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Bookmark this pageThe Posters Came from the Walls (2009)
Director: Jeremy Deller, Nicholas Abrams
Movie review
From Time Out London
Stadium-straddling electro-pop titans Depeche Mode are largely viewed in their home country as faintly embarrassing ’80s throwbacks, but the rest of world has a very different view. In America, in eastern Europe, even in Iran they’re venerated as tragic heroes, their self-serious synthesised emo-pomp speaking directly to generations of drifting adolescents and doom-laden goth kids. Mercifully, this fascinating documentary never attempts to persuade viewers of the band’s greatness, preferring to let the faith and devotion of their global fanbase speak for itself. Parallels are subtly drawn between the fans’ fanaticism and religious, even fascist tendencies (a Romanian fan: ‘Back in 1990, all the ugly people liked folk… all the good-looking people were into Depeche Mode’), but Deller never labours the point. For Mode fans this movie will speak directly to their obsession, but those who find the whole thing just a bit ridiculous should find themselves equally entertained.Author: Tom Huddleston
Time Out London Issue 2049: 26 November - 2 December, 2009
User reviews of this film
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- Suzexu said...
- Posted on Nov 29 2009 13:32 Saw this film at the Prince Charles recently. I like early Depeche Mode, but not a dedicated fan. This documentary is excellent, in turns funny, sad and touching. Amazing how the bands music has helped people. I knew the band were huge in the USA but not about how big they were in places like Russia. Definitely deserves a general release.
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- SP said...
- Posted on Nov 28 2009 14:50 What's that quote got to do with fascism?
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- johnluke said...
- Posted on Nov 25 2009 08:57 saw this during Frieze art week. excellent, if rather short, doc on the strange web of fandom surrounding the boys from Basildon. Favourite bits were amazing footage of russian fans massing in town squares in the late 1980s. definitely worth checking out if you've been a fan of a band, although a warning - its not really about depeche mode! but their fans
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Cast & crew
Director: Jeremy Deller, Nicholas Abrams
Genre(s): Documentaries
Duration: 72 mins
UK Release: Nov 27 2009
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