Disco de Primus: “Blame It on the Fish”

So, I just checked out the dvd, "Blame it on the Fish" and thought it was incredibly clever and well done! It definitely was not done by a film student, but I can see how many impatient and closed minded viewers would want something they can relate to and feel comfortable with in their head instead of something that is this far out there. The main film is out there...way out there! It's well produced and is a nonstop psychadelic trip. It captures moments and shots from the band's tour that very few documentaries capture and that is what is great about it. It's different and that's what I loved about it-and that's what Primus is all about. I can tell a lot of time went into this project. The editing, the filters, the way it is organized is anything but random as it all flows perfectly in an odd way to Primus' music and performances! My favorite scene is Tim Alexander's drum solo in sound check with the time elapse shots, and the beard contest footage during De Anza Jig!

Then there's "Fish On" which is the straightforward bonus documentary that they put on the dvd so people that aren't into the main film would feel more comfortable with something they are used to. My favorite of this part was the full length songs in sound check! It makes you feel like you are right there with them.

The other bonus is the futuristic mockumentary about the Les in 2065 talking about the band over the years. That was great too.

So the dvd has the best of all worlds...the cleverly twisted and well done main feature that you will either love or hate, the straightforward bonus documentary that is pretty cool, and the funny mockumentary.

The single reason one should buy this DVD is that it is Primus. And even then only if you are a die hard fan.

The actual feature is a very long very tedious exploration of what seems to be a kid who just got a video effect unit for his birthday. The trasitions and various manipulations to the fotage is at best arbitrary, at worst irritating in the extreme, and alway completely cliche' and overdone. As a visual document for anthropology it may be good but as an entertaining, informative, or otherwise enjoyable thing, look else where.

What the film maker thought abstract meant is anyones guess. A more appropriate and informative title would be "psychadelic". there really isn't anything abstract about it at all. Just a whole lot of non-sequetors (which he must have thought were completely original and interesting at the time) lazy editing, and alot of sound modulations at the worst possible moments which make it seem more like a glitch than an intentional effect. One of the problems with ameture fimmaking is that the director will inevitably think they are the first one to think of doingsomething (turning the camera upside down, making quick edits to unrelated meterial, etc.) and just let the audience suffer through it. Such things are done in experimental stages and only the best stuff (that which works) is used.

In Mr. Powers' defence, Les Claypool is shown giving him the most often given and most completely usless bit of advice for the film "I think you should just shoot whatever you want....even if it is a flower or something." And guess what? Powers overlays the interveiw with a flower. ugh.....

Love Les. Love Primus. This was dissapointing.

This film is an odds and ends documentary in the "film school project" vein. It's not the kind of film you watch more than a couple of times except to prove you're a bigger Primus fan who truly understands Les's genus than the next guy. Mathew J. Powers directs this film and it's your standard "psychedelic art rock film" , random quotes fast cuts, shaky footage, and endless shots from moving vehicles The This is not to say it's not with out it's charm, the interview with Les in 2065 is priceless and you really do get some insight into the band and it's tour. The bonus footage is the most interesting part of the film in my opinion.

If you are a casual fan buy something else maybe a King Crimson record or a Stanley Kubrick picture, but if you consider your self to be a died in the wool Primus fan who still screams "You suck" every time you go to see the band ( got my ticket for the Atlanta show 11/6/06) you might as well pick this little nugget up so you can hold it over both of your friends heads that you bought it first and that they are just a couple of posers because they hadn't heard of them until "Seas Of Cheese". Buy it for the documentary keep it because you are a completest.

I recomend that you buy this if your a truly Primus die hard fan. The interviews are great. learned some things that i didnt know about Primus before. Awsome footage....buy it!!!

this dvd is ok but i think fish on is better than the actual movie.