Customer Reviews

Iron City Blues (2-Disc Set DVD & CD)

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

 

 

I had been awaiting this documentary for several months. I grew up in a small town near Iron City, and used to spend a good deal of time in Iron City. This documentary done by blues artist Big Mike Griffin is a great telling of the legend, a great look at how the town is today, and it's also pretty entertaining. In some ways, it's a very sad documentary. Despite the mayor's (a guy I went to high school with) optimism, there's very little hope for the future of Iron City. I know there are good people in Iron City, but they are dwarfed by the number of law-hating hooligans that run the town. The crime and murder rates of Iron City appear to be as high as they ever were, and the town still can't seem to recruit anyone to become a police officer there. Big Mike's story here is an accurate telling of what was and what is. He didn't doctor it up to make it look any better or worse than what it really is. The only down side is that it is entirely too short. He could have two full hours easily. Of course, the meanest people of the town probably weren't interested in being on camera and talking about what they do. Still, I think Big Mike has set the stage for 'Iron City Blues II: Back to the Backwoods'.

If you're interested in the legend of Iron City, or if you just enjoy real-life stories from smalltown America, you will definitely enjoy Iron City Blues. Great job, Big Mike!

As an all-around film lover, the story of a blues giant (there's a reason he's called Big Mike) on a motorcyclin' adventure into a lawless town for the simple purpose of musical inspiration really struck my interest. But did the film itself keep it?
It certainly did...and then some.
The 52-minute documentary follows Big Mike Griffin and his ex-marine buddy, Jason (brought in because, apparently, you never travel by yourself to the IC), to the small town where days in a year equal its population. We are told stories of old and recent from its townsfolk: run-ins and running out the law from town, bodies turning up in the city creek, uncle vs. nephew shootings over dope, and the popular area attraction: "Insurance Bluff." The film nicely captures stories from each generation, almost chronologically. We witness the younger generation's pastime of four-wheelers and suped-up lawn mowers, then move onto hearing the Mayor's (unbelievable) hopes for Iron City's future. But the two best storytellers are reserved for last, the former being the city's former Chief of Police. Listening to him speak of what the town's been through, you can see how much it pains him and you can't help but be intrigued. And then there's Monkey: the inspiring and intoxicated 73 year-old who has to be told through subtitles, yet is so quick-witted and optimistic, you can't help but love him.
At journey's end, Big Mike, taking everything he's learned from the hearts of Iron City, composes his tribute. His concert at the film's conclusion, with its wonderfully familiar audience, seals Iron City Blues for me as truly great documentary. Well shot, well told, well done.
With that said, I guess the only downside is I was left wanting more. But that's when you know you've seen something good. Luckily, the DVD has its fair share of bonuses: a Big Mike bio, newspaper clippings from the final days of law in Iron City, and my personal favorite...more Monkey moments. A soundtrack of the film, with some good ol' Big Mike blues, is also included with the DVD. It's a great drive mix.
So all in all, if you like story-driven documentaries, old-time blues music mixed with Harleys and necks with a nice hue of red, ICB is definitely choice.

LOL some biker that writes songs? I brought this cause my son moved there last year for a few months.... while the town has it's wackos maybe the author is scared of the redneck/trailer trash mentality ? I live in new jersey ,urban explore abandoned buildings in newark ,paterson,camden... lol let them whimpies go there! you get a cd of songs which a few songs are sort of ok... the rest sort of all the same is it like singin blues or little girly cryin? and the dvd is a comedy of a drunk guy in the woods and an abandoned gas station taken on by two armed and dangerous bikers?
lol give me a break! anyway my son and i had a good laugh! maybe i should re-sell it on amazon? then i would have to say it's great? maybe i sould have obama's speech writers do it... lol well i'll never sink that low....

This video is interesting, and some of the information is true. However, I feel that sensationalism to a point is involved in the depiction of the town's general residents. Most are decent, good people.

Being near the state line, and an ex mining town, Iron City has always had more than it's share of the criminal element, however.

There is a fiction novel written in the 1920's that involves Iron City, written by Thomas Stribling, called Teeftallow. (sp)? Doubt it's still in print, but it shows some of the OLD City's history. Stribling won a Pulitzer for one of his books of the area.

I enjoyed the movie, and thought the director tried to show more than JUST the wild side, but could have been more fair as a documentary.

Mike found the best characters in a small town to tell the story of killings, beatings, and family fueds. It made me want to sit around a
fire with Monkey and listen to more of his stories. It made me want
to ride down to the creek where the bodies were found and to see the
metal pole full of bullet holes from the gun fire between an Uncle and
his nephew.

The hope of some of the people still alive and living in Iron City to
rebuild their town through tourism is amazing. Would I want to go there
on vacation? Absolutely not!!!!
The song Mike wrote about Iron City tells the whole story.

Get this documentary and view it for yourself and then decide if you would want to go there.

Amazing job Mike.

I've been waiting for this DVD to come out since meeting Big Mike last year. I wanted to see what a town in our country would be like without any law and order. I didn't think the people of Iron City would be so receptive to being on camera and speaking with Big Mike, they really seemed to enjoy it.

The interview with Monkey was a riot and he seemed to actually tell Iron City's story how it was. What a happy character that guy is. The bonus footage of him was a great plus!

Big Mikes sit down with the last police officer of Iron City who told the same story that Monkey did from another perspective but I don't want to give anything away but he kept me on the edge of my seat.

The bonus music cd that comes with it is just that, a added bonus with the soundtrack of the the movie.

Big Mike and his film crew did a great job putting this documentary together, it was well worth the wait!

Overall this movie was good, but my family is from Iron City. In fact the former police officer who was interviewed is my former uncle inlaw. I also know alot of good hard working people that live in Iron City now. The place has changed alot from the past that most were speaking of and it's not as scary there as it was made out to be. I just say go to Iron City and see for yourself and don't be afraid. Yes it was a rough place in the past but places change and this one has.