SXSW Film Reviews
By James Renovitch, Fri., March 18, 2005
'The Fearless Freaks' (l-r): Wayne Coyne, Michael Ivins, Steven Drozd, and Bradley Beesley
The Fearless Freaks
D: Bradley Beesley
Documentary Feature 24 Beats per Second
Taking a page from the earnest art-rock of the band it documents, The Fearless Freaks sheds a black light on the psychedelic life and times of the Flaming Lips. Regular Lips collaborator Bradley Beesley pulls few punches and manages to get behind the music without becoming Behind the Music. Founded on the punk ethos of if you can't play well, play fast, the Lips hone their craft of experimentation without derailing along the way – a rare occurrence in the rock world. Freaks trips from home videos of budding Lips to the serendipitous prank call that landed them on Warner Bros. to the promotional nightmare that was the 4-CD Zaireeka to the unbridled acclaim of The Soft Bulletin. Along the way, the band's friends and family create the backdrop of highs and lows that become the raw materials for the sound waves of every Flaming Lips album.Paramount, 1:15pm
