Description: Join Ani DiFranco, her band, and members of the extended Righteous Babe family as they crisscross the country in this long-awaited, one-of-a-kind portrait of the Li'l Folksinger at work. Videographers spent years on Ani's trail, capturing her onstage, in the studio, and on the tour bus--footage which Ani herself shaped into a very personal self-portrait. The resulting movie, which draws on material from as far back as 1997, focuses on her 2000 and 2001 tours. This impressionistic collage takes you way behind the scenes; you'll watch a new song take shape and learn the stories behind some favorite older ones. Over two dozen songs are featured, including two brand new Ani songs and previously unreleased live versions of many of her classics. As dynamic, thought-provoking, and fun as one of her concerts, Render gives you a sneak peek into Ani's life and music in her own words, on her own terms. It's a visual live album, it's a road film, it's an art flick, it's a document of a movement in time.
Amazon.com: Render isn't a documentary or concert video, but a combination of the two--bathed in the casual intimacy of a home movie. In the 2002 film (directed by Hilary Goldberg and DiFranco), the folksinger is shown backstage with her band, in rehearsal, in concert, in the studio, etc. The highlights are the vibrant live performances from Austin, Texas; Knoxville, Tennessee; and New Haven, Connecticut. DiFranco comes in to her own on stage--singing, chatting, relating--she has the charisma of Janis Joplin and the political savvy of Joan Baez, along with the punk rock spunk of Chrissie Hynde (her "Bad Boys Get Spanked" T-shirt testifies to that). Over 20 songs are featured, including such favorites as "The Slant" (from her 1989 debut) and "Cradle and All." Guest performers include Sekou Sundiata and Bitch & Animal, a duo on her Righteous Babe label. Render is the ideal accompaniment to DiFranco's live CD, Living in Clip. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Ani I want to be someone. I wonder..Does Ani see the people as people who hurt the earth? They may not kNow.Classic (Ani's hair..)renditions of Ani Performances. Sarolta G. DeFaltay's an author whose works are worhty as this. Hygeeine's important and should be taken care of: Animal takes off her shirt.Lovely breaSts! Let's see some makeup and more respect for others around.
Not what I expected Ani DiFranco is a masterful musician. Her vocals are raw and honest, her guitar skills are hard to match. Each one of her songs has been crafted by a composer and lyricist whose talent is undeniable.
The DVD only slightly captures Ani as a musician. Perhaps the medium just can't capture the essence and energy that permeates her live performances. Or, perhaps it's the constant interruptions that, instead of providing quick insightful tidbits, only acts to distract the viewer from the music.
Which leads me to why I titled this review "not what I expected." The DVD could only be about the music if Ani, herself, was really about the music. I'm sad to say that, after viewing this, I'm not sure what Ani is about. The attitude she projects toward her fans is less than positive and her personality fluctuates between control-freak, perfectionist to pot-smoking, hippie.
Mind you, I've got nothing against pot smokers, hippies, control-freaks or perfectionists... but, if I wanted to watch a DVD about any of them, I'd buy a drama, not a music DVD.
If you have a positive image of Ani, then please don't buy this DVD. This film does little to support that image and, instead, makes you think that, just maybe, you didn't know her at all.
Understanding Greatness! Ani does things her way and this movie is just another example of that fact. It is forthright and honest and some people just can't deal with the reality of that. To see, Ani talk about everything from Racism to Feminism is moving and inspiring. She is not just some pop musician who you can nod your head too and listen for the next poppy beat. She is the social conscience of a generation and this was a glimpse into her life story not a MTV video. The criticisms made here are ignorant because the movie is meant to make you feel real emotion and not just a sterile artist on a stage performing. You are supposed to have an epiphany that not everything is golden in the land of gold and you are supposed to feel motivated to do something to make it better. So, if you are looking for mindless dribble this is not your kind of movie this is a movie for those who really like art, politics and music.
It doesn't have a format because it is not just a concert movie and it is not just a social commentary documentary. It is something in between the two and quite a nice little experiment. Ani is can be a harsh reality for people who are not enlighten and some people might not like the politics because people like THOMAS EDWARDS exist and they can't understand when Ani states" murder is murder whether by a person or government" or some might be offend by Ani pot smoking but not the useless drug war which locks up thousands of people each year and waste millions of dollars. So, if your looking for a heroine buy the Render DVD.
Glad I bought this DVD I was worried at first after reading some of the negative reviews but decided Ani deserved the chance. I love this DVD because it is more intimate and not just another concert. I cannot stand what is on commercial radio these days which is one of the reason I like Ani and I really like this effort. This is not for those of us who are just looking to be entertained.
enjoyable and insightful if you're looking for a concert DVD, skip this and pick up trust instead. but if you're looking for insight into the force known as ani difranco, then this is a great overview. along w/ some great live performances (my fav being a lovely version of "overlap" w/ a guest guitarist), there's lots of backstage, home-y footage, inc. a nice sequence where we see the song "slide" take shape and another where we see her mixing a song for a live recording. a real draw to this DVD is getting to see ani in many of her non-songwriting aspects, including her political interests, her role as producer and record label head, and her just plain goofiness. the DVD also includes a track from each artist on her label at the time. yes, a lot of the camera work is clearly amateur, but it helps add to the overall experience w/ its immediacy and friendliness, combining to give you a great picture of ani as a person. prob. not for casual fans, but a lot of good content. p.s. what's w/ the overreaction to the pot-smoking scene? she's not doing crack for pete's sake!
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tony's Online Tips
Trevor
