Review of Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage (2010) by Shane S — 16 Aug 2011

It's kind of stale for a documentary about Rush, but then again, they've been teetotalers since 1974. There are no tales of Geddy and Alex going to rehab and writing grittier songs....because Rush's songs are about victory of the individual. Not about nightmarish plane crashes. It was interesting to see all of that really great Super 8 home footage of the band discussing their future with their parents and it was nice to hear what they thought about albums like "Hemispheres," "Moving Pictures," and "Test for Echo.".

Still no "Presto" and "Roll the Bones" - it's as if Geddy doesn't want to talk about them at all. Then again, they rapped on "Roll the Bones," so I wouldn't blame them.

It also makes me ask why RYMer Finulanu just doesn't like them. A lot of his Rush critiques tend to go towards "Geddy Lee's voice, guys play really watered-down King Crimson, prog-rock ambient atmospheres = pretentious" - and the guy's favorite album is quite possibly the most pretentious jazz album ever made (Coltane wanted it to be bombast) - and I'm here and I appreciate the band a lot more because of this moviefilm. And I don't like a lot of Rush's stuff - but I'm always open to listen to some more.