Product Details

• Actors: Brian Wilson, Mike Pinder, Jon Brion, Rick Nielsen, Michael Penn
• Directors: Dianna Dilworth
• Format: NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: All Regions
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Bazillion Points
• DVD Release Date: January 19, 2010
• Run Time: 80 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0030FQNP8
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #97,491 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A machine as if invented by Galileo or Michaelangelo., November 9, 2010

By 

E.I.E.I. Owen (Philadelphia, Pa United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Mellodrama: The Mellotron Movie (DVD)

When the Chamberlin and Mellotron became available to the consumer market, they were basically intended to be used as home entertainment. But when artists like the Beatles, Moody Blues, Gary Paxton, Brian Wilson, and Curt Boettcher started to use them in the studio, they added that certain something to their recordings. The sound of the instrument is still highly regarded and even today Mellotrons are being manufactured in analog and digital formats.

As esoteric the subject of this documentary may seem, there is a lot here to hold the casual viewer's interest. The history of both machines are interesting. The simple idea that led Harry Chamberlin to create an instrument that utilized tape playback in 1949 was so innovative and revolutionary, it made one of his salesman steal two of Harry's machines and take them to England. This salesman went to the Bradley brothers and claimed the instruments to be his own design and the Mellotron was born.

You have to watch the rest of the documentary to see how the story unfolds.

The DVD also comes with a slew of extra material and anecdotes from Tony Banks, Ian MacDonald, Michael Penn, Brian Wilson, Rick Nielson, Matthias Olsen, David Kean, Matthew Sweet, Al Kooper, Jon Brion, Richard Chamberlin and others.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mellotron - A character of an instrument well-explored in this great documentary, April 30, 2010

By 

K.L.S. (Asheville, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mellodrama: The Mellotron Movie (DVD)

The Mellotron is brought forth in this documentary as a "character" in it's own right: a musical character that is important
to get to know in order to further appreciate modern song classics, a musical character that has a sorted past.
An instrument that has a temperamental character, especially when brought on tour with musical giants.

All these stories and more are told in Mellodrama: The Mellotron Movie

Dianna Dilworth does a great job with incorporating archival footage from the birth time of this instrument.

Also well worth seeing are Moody Blue's Mike Pinder, Bigelf's Damon Fox and Froth, Jesse Carmichael of Maroon 5 and many others speak passionately about this instrument.

What is old became new again as musicians find exciting inventive ways to use what are now collectible Mellotrons.

This instrument, the Mellotron, has served as "the kid in the candy store" in many musical giant's lives. I learned this
because of watching this documentary.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mellodrama is an excellent history of the Mellotron and Chamberlin, January 28, 2010

By 

WB (Ivoryton, CT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mellodrama: The Mellotron Movie (DVD)

Whether for the history of music and Progressive Rock or the history of a business, passion and musical instrument this is a great documentary. Excellent packaging, well researched and great input from musicians. I recommend that YOU buy it!