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| The Flaming Lips - The Fearless Freaks | 
 enlarge | Director: Bradley Beesley
Actors: Beck, Bradley Beesley, Steve Burns, Dolly Coyne, Kenny Coyne
Studio: Shout Factory
Category: DVD
List Price: $24.98
Buy New: $12.99
You Save: $11.99 (48%)
Buy New/Used from $12.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  (27 reviews)
Sales Rank: 24114
Format: Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 103 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 32634
ISBN: 0738930822
UPC: 826663263497
EAN: 9780738930824
ASIN: B0007NN6J2
Release Date: May 17, 2005
Theatrical Release Date: May 17, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Description
The Wonderously Improbable Story Of The Flaming Lips The 2-DVD set, The Fearless Freaks is an intimate look at one of today?s most acclaimed alternative rock groups, the Flaming Lips. Filmmaker Bradley Beasley, the band?s long-time friend and director of all of their music videos since 1992, gives us an insider?s look at their 20-year transformation from Oklahoma outsiders to GRAMMY-winning elder statesmen. This fascinating documentary features revealing interviews with band members past and present, and includes amazing footage from their entire career?truly capturing the eccentric and inventive world of The Flaming Lips. The bonus disc adds over an hour of extras including deleted scences, outtakes, live clips and much more!
Amazon.com
Equal parts punk and psychedelia, the Flaming Lips emerged from Oklahoma City as one of the most bracing bands of the late 1980's. The Fearless Freaks documents their rise from Butthole Surfers-imitating noisemakers to grand poobahs of orchestral pop masterpieces. Filmmaker Bradley Beesely had the good fortune of living in the same neighborhood as lead Lip Wayne Coyne, who quickly enlisted his buddy to document his band's many concerts and assorted exploits. The early footage is a riot, with tragic hair styles on proud display as the boys attempt to cover up their lack of natural talent with sheer volume. During one show, they even have a friend bring a motorcycle on stage, which is then miked for sound and revved throughout the performance, clearing the club with toxic levels of carbon monoxide. Great punk rock stuff. Interspersed among the live bits are interviews with the band's family and friends, revealing the often tragic circumstances of their childhoods and early career. By the time the film reaches the late '90s, Coyne's band has witnessed a number of personnel changes, most notably the introduction of drummer and multi-instrumentalist Steven Drozd. It's here that the Flaming Lips begin their ascent into greatness. Fueled by the alt-pop hit "She Don't Use Jelly," the band enters an era of intense experimentation, conducting a symphony for car stereos in a parking garage, releasing a 4-disc album meant to be played simultaneously, and embarking on the creation of their first masterpiece, The Soft Bulletin. Sadly, Steven Drozd's demons keep pace with the band's success. In an incredibly heartbreaking scene, Drozd talks frankly about his addiction while preparing to shoot heroin. Fortunately, Drozd kicks his habit as the Lips enter the studio for their follow-up, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, and the film ends with the band enjoying widespread acclaim as they deliver one extravagant show after another. There are some conspicuous absences in this tale, notably their weird and lucky break appearing on '80s teen drama Beverly Hills 90210 and their tour as openers and backing band for Beck. The bonus disc includes some cool outtakes and performances, but unfortunately none of the band's vibrant music videos. -- Ryan Boudinot
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| Customer Reviews: Read 22 more reviews...
 Super Cool September 17, 2008
I would have liked to see much more about the making of their master piece, The Soft Bulletin, and less on the silly film they made. Imagine a 2.5 hour documentary about The Beatles that spends about 5 minutes on Sgt. Pepper and 20 minutes on The Magical Mystery Tour.
Other than that, great documentary.
 The Fearless Freaks August 28, 2008
I have no qualms with this seller or his product. I finally own one of my favorite movies and there was not a scratch on it. It was like it was brand new. Thanks!
 There's a Life Story in these Freaky Flames May 4, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This rock-u-mentary transcends other flicks typical of the genre. It's more than the music, more than band worship; it's a good deep look into some fairly interesting and fairly freaky lives. "The Fearless Freaks," is filmed by Bradley Beesley, an Okie just like the Flaming Lips. You know Brad's work, largely drawn to music documentaries but also his seminal piece on catfish catching Oklahoma style, "Okie Noodling," and the excellent, "Summercamp." What a perfect match-up though pairing Beesley with Howard Coyne and the rest of the Flaming Lips to tell this story of a quite unusually creative punk-indie-chamber-psycho-psychedelic alternative band. But it really isn't the story of a band as much as it is a story of some unique and quirky lives.
You may have caught the Lips on Austin City Limits and were drawn-in or maybe drawn-away by their Alice Cooperesque use of fake-blood during one of their songs, or maybe it was the bunny rabbit costumes, or the outer space themes, or the human gerbil exercise ball surfing over the heads of the crowds or in the end it was the raining confetti. Well whatever intrigued you in the first place, you'll find in the "Fearless Freaks," the Lips lead singer Howard Coyne actually comes across as a pretty squared away guy. A squared away guy that is endlessly creative mind you so much so that he builds films sets in his spare time taking a gasoline tank and turning it into a spaceship so he can create his own movie starring his band members.
So you know where I'm coming from, I'm not particularly drawn in by the Flaming Lips music. Yoshimi has some good tunes but I tried listening to the Soft Bulletin on a recent drive to Austin and couldn't really make it through the first couple of songs. But the band is infinitely fascinating as you will discover when you watch "The Fearless Freaks."
It's an odd mix no doubt, a psychedelic chamber pop outfit from Oklahoma City but it seems the little cow town has embraced the diversity the Lips bring to the world and even have named one of their more prestigious streets in OKC's Bricktown, Flaming Lips Drive...google it and find out for yourself if you don't believe it.
But as for the "Fearless Freaks," get it, watch it, live it, love it. You'll see this Midwestern hard working approach to play and creativity starting with a bunch of High Schoolers playing substance-induced tackle football to the nth degree to turning that kind of energy and drive into the Flaming Lips of today. --MMW
A Brilliant Documentary About An Innovative Band and Life... January 9, 2007
What can I say? The Flaming Lips are one of the greatest bands ever and most innovative and unique bands to ever walk the planet. This film shows all the struggles and brilliance of all the members and how they came about to become The Flaming Lips. All are so greatly talented in their own ways. But all so humble, friendly, and lovers of life. I have to give it up to Wayne, what a great overall guy.
I love the acoustic performance of "Psychiatric Explorations Of The Fetus With Needles". Yeah, strange title...but listen to that song and just the mood and energy of it will make life seem happy no matter what.
This one is a classic, go out and buy it.
Wonderful Intimate Portrayal (with plenty of bunny rabbits!) October 23, 2006
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a wonderful film, and one can tell that it's definitely a labor of love.
I must say that I was disturbed by the drug use scene with Stephen. However, this is because I am a former addict. But I still think it was unnecessary to be so graphic; but he truly shared the perils of heroin addiction in the most real way.
I do wonder how the movie will turn out. I can't believe the amount of energy Wayne possesses toward his projects. I found him to be a great role model (I am an artist myself, and quite lazy by comparison).
Only one more complaint. Like in many documentaries, they will tease you with the beginning of a wonderful song, then speak over it, or cut away. I could have used less talk and more music, since this is what the documentary is ultimately about; well beside their lives and the creative process.
I highly recommend this film. Oh, and yes, it is a bit too long; but it only proves how engaged the filmmaker is in the project.
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