Greendale | 
| Actor: Neil Young
Studio: Sanctuary
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.99
Buy New: $9.67
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Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 30870
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dvd-video, Widescreen, Dts Surround Sound, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 0
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 87 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.2 x 4.6 x 0.5
MPN: 88380
UPC: 060768838093
EAN: 0060768838093
ASIN: B0001YA1S6
Theatrical Release Date: May 18, 2004
Release Date: July 27, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Cinematographer, occasional film director, and, yes, longtime rock star Neil Young personally made (under the silly pseudonym Bernard Shakey) the fascinating, strangely affecting, and feature-length experiment Greendale as an after-the-fact movie to accompany his CD of the same name. Shot with low-tech equipment, the grainy, overlit Greendale sets a dreamy, David Lynch-like mood as Young tells the story of the fictional Green family, who live in a Northern California town that bears their name. Multi-generational anti-war activists and pro-environmental warriors, the Greens become beleaguered in a world of intensifying media scrutiny, corporate arrogance, personal tragedy, and the devil himself (in the form of a dancing dude in a red suit), culminating in the family's disillusionment and renewed commitment. There's no dialogue: The lyrics of Young's song cycle speak for the characters, making Greendale a novel hybrid of music video and visionary movie. --Tom Keogh
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 AS I was saying, characters from Pynchon.... May 10, 2004
o dubhthaigh (north rustico, pei, canada)
42 out of 56 found this review helpful
Young and Crazy Horse are basically characters from Pynchon (LOT 49, VINELAND) come to life, often with results that seem equally absurd, poignant, heartfelt, goofey, amateurish, honest. And all of that is on display in this film, particularly Young's anti-Spielberg aesthetics, which is cause enough for celebration. That mix of burn-out eco-hippie-polemics has served Young and the Horse well. One need only look at footage of some of their arguments in Year of the Horse, Live in Berlin, to realize just how comical they are when they are seriously pissed at each other.
This film, however, has a point, and is embraced by what is one of Young's best collections of songs in a very long while. Characteristically, it is as unprofessionally "acted" and shot as you can get, and therein lies its charm. The "actors" are basically road and musician colleagues assembled by Young to mouth the words of his songs, intercut with montage pieces reflecting the spirit or message of a song. It is the same approach he used with his classic JOURNEY THROUGH THE PAST film from the seventies (Hey, Neil, where's the DVD of that or even the soundtrack?).
I'm likely the only one who has ever seen JOURNEY 11 times, and I don't suspect that I'll attempt that with this film, but amid his goofiness as a filmmaker, Neil has quite a lot to say about the state of mind of the US, at least as seen through the prism of this one family. In doing so, he addresses greed, karma, the environment, and the nature of one's nationality set against this backdrop of violence that is all American Eagle, and none of the compassion of Liberty. Although others may state the theme more eloquently, Young gets across in so unaffected a manner that the silliness of the movie is its own metaphor for how we clutter what is essential with the temporal and effete.
Back in JOURNEY, Young had David Crosby articulate an observation that is as chillingly accurate today as it was at the end of the Nixon era. I do not doubt that 30 years on, someone will come across this odd film and laugh at first, and then think about what the comedian just said.
Young is a lot like the hero in VINELAND. Re-read Pynchon, listen to Neil: they paint an accurate picture of life under gravity's rainbow.
 Despite the shortcomings, the movie works July 30, 2004
Steve Feldman (New York)
12 out of 14 found this review helpful
Overall, the movie is a mess with grainy film quality, bad acting, no dialogue, out of focus images, washed out images, cheesy visual effects, lip synching that doesn't always line up and sometimes appears silly, and no real revelations provided to the underlying story. BUT, and that is a big but, it all works together to present a quirky little movie that is watchable. The sound is tremendous though and makes up for some of the negatives. Despite all the shortcomings, you do get drawn into this little town of Greendale and the strange characters that live there.
The added features are nice - a great live stage version of "Be The Rain" really kicks and shows the power of the live show and how well Neil has combined the live show with the movie or vice versa. The Making of Greendale (about 25 minutes) segment is good and surprisingly clear and in focus as opposed to the movie. It does show that Neil and his team have some skills in making movies. Lyrics, Family Tree, and character bios are also included.
Still Speaks His Mind February 9, 2005
N. Olson (Northwest, Montana USA)
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
It took a few listenings a while back, but Greendale the CD has worn its way into my top 3 favorite albums by Neil Young. I bought Greendale the DVD more as a curiosity knowing, at worst, I don't mind having video to go with the music.
Greendale starts as a disarmingly-simple introduction to the Green family and ends with 2 powerful, wake-up-call anthems. The actors, who sync the lyrics, make it all interesting and watchable. The journey takes on a surreal quality in fairly short time. Statements about corruption in the White House, corporate greed and our responsibility to the environment are even stronger in the film than they are on the cd. It amazes me that time hasn't worn the edge off Neil Young to speak his mind. This is a day and age when we're supposed to be afraid.
I had a great time watching this dvd. I can't compare it to anything I've seen. Ideally a person might know the music before watching the film; and also just appreciate film as an art. The 5.1 sound is great.
I love Neil Young, but. . . November 30, 2004
Carl Kincaid (Kansas City)
6 out of 10 found this review helpful
. . .this isn't the concert, which is what he SHOULD have released. I appreciate Neil's quirky artistic ventures, wherein this project clearly sits. I went to see the Greendale show in Kansas City at Starlight Amphitheater in Swope Park, one of the few sold out shows there in 2004. It was an amazing artistic spectacle. I have most Neil Young available on CD, and much available on CD. I also have several live DVD concerts. I love his songwriting, I love his performance, from solo work, to his drug-addled performance on The Last Waltz to his fabulous show at Red Rocks with "friends." I've seen him 5 times, each time excellent. I also loved his biography, "Shakey." This concert ranks as my favorite Neil Young performance, a close second to the "Worlds 3rd Greatest Garage Band Tour" and the tour captured on the "Arc/Weld" CDs.
Finally, I even enjoyed this video production of "Greendale." I think the story is great, it's impossible to pigeonhole Neil's politics/beliefs into any "mold" that exists in 2004. But, I felt like this video production lacked the emotional wallup that the live performance of the show produced. The guy behind me at the Greendale show kept "explaining" to his friends that Neil would play some "good" songs later: he clearly missed the point of this tour. But i LOVED it. And I would LOVE to get a copy of the live performance (encores included, of course!). The video/movie/whatever you call it is good. But not as good as the concert.
Carl Kincaid
 Greendale DVD: Sorry I love you Neil, but.... September 26, 2004
Anthony W. Rogers (WV USA)
5 out of 9 found this review helpful
I found this very difficult to watch all the way through-the actors mouthed the singing lines of neil exactly as they did on the summer 03 tour. It worked live because it was a supplement to the live show but on film it was downright annoying -even though I love the album (more the concept, actually). I couldnt stay interested and I seriously doubt if there's more than a handful of folk that will watch it even twice..Maybe this would work for someone who was experiencing the trip for the first time (i doubt it..too cheaply made) but for hard core fans who relished the acoustic boots from the UK and the electric shows (following up the album release)..it falls flat..neil is one of my all time faves but I wish he'd skipped this part and saved the money for another project..This is right on par with the production values of Human Highway and JTTP. I understand if you wanna buy it like I did to complete your collection but there's a reason Neil had to go to Sanctuary to put this out (the bunny wouldn't touch it).
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