It Might Get Loud is worth the noise

It Might Get Loud

Directed by Davis Guggenheim
Starring Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White
Princess Theatre (10337–82 Ave.)
Opens November 27
http://www.sonyclassics.com/itmightgetloud/

When a film's sole purpose is to document the influence of the electric guitar in the history of music, it’s natural to be hesitant towards such an idea. With so many musical genres, it’s hard to even fathom the impact a single instrument has had. More importantly, it addresses an absurdly brilliant question: what would happen if three of the most prominent guitarists of the past few decades were put in the same room to educate each other on the significance the coveted axe has played for them?

It Might Get Loud answers that very question, putting Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin and The Yardbirds), The Edge (U2), and Jack White (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, and The Dead Weather) in a single room, with nothing but a few couches and their guitars. The magic that unfolds is quite unique for any audience member, as it provides a personal insight into the minds of these musical geniuses who discuss everything from the first time they picked up a guitar, to their musical influences growing up, even to the makings of their most popular songs.

Instead of filming it as a basic Q&A session, director Davis Guggenheim intertwines the filmed meet-up with intimate footage of each musician giving a personal tour of their musical journey. The documentary itself travels all over the world, filming The Edge in his hometown of Dublin, Ireland as he takes us on a tour of the old school where he first met his fellow bandmates, and to Franklin, Tennessee where Jack White “teaches” his nine-year-old self how to pick up women. The greatest moment, however, is watching Jimmy Page play air guitar to Link Wray’s “Rumble,” at his home in London, England.

What was most intriguing, other than the fact that we’re getting an extremely rare behind-the-scenes look at the worlds of these musical idols, is the simplicity, honesty, and passion that emanates from these men. Instead of being complete egomaniacs, it's clear that each of them is just a humble human being trying to have fun, while contributing, in a positive light, to the reputation of the guitar.

In a world today where so much of our music is formulaic and unoriginal, released by “musicians” who don’t write their own music, don’t play any “real” instruments, or at the very least, can’t sing without the help of Auto-Tune, it's refreshing to watch a film that brings us all back to the glory days when real rock and roll bands like Led Zeppelin ruled the world. The impact that those bands have had on aspiring artists, let alone entire generations, proves that so much of the music heard today is so over-produced and sugar-coated by huge money-hungry record labels, and that they will never have the same impact that bands such as Zeppelin and U2 have had. Even Jack White’s projects have exploded into world-wide sensations that just keep getting better and better.

Anyone who is a musician — hell, anyone who listens to music of any kind — should go out of their way to see this inspirational film. It will open your eyes and your ears to the hard work and musical brilliance that these real musicians possess, and the lack thereof in today’s mainstream music.