shut up and sing

there's 2 things i don't like about the dixie chicks
the first being dixie which is one form of music that clashes head-on with my musical snobbery
the second being chicks which is a term i hope i never have and never will use to describe women
so we're not off to a very good start
now put in the mix that they are a country music band from texas and the appeal factor is wind chill factor minus zero
but
the reviews of this film indicated that this is actually a great story of integrity in the face of adversity
the film is centred around one unrehearsed remark made by lead singer natalie maines at a london concert
on the eve of the 2003 iraq invasion when she stated they were ashamed that the president was from texas
it took a few days before the right-wing press picked up on the story and decided to crank it up
and the redneck wonderland took the bait hook line and sinker
they're a wacky bunch and some of the comments were both hilarious and ridiculous
...freedom of speech is ok just don't do it in public
...they should strap her to a missile and deliver her to saddam hussein
...they're a bunch of bimbos who deserve a good slapping (pat buchanan)
...and the name-calling including the dixie twits and saddam's daughters
it's not very often i find myself clapping at the end of a film let alone during the film
but there's a brilliant moment when natalie maines reacts to reading a comment from g w bush
suggesting they shouldn't allow their feelings to be hurt just because people stop buying their records
utterly, totally, completely and worse still genuinely missing the point of the debate
her reaction is a turning point for me in the film
up until then i'm probably trying to resist being drawn into actually liking the group
after all ahem they're just country music performers with a big spotlight on them
fast forward to 2005 and we're in their confidence as they discuss and plan their next album
with all the controversy as a background to the songwriting and marketing
for they are signed to a major record company surely as much in the grip of the neo-cons as the media
and time spent with their management, family and associates suggests internal pressure
is such that they should just cop the flak and get on with their all important careers
but there's a lady at the centre of all this that actually places her own integrity above all that
she says she wants to be a bruce springsteen or a bob dylan
but quick to point out that no way does she regard their music in the same league
not much time is spent on it but it seems natalie is the main songwriter for the group
in one scene we see her discussing a song with famous producer rick rubin
who i took an instant dislike to - he's got a stuffed bear in his lounge - grrrrr
the film jumps back and forward between 2003 and 2005 a few times
it seems to parallel the relative high popularity of the group and g w in 2003
and the collapsed popularity of the commander-in-chief and the group a few years later
the directors decide we need to see the group as good family people
and we spend more time that i would wish for meeting their hubbies and kids
there's a sub-plot in the form of a death-threat made for a concert in dallas
and the build-up to that concert with that as the background
each of the 3 members of the group seem to get equal time in front of the camera
but i think natalie maines is the star and not just because of her stance
i found i was actually quite liking some of the less straight-up music and lyrics
and she does have a great stage presence (i predict a solo career)
the climax of the film is back in concert at shepherd's bush empire in london in 2006
back to the scene of the crime says natalie to the crowd
and telling the audience they have been asked a lot if they will be making any comments
well there's only one thing we want to say she announces
it's a great ending
worth seeing