screaming masterpiece

"It takes chutzpah to call a pic [Screaming Masterpiece], however tongue-in-cheek it's intended, but as director Ari Alexander Ergis Magnusson's flag-waving documentary proves, Icelanders are not short on self-belief. The film explores how this tiny nation has managed to produce not only exportable pop from the likes of Bjork and Sigur Ros, but also a thriving scene for jazz, folk and classical music.
"The obvious answer - the people there have long nights on their hands with little to do but drink. Other factors considered include a strong sense of community, originality fostered by isolation from other cultures, the beauty of the island's landscape, and an oral tradition stretching back a thousand years.
"Bjork is seen holding forth articulately in her native tongue on Icelandic musical culture and related topics, and generous footage covers the pixie-like pop star performing both at a recent concert and in archive material. Sigur Ros also dutifully gets screentime, but helmer Magnusson seems eager to explore this musical landscape's more obscure nooks and crannies, including a band composed of four organists, a xylophone made from rocks, and a garage band of pubescent boys called Nilfisk." - Variety
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D/S Ari Alexander Ergis Magnusson P Sigurjon, Ari Alexander Ergis Magnusson WS Katapult Film Sales L English, Icelandic w/English subtitles TD 35mm/col/2005/90mins
Ari Alexander Ergis Magnusson was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, in 1968. His films include [I'm an Arab] (2003), [Making of Niceland] (2004).