Repeated Blasts from the Past

Talk about delayed reactions.  Here's a movie I first saw at a screening two years ago.   It had already been kicking around for three years at that time.  And most of it was shot and completed in 1996.  

Well, I just saw it again in 2015 as it has finally been officially officially officially released.  I guess I might as well finally review it.

And a rave review it would have been in 2013 or 2015 or 2008 or 1996.  "The Wrecking Crew" is the kind of documentary that has you dancing in the aisles.  Of course, given that the target demo is probably a little...well...older than most, said audience might want to make sure they had taken their daily dose of Celebrex in the morning.  But, pain medication or not, this is a film that will educate you by way of tremendous and frequent infusions of joy.

I had no clue what the Wrecking Crew was.  As it turns out, they pretty much dominated the Los Angeles record industry back in the 60s.  No one is quite sure just how many musicians were part of the Wrecking Crew.  10?  20?  25?  Regardless of the exact number, this small cadre provided the musical background for virtually every hit record fifty years ago.  

You name it, they did it.  The theme from Bonanza.  The actual orchestrations behind the Monkees.   Ah, you thought they played their own instruments?  Wrong.  The same with the Association and the Byrds and the Beach Boys.  The Wrecking Crew worked behind-the-scenes and often didn't get the attention they deserved for such magnificent musical craftmanship.

And they covered it all.   Doing arrangements for everybody from Dean Martin to Sonny and Cher to Frank Sinatra to daughter Nancy to the Righteous Brothers.   This movie doesn't just have a soundtrack.  It possesses a life force.  Indeed, it's the reason why it took so long to get a formal release.  The rights for all these songs needed to be compensated for.  That alone probably is the biggest itemization on the movie's production budget.

Director Denny Tedesco started this all almost two decades ago to honor his father, guitarist Tommy Tedesco, who was a major force within the Wrecking Crew.  His guitar work can be heard most notably in the opening strains of the aforementioned Bonanza theme.  But his talents are so engrained in our musical memories that likely a day doesn't go by that you don't hear an old song that had some part of Tommy on it.   

The same with other Wrecking Crew members like Hal Blaine, Carol Kaye (the lone gal in the group), Don Randi, and surprisingly Glen Campbell.  In the film, the latter's memory bank includes a lot of Glen's input.  I'm glad they got that on camera before it was too late.  And is there more lush and delicious a sound than Glen's "Wichita Linesman?"  I shiver every time I hear it.

So much of this music still plays in my car on a daily basis, where the car radio infrequently strays off Sirius/XM's 60s channel.  It's a touchstone with my very young youth from a house where my mom played Top 40 radio all the time.  "The Wrecking Crew" film provides a touchstone for anybody who appreciates good music and the sounds that will never ever be duplicated again.  Kudos to Denny Tedesco for keeping up the good fight and getting this film out there.  The pleasure is all ours.

Run, don't walk if there is an opportunity to see "The Wrecking Crew" in your neighborhood.

LEN'S RATING:  Four stars.

Dinner last night:  Ziti and meatballs.