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We've been waiting for this one for a while, so good news: "The feature documentary 'Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and The Magnetic Fields' starts its theatrical run on Wednesday, October 27 at New York City's Film Forum. Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields will appear in person alongside the filmmakers at the 8:10PM shows on Wednesday, October 27 and Friday, October 29. Tickets go on sale October 20 at the Film Forum website."
Seeeeeeeen it.
Yeah, take that, New York hipsters. Durham's got a killer documentary festival and Stephin's old pals at Merge. BAM.
That said, its a fantastic music documentary, and captures a great dynamic between Meritt and Claudia Gonson
Oh, watching Stephen Merritt answer audience questions is like watching the auto de fe.
Oh how revolting. An entire audience full of men who will cuddle after sex.
I also saw it at Full Frame, back in April. It was okay — very nice to look at, and a good portrait of the relationship between SM & CG. Ultimately it seemed that the story wasn't super engaging, and I felt like they completely glossed over my favorite MFs era (the name Susan Anway was not mentioned even once, if I remember right).
Ha! Skipped it at Full Frame, then watched it at the Independent Film Festival of Boston in a theatre full of Gonsons. It's well made, but the makers' incredible access comes at the expense of any critical distance whatsoever. Fields fans will be too busy chortling at every misanthropic Merritt bon mot to notice.
Prediction: Alex, you may not make it 5 minutes at Film Forum before Merritt's chain-smoking finds you ducking out for a quick cigarette. Sit on the aisle.