The White Stripes: Under Great White Northen Lights (2009)
The White Stripes: Under the Northern Lights Directed by Emmett Malloy Starring Jack White; Meg White
Ex-marrieds, Detroit natives Jack White and Meg White (he took her name when they wed), have always been a bit of an enigma. Sure, their band image (which includes the self-generated rumor that they are brother and sister) may be contrived, but for the most part they’ve managed to maintain musical credibility, withstand the exposure connected to the intense scrutiny of fame, and keep veiled a modicum of the mystery they evidently seek. Part of the reason for the latter might well be the fact that one member of the duo barely speaks, and this documentary does nothing but reinforce that perception as Meg is close to silent during the interviews (she actually requires subtitles when she does talk). In fact, when the two do discuss Meg’s soft spoken quietness and abhorrence of the spotlight (she has had performance anxiety issues, which led to one cancelled tour), she seems on the verge of explaining further, but as if Jack can’t help himself he interrupts. This, their second documentary (the first was Under Blackpool Lights, a concert film) follows the band across Canada during their 2007 tour. We see live clips from the big concerts, as well as the day time shows where they play bowling alleys; rec centers; high schools; pool halls; and parks. Their idea was to play a show in each Province, travelling to some rural, out of way places that normally wouldn’t host a concert of any type, let alone a major rock act. Veteran music video director Emmett Malloy combines black and white photography with saturated color footage to further illuminate the band’s look, which consists solely of the colors red, white, and black. The visuals and performances are interesting and Jack (as he did in the Davis Guggenheim doc It Might Get Loud) talks about using technical barriers (rudimentary guitars; old school amps; extra picks stashed far away from the stage; no set lists, etc.) as a methodology to help keep things fresh, spontaneous, and challenging. The White Stripes back to basics, blues infused punk/garage rock sounds like a mix between Led Zeppelin and Robert Johnson with a little Bob Dylan thrown into the mix. After twelve years and seven studio albums they have proved themselves to be a band who consistently turn out solid work. Still, while Jack White speaks about keeping things innovative and off the cuff, one gets the distinct feeling that this documentary is as ultimately controlled as the band crew’s matching outfits. The idea for the tour was a cool one, the music and visuals top-notch, but we come away with only brief glimpses of who these two individuals are.