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“Its the missing piece of the puzzle that I didn’t know I was looking for.”
Well I’m finally getting back into the swing of things. This whole sleeping, eating, sleeping, and eating a little bit more has really taken a toll on me the past month or so.
So over a month ago I went with my dad to see a little independent film called, “The Wrecking Crew.” I didn’t have a lot of knowledge about its content but I knew it was about music (not construction as the name might lead you to believe), it sounded kind of interesting, and my dad offered to pay, so I said “why not?” Little did I know that a month later, I would still be in total awe and completely obsessed with this little movie.
Directed and produced by Denny Tedesco, “The Wrecking Crew” is a documentary about a group of studio musicians based in Los Angeles in the 1960s. Tony Tedesco, famed guitar player and Denny’s late father, was the unofficial leader of this “crew.” Tony, and what seemed to be just a big group of his friends, backed a slew of musical luminaries and legends, including the Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Sonny and Cher and so on and so on and so on. Simply take a look at the charts at virtually any point during the 60s and 70s, pick out a hit, and chances are this crew played on it.
The film is a collection of interviews with band members, clips of their music, and hundreds anecdotes about how, despite their unfathomable accomplishments, they remain shadows in the mainstream world. You might be saying to yourself, “Okay, I like music so thing sounds interesting, but what’s all the fuss about?” First, stop talking to yourself. Second, the stated description is the only boring element of the movie. The real power of this film is in the heart and soul of these musicians. This crew didn’t just play the background music for these famous bands, they made the music. No wrecking crew = no Beach Boys. If the Beach Boys are your favorite band and you think I’m being a little hyperbolic, don’t take my word for it, listen to the legendary Brian Wilson. The genius behind The Beach Boys wouldn’t even bring in “the boys” to lay down tracks, instead opting to strictly use Tony and the wrecking crew. And he wasn’t the only one. Practically all of L.A. was clamoring to work with them.
The director employs an array of effective devices that set the mood and lend a nice layer to the storytelling. My favorite example is how we often hear a member of the crew start to play a note — it sounds nice, maybe even kind of familiar, but then the accompaniment kicks in and you realize it’s some famous, mega-hit song. Maybe it was the bass line to Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots are Made for Walking,” or maybe the drums to an Elvis tune. It didn’t matter. These musicians were behind it all. They did the heavy lifting for music’s icons, and they did it very well.
Providing an indelible contrast to the loads of great music is the gut-wrenching stories about these musicians’ family lives. Many of them admitted on camera that they weren’t good parents thanks to their demanding careers. They went through bankruptcies, divorces, estranged children, you name it. Maybe it would’ve been easier for them if they were front and center — if they were The Beach Boys instead of making The Beach Boys’ music for them. Who knows. They were real people. They were the blue collar work horses of the music industry.
There were some heartwarming tales as well. For instance, when one of the crew members becomes a famous singer/performer himself (here’s a hint, he is a Rhinestone Cowboy), and includes his old friends in the creative process. It’s this wide variety of authentic stories about real people living extraordinary lives told in expert fashion that makes “The Wrecking Crew” a damn good film, not just a movie about music. I could go on forever.
Unfortunately for this film and numerous independent movies like it, nobody knows when or where it may reappear for some lucky audience. It doesn’t have the marketing budget, the big names or a big studio behind it necessary to get this thing seen. Hopefully Mr. Tedesco can score a nice deal with Netflix or get some good word of mouth. It’s done quite well on the festival circuit, but it should be a staple for all movie lovers, musician or not. So look for it anywhere you can and you will be touched by what this film has to offer.
“Its the missing piece of the puzzle that I didn’t know I was looking for.” These are the words of a fellow patron at my theater, probably 40 years my elder. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Score: (5/5)
