Product Details

• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: German
• Rated: Unrated
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Bros / Wea
• VHS Release Date: October 29, 1991
• Run Time: 53 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302372526
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #298,102 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Item Name: Funky Monks; Studio: Warner Bros / Wea

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The band is the land, the land is the band:, February 6, 2003

By 

Brent A. Anthonisen "Johnny Sideburns" (Alpharetta, GA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Red Hot Chili Peppers: Funky Monks (DVD)

Before VH-1 started making documentaries of the making of "classic albums" (such as Jimi's "Electric Ladyland", Fleetwoods "Rumours", U2's "The Unforgettable Fire", etc.), this independent production in living black & white was shot of the Red Hot Chili Peppers as they became "Funky Monks" with producer extraordinaire Rick Rubin and retreated to a virtual monastery of an empty house in the hills above L.A. to record their greatest musical achievement ever, 1991's "Blood Sugar Sex Magik".
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The video/DVD shows the painstaking detail with which the breakthrough album was recorded (of particular interest is the recording of the percussive effects heard in "Breaking The Girl") and in between recording time we see candid glimpses of the Peppers being...well, Peppers, being dads, talking about the band philosophy and what makes them who and what they are (and skimming through the personal ads in various sex mags).
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And of course each Pepper's awesome musicianship is put on display (particularly John Frusciante, who I swear must be the second coming of Jimi Hendrix with his pre-addiction guitar technique, showcased in all of its glory here...the entire album was a breathtaking performance for a guitarist barely 20 years old at the time) as the recording sessions are filmed.
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The songs appear only in snippets and in various different stages of production; you won't see any full-length performances (although a good bonus extra would have been the video for "Give It Away", especially since -incredibly- that video somehow was not included on the "What Hits?" DVD that was recently re-issued; more's the pity it isn't found here, either). You'll recognize songs that weren't included with "Blood Sugar..." that were later released ("Soul To Squeeze" being the the most recognizable) in addition to those that found their way onto the final version of the album.
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But the personality of L.A. is every bit as much the star of this film as is the personalities of the Chili Peppers themselves. The feel of the town is everywhere, from the record offices where the executives explain the concept behind the recording taking place in the fashion it did to the locations where Anthony is interviewed regarding the lyrics of "Under The Bridge" to the wrap party that is held at the house once the recording has been completed...the soul of Los Angeles (such as it is) and the symbiotic association it has with the band are factors that set this filmed "making of" documentary a step above all the others; there is much more than four guys in a studio and a producer in a booth...it is an encapsulation of a city and its most identifiable band, frozen in time forever.
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In summation, don't watch this expecting a collection of videos or a live performance; watch it with an interest in a fantastic band and the creation of their finest work and feel the city breathing through them as it happens.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great DVD for musicians, April 28, 2004

By 

TheWolf "howdthattaste" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Red Hot Chili Peppers: Funky Monks (DVD)

This DVD is about the story of a LA rock band recording their best album ever (they didnt know it) in a mansion in Laurel Canyon with producer Rick Rubin.

This is mainly a DVD for hardcore fans, or any musician who likes to see what its like to record an album with rick rubin in a big mansion! its amazing. its a very relaxed vibe. its a non-narrator documentary of the recording of BSSM. There are short interviews with each member and short clips of them recording songs and parts (excellent). Anthony explains Under The Bridge, Flea talks about his bass playing, john talks about vibrations in the 4th dimention, Chad likes his motorbike.

This is 60 mins (too short in my opinion) and in black and white. dont let the color intimidate you, it goes perfect with vibe. the sound quality is excellent. This doesnt contain any of their music videos, or live on stage performances. i made an audio cassette tape of this and put it in my car so i could listen to it elsewhere, i liked it that much.

if you like the chili peppers and like the studio, this is a MUST. if BloodSugarSexMagik is your favorite album... they you NEED THIS.

thank you have a nice day

aim:howdthattaste

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ow! Them Peppers are Red Hot..., April 25, 2000

By 

harpo787 "Harpo" (South Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Red Hot Chili Peppers: Funky Monks (DVD)

Wasn't sure what I was getting into buying this DVD, but I admit I enjoyed it. I've always enjoyed watching candid stuff about bands, in addition to watching them perform.

This title, Funky Monks, does just that. It shows the Chili Peppers as they do a bit of publicity for their then upcoming album "Blood Sugar Sex Magic", and I think at points you can see that John Frusciante (sp?) was not completely stable at all times, a sign that he would leave the band as they were touring. I'd love to see something like this for their last album, Californication, to see how the reunion came about.

The only downside I'd say about this DVD that holds back its 5 stars is that it didn't have any extras, like videos they made for songs from the Blood Sugar album, or for that matter, not a single song was played all the way through.