Drive
Well, Sleep Carefully – On The Road With Death Cab For Cutie (Documentary)
Picture: C+
Sound: B- Extras: C+ Film: B-
A cliché of so many films about a single band is that the
band is about to break up. Not true of
Death Cab For Cutie, the subject of Justin Mitchell’s film Drive Well, Sleep
Carefully, which captures the band on tour in 2004. That band includes members Benjamin Gibbard,
Nicholas Harmer, Jason McGerr and Christopher Walla. The text on screen at the beginning tells us this is about
nothing more than a band on tour, but it cannot help being more, and that is a
good thing.
Death Cab For Cutie is the kind of band that knows they
are getting their shot because of The Internet and a new movement of
independent record labels that have been a revelation for so many music acts as
the major labels falter in having new talent signed. The result of the nearly 90 minutes here is that we get to know
the band members, hear that the actually have more than enough talent to be on
the road and otherwise, are taking the road on in better form than many other
bands who have been filmed or taped, appreciate what it takes to be successful
and are seriously nice enough to deserve it.
Their rough moments are understandable, their showmanship rarer all the
time, but a band on the rise that seems like they will be staying together for
a while.
Though the film nearly achieves a level of greatness, it
comes very close, a fine work that is done with a remarkable amount of heart
and soul in front of and behind the camera.
Mitchell is a serious talent to contend with, one that could turn around
and make a film even more formidable than this already accomplished work. At times, I felt I was watching one of the
rare Rock films that was picking up where the best such films had left off,
that this was the logical continuation minus any pretension. Now that it is on DVD form Plexifilm, Drive
Well, Sleep Carefully should put all involved on the map, something they
more than deserve.
The 1.33 X 1 image was shot in 16mm film in the tradition
of the great Rockumentaries, resulting in pleasant playback throughout. Mitchell and Jesse Burden do an exceptional
job of capturing the band and their moments throughout in a way that even the
best digital HD video simply cannot achieve.
Whether HD might do this later is irrelevant, and why should we wait and
miss some of the great moments as such?
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has some Pro Logic-type surrounds, making
playback more engaging. Extras include
five interview sections, “Andy cam” sequence of footage by guitar technician
Andy Hayward, a three-song acoustic set at The Metreon, demo version of the
song Lightness set to some great footage that is the highlight of this
section, “stability in rehearsal” and five extra interview segments. A paper pullout in the DVD case also has
illustrations and an essay by Mitchell.
If you love filmmaking and/or Rock music, you need to see Drive Well,
Sleep Carefully.
- Nicholas Sheffo
