DIG!
(Timoner / 2005 / USA / 35mm / 111mins / cert15)

DIG! is ostensibly the story of two up-and-coming west coast indie bands, filmed on a shoestring over seven years, starting in 1996. It documents the rise and rise of the Dandy Warhols, led by Courtney Taylor-Taylor, and the contrasting disintegration of The Brian Jonestown Massacre under the maniacal auspices of lead singer and producer Anton Newcombe. Taylor and Newcombe are initially friends, united in their desire not to play the record company game, with Taylor looking up to Newcombe as a musician. People have been calling it the 'real Spinal Tap (yeah we've heard that one before) but it is riviting, facinating, appalling and amusing, but never, ever boring. DIG! won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival,