Customer Reviews

Athens, GA. Inside/Out

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I don't know what that other reviewer is talking about. The sound quality on my DVD was just fine. I hadn't seen the film in years and was pleasantly surprised at how well it holds up. Some of the extras have some sound glitches (the Dave Schools interview goes on too long but the first 15 minutes are great and the director/producer commentary has sound drop outs at the beginning) but the film itself looks great and sounds fine.

As for the extras - the commentary track is hilarious and the B-52's video is a great addition. As far as the clips from an unfinished Flat Duo Jets film - well, I just hope they finish it because it looks like a masterpiece in the making.

If you liked the original or just want to find out about underground music in the 80's you really need to get this DVD.

I used to live in Athens around this time and it was interesting to see the footage again, the Pylon shoots are really cool. The BBQ Killers also steal the show, thanks to the infamous Laura Carter. REM fans will enjoy the footage of the band shot in the Lucy Cobb chapel performing acoustic songs. I don't know if someone who hasn't spend time in Athens would appreciate the movie as much as former residents. As some other reviewers have noted, the 5.1 audio is unplayable, it comes out super distorted. The extras are pretty amateurish and some of the menu items don't work correctly. I would say this is worth renting or borrowing but not buying unless they can fix these glitches. The original movie would rate 4 stars, but the DVD version is only 2.

I am so happy that this film is on DVD now. I originally saw it 17 years ago when I had first gone away to college in the South and really loved it. My interests in filmmaking were just beginning and this film was very inspiring to me for a lot of different reasons.

Depending on where you are coming from, I think that "Athens, GA: Inside/Out" represents many different ideas & emotions to the person watching it. It is certainly more than just a documentary film. It is a wonderfully flippant slice of life, and now time capsule, of a collective group of artists & musicians in the South.

From a filmmaking standpoint this film is really well done. It has somewhat of a "home movie" feel but the technical aspects of this production are top notch. The live performances are beautifully photographed.

If you are an REM or B52's fan, that should be enough to want to own this disc. However, the treat that you are in for is all of the other insanely dynamic performers who are in the film as well. Dexter Romweber of the Flat Duo Jets & Vanessa Ellison of Pylon really steal the show.

I looked forward to replacing my VHS copy of this documentary with the DVD, but I was greatly disappointed to discover that the audio on the DVD is horribly distorted. This is true for both the 2.0 and 5.1 tracks. I have tried the DVD on two different players, and have also tried both internal and external D/A conversion. I seriously doubt the problem lies in my particularly copy of the DVD, as there is nothing wrong with the video. Also, the music on the intro menu is clean (no distortion). My guess is that someone at MVD screwed up royally during the DVD mastering process. Now the question is, will this title be recalled and remastered?

To call this film a documentary is quite a bit of a stretch.

It doesn't really 'tell' anything about how Athens became an indy/alternative music Mecca in the late 1980s.

More so, it is simply a stringing together of performance footage of the major indy bands residing in Athens at the time, sandwiched with less than insightful band member pitter-patter. There is also quite a bit of unfocused Zen-like chatter by Ort, who covers the scene for Athens' truly-indy newspaper, "The Flagpole." There's a visit with "Weaver D," the BBQ restaurant owner whose motto "Automatic For The People" titled a 1992 R.E.M. album. And the viewer will catch brief glimpses of other significant venues such as the 40 Watt Club, the Wuxtry Record store, and the inside of the Oconee Street church steeple where R.E.M. was born.

If you were actually living in Athens at this particular point in time - or if you are an obsessed fan of one of these bands - you will probably find this film interesting. Otherwise, you will likely find it to be a complete bore.

Great video, if you're into alternative music. Paints an overview of Athens in the late 70's/early 80's. Features the B52's and REM as well as many lesser known or unknown bands. The significance of this music is paramount as it influenced alternative music throughout the entire country. What makes Athens bands particularly unique is their ability to co-exist without destructive competition.

Try to find clips from youtube instead of purchasing this. The footage of the Flat Duo Jets is the best part but was confused about them being in this as they are not native to GA. Very little about the B52's.

If you're a fan of Athens GA, REM, B52s, Flat Duo Jets, you will probably love this film. It's a wonderfully shot, beautifully edited piece showcasing the birth of the Athens music scene, with interviews and performances from bands that went on to become some of the most influential American musicians of the late 20th century. If you want to know how and where REM got their start, watch this. If you want to see Jack White's idol Dex Romweber of the Flat Duo Jets save souls with one guitar lick at a time, this is for you. Anyone deeply interested in music, or who is already familiar with the Athens scene will get something out of this. Having said that, because the content of this film is so specialized I'm not sure anyone who has no knowledge of Athens would really enjoy it. It's certainly not a rollicking good time, but rather more of a time capsule about a specific era in a specific small town that produced specific music. Nothing broad here. I'm not saying don't give it a shot; you definitely should. I just don't think it would appeal to the average person. I, however, am just crazy about it.

I loved this video when I first saw it as a high schooler in 87. Went on to attend UGA in Athens, Ga (the finest college town on earth!) and this movie brings back a simpler time in my life as well as in Athens'. The creativity is def. still there around town today I feel just the times have changed. Just an incredible little piece that shows what life was like listening to deep alt southern rock back in the days before REM went global. DVD sounds as good as it could I guess but the film itsef already is a classic!!! Worth every minute for any younger gen music lovers out there who need a deep college music history lesson.