SYNOPSICS
Not a Photograph: The Mission of Burma Story (2006) is a English movie. Jeffrey Iwanicki,David A. Kleiler Jr. has directed this movie. Clint Conley,Cameron Keiber,Roger Miller,Peter Prescott are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2006. Not a Photograph: The Mission of Burma Story (2006) is considered one of the best Documentary,Music movie in India and around the world.
NOT A PHOTOGRAPH documents the resurrection of the seminal post-punk band Mission of Burma, beginning in 2002 and continuing to the present. For a band deemed 'too ahead-of-their-time' during their initial existence, NOT A PHOTOGRAPH follows Mission of Burma's struggle to breathe new life into a tale that's already been recorded in rock's history books -- one that's placed them under the bright lights of acclaim, influence and legend. Mission of Burma epitomizes the age-old, artistic quandary of being influential but not famous; to have critical but not commercial success. Though relatively few saw them during their short but burning career (1979-1983), Mission of Burma inspired countless artists over the years, including 80's college-rockers R.E.M., Sonic Youth & The Pixies, 90's alternative artists Moby, Nirvana & Blur, and bands from the post-Nirvana/indie rock explosion such as Yo La Tengo and Spoon. After nearly twenty years and inexplicable circumstances, Mission of Burma's ...
Not a Photograph: The Mission of Burma Story (2006) Trailers
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Not a Photograph: The Mission of Burma Story (2006) Reviews
Solid documentary
A previous poster wrote that this would not be a good movie for someone who didn't know the band already. I'm not sure that's the case. Although I am a long-time Burma fan (and thus, can't really judge how this film would impact on a newcomer), I thought the film did a good job of presenting the band's history, music and influences. Short of traveling the world to interview all the musicians who have been influenced by Mission of Burma, I think the filmmakers did as good a job of presenting them for neophytes as could be expected. The film does a good job of walking you through the history of Mission of Burma, starting with Roger Miller moving from Ann Arbor to Boston to join the group Moving Parts (with Erik Lindgren, later of Birdsongs of the Mesozoic). It even includes archival footage of Moving Parts performing (with more in the DVD bonus features), some early Burma rehearsal footage, and some early live performances. Of course, as a fan, I would have been perfectly happy to see every song complete, but I think the film struck a good balance between interviews and letting the music speak for itself. There are lots of interviews with the bandmembers (except for their erstwhile tape-looper, Martin Swope), and their friends and families, and lots of good performance footage from before and after their 1983-2002 hiatus (and plenty more on the DVD). While it's hard for me to imagine how this would come across to a newcomer, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this movie (along with an album or two) to anyone who was wondering "what all the fuss is about". My only reservations about the movie concern some odd technical choices that were made. The music is not mixed very loud in relation to the interviews, which makes it very frustrating for those of us who want to CRANK IT UP. Most oddly, the director chose to conduct a lot of the interviews in extreme closeup -- almost approaching Sergio Leone territory -- which was quite disconcerting. But aside from those minor quibbles, this was a fun and informative documentary about one of the most massively influential rock bands of the 1980s.
Good for Burma fans, not great if you don't know who they are
The story in this film is largely about Burma in their first incarnation and also what they're doing now, but I thought too little attention was given to the cause of the breakup (Roger's health and hearing) and what the members did in between. (Don't get me wrong, it's discussed, but there is a leap in the middle of the film that made me ask "What the ...".) The concert footage, past and present, was great, and the interviews were a real boon. If you want to get to know Burma, this is not the film for you. If you already worship them as I do, you'll enjoy yourself. (On a quick technical note, I really appreciated the sound, the editing, and the effort that went into making this possible ... I will buy the DVD when it comes out.)