeo	...	Earl Green
Paul Supplee	...	Officer Carmichael
Sydney Stephan	...	Widow
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Adam Donkin	...	Imitator (as Echobrain)
Dylan Donkin	...	Imitator (as Echobrain)
Brian Sagrafena	...	Imitator (as Echobrain)
Neil Young	...	Wayne Newton (as Bernard Shakey)

Storyline

Exploring the lives and struggles of a varied group of people in a small, rural California town, Greendale focuses in on the Green family. From Grandpa sitting on the front porch commenting on the state of the world, to his struggling artist son Earl Green, to Sun Green, Earl's vibrant, free-spirited daughter, daily existence in Greendale seems idealistically perfect and trouble-free, at first. This uneventful lifestyle is proven to be more intricate than first glaces would indicate, when Cousin Jed shoots and kills a police officer, sparking a chain of events that change the lives of those around him in both simple and profound ways.

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Plot Keywords:

fbi federal bureau of investigation | rural setting | low budget film | kitchen | flashback | 

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Genres:

Musical | Drama

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Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Broken Flowers (2005)

User Reviews

This Neil fan was unmoved

I realize how it is with fans and super-fans. They love their artist and wish to find anything good or redeeming in their latest work. Even when it isn't really there. I've loved Neil's music since the olden days, yet I was not very entertained by this movie.

The music was essentially a one-off. He went into a studio with Crazy Horse (minus Pancho) and just dashed off a bunch of songs, recorded them, done. This has worked well for him on some of his past record albums, but all the electric songs sound the same here, and not really very good at all by NY-CH standards. The acoustic tune "What You Were Looking For" is OK, and the electric finisher "Be The River" is rousing and enjoyable (in large part thanks to the kids doing the chorus refrain).

The Story? It's there if you pay close attention, but I soon found myself not caring enough to try. As I felt that he didn't care enough either.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 October 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Greendale: A Film by Neil Young

Filming Locations:

Pescadero, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,163, 29 February 2004

Gross USA:

$255,947

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$255,947

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shakey Pictures, Lookout Management

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1