| The Wrecking Crew | |
|---|---|
_Poster.jpg) 2015 theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Denny Tedesco |
| Produced by |
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| Cinematography |
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| Edited by | Claire Scanlon |
| Distributed by | Magnolia Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $801,606[1] |
The Wrecking Crew is an Americandocumentary film directed by Denny Tedesco, son of guitaristTommy Tedesco.[2] It covers the story of theLos Angeles–based group of session musicians known asthe Wrecking Crew, famed for having played on numerous hit recordings throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. The film premiered at the 2008South by Southwest Film Festival, although it did not receive a commercial theatrical release until 2015.
Popular music of the 1960s was dominated by young bands likethe Beach Boys,the Mamas & the Papas,Jan and Dean, andthe Monkees. Listening to rock and roll on jukeboxes and car radios created devoted fans of these groups, whose music communicated the optimism and sorrow of a generation contending with strongcountercultural forces.
Record companies happily supplied the public with new songs and musical groups, all packaged with artistic photographs and biographical profiles. Left out of the story was an important historical fact: the bands, in some, but not all, cases, did not play the instruments heard on their records. Instead, the task of recording the perfect tempo, pitch, and timbre fell to a small group of accomplished session musicians.[3]
The Wrecking Crew documents the work of studio players who recorded the tracks for such hits as "California Dreamin'", "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'", "Be My Baby", "The Beat Goes On", and "Good Vibrations".[4] Interviews with producers, engineers, and session musicians reveal the warmth and humor that allowed their collective talents to turn a simplechord chart into an international phenomenon.
The film cast included the following musicians and performers, in live appearance and archivedfootage.[5]
Production began in June 1996 and was completed in February 2008. The film played in film festivals in North America, and was the closing film at theNashville Film Festival on April 24, 2008. AKickstarter campaign at the end of 2013 raised over three hundred thousand dollars to cover music licensing and final production costs.[6][7] The film opened in theaters across the United States on March 13, 2015.[2]
The Wrecking Crew has received positive reviews from critics.Kenneth Turan of theLos Angeles Times wrote, "If the history of rock music means anything to you, you know the individuals in question could only be the Wrecking Crew, a legendary group of Los Angeles-based studio musicians, and though their story has taken decades to reach the screen, it has been worth the wait."[8]Mark Feeney ofThe Boston Globe commented, "Think ofThe Wrecking Crew as20 Feet from Stardom (2013) for instrumentalists, or a West Coast version ofStanding in the Shadows of Motown (2002). There's a similar shared joy among the participants, a similar sense of discovery for the viewer, and, of course, a killer soundtrack."[9] Film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 95% of critics gave the film a positive review, based on seventy three reviews with a rating and an average score of 7.13/10. The site's consensus states: "The Wrecking Crew may not achieve the greatness of the many classic songs its subjects helped bring to life, but it remains a heartfelt, overdue tribute to overshadowed brilliance."[10]
