Color Me Obsessed: A Film About The Replacements (2011)

For some aging music fans and kids with a passion for musical history, The Replacements are rock and roll defined. This Minneapolis quartet took a teenage-punk attitude, threw it in a ... See full summary »

Director:

Gorman Bechard

Writers:

Gorman Bechard, Hansi Oppenheimer (based on an original idea by)

Stars:

Robert Voedisch, Tommy Ramone, Tom Arnold

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Voedisch	...	Self
Tommy Ramone	...	Self (as Tommy Erdelyi)
Tom Arnold	...	Self
Dave Foley	...	Self
Grant Hart	...	Self
Terry Katzman	...	Self
George Wendt	...	Self
Johnny Rzeznik	...	Self (as John Rzeznik)
Robert Christgau	...	Self
Bil MacLeslie	...	Self
Kevin Bowe	...	Self
Greg Norton	...	Self
Lori Barbero	...	Self
Jesse Malin	...	Self
Jack Rabid	...	Self

Storyline

For some aging music fans and kids with a passion for musical history, The Replacements are rock and roll defined. This Minneapolis quartet took a teenage-punk attitude, threw it in a blender with classic and pop rock, and then poured it into a Middle American pint glass. Over the band's 12-year existence, its live sets were magical, a total mess, or both-depending on your mood and the members' respective blood alcohol levels. Gorman Bechard's remarkable history of the 'Mats takes us from their first show as the Impediments to their 1991 onstage breakup in Chicago, and everywhere in between. Bechard bravely eschews including the band's music, photos, and live footage, instead relying solely on the fans: their well-kept memories, hilarious anecdotes, and differing points of views about the foursome's wildly varied discography and infamous antics. Bechard has recruited an impressive roster of influential fans: musicians such as Husker Du, Babes in Toyland, The Decemberists, The Hold ...

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Plot Keywords:

alternative music | rockumentary | indie rock | minneapolis minnesota | 

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Taglines:

The potentially true story of the last best band...

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Genres:

Documentary | Music

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

While Hansi Oppenheimer came up with the original idea to do a fan-based film about The Replacements, her film included the band's music, photos and video clips. Once director Gorman Bechard took over the production, he used none of Oppenheimer's footage and completely started over from scratch, keeping only the film's name and the concept of interviewing fans. And in pure Replacements fashion, he also tossed aside the idea of using any music, photos or clips of the band and decided that the film would now be a serious look at the band's history from start to finish, as well as a study of how the right band can change one's life, as seen solely through the eyes of not only fans, but critics, contemporaries, and those influenced by The Replacements. There is no music in the film, nor are there any interviews with the band members, or any clips of live performances, solely because Bechard wanted none in the film. That a music doc without music had never been made is what truly excited the director about the project.

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Quotes

Matthew Ryan: 'Answering Machine' is the 'Apocalypse Now' of vocal performances.

User Reviews

For true fans and the people who love them

I saw this at the Wisconsin Film Festival in Madison, a town where the Replacements put on many memorable shows. This film ain't about the band, it's about their fans...and their passion for the band. It's a wonderful mix of fans and writers like Jim DeRogatis, Greg Kot and Robert Christgau who were spreading the word from the beginning. One of the interviewees compares their legacy to the Velvet Underground. It is said they only sold a few thousand albums in their career, but everyone who bought one started a band. Among today's bands that carry the Mats flag, Wilco (my current obsession) stands out and there's Jeff Tweedy proclaiming that every Wilco song is based on the Replacements.

The Mats were human, and that humanity shines through without any of the members being on screen.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 March 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Color Me Obsessed

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

What Were We Thinking Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD