I believe this is the best documentary on Taylor Swift.
I’m not a “Swiftie”. But I watched this and now think she’s a genius.
Swift, joined by her musical BFFs Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, spills the tea on her lockdown-inspired lyrics while strumming away in a cabin that screams “Pinterest dream board.”
It’s basically an ASMR session for Swifties, minus the whispers, plus a whole lot of acoustic guitar.
I rank “Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions” better than “Miss Americana” (Netflix) and Taylor Swift: Journey to Fearless because it gets more inside her creative process.
I’ll be publishing the “Best Taylor Swift Documentaries” article separately at some point. Much o do.
Thanks to Tom Reimann of Collider for first pointing this doc out to me.
Enjoy!
Trailer for Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions
Watch Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions
“Folklore” is only available on Disney+ at https://www.disneyplus.com/browse/entity-f60f29fe-2809-4238-ac7b-7f5721ac15cd
I think Disney+ has Folklore exclusively for now. But if that ever changes, you can find the latest streaming options at https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/taylor-swift-folklore-the-long-pond-studio-sessions
Ratings:
- My Rating: 96/100
- IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 96/100 (Users); 100/100 (Critics)
Release Date: November 25, 2020
Review of “Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions””
After watching this doc, I’m now sold that she’s a genius.
The intro is slow but the songs and her descriptions of their background is what’s so special.
Some of my favorite highlights:
- The performance of “exile” with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon joining remotely on a big screen. This tech-meets-intimacy moment perfectly captured the pandemic era collaboration.
- Swift’s revelation about the identity of mysterious co-writer “William Bowery” on songs like “betty” and “exile” – spoiler alert: it’s her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn.
- The cozy, candlelit atmosphere of the studio, which many reviewers noted as perfectly matching the album’s autumnal vibe.
- Swift discusses researching her grandfather’s war experiences and draws a parallel to medical personnel, adding depth to one of the songs
- Swift’s acoustic rendition of “my tears ricochet,” which several fans pointed out as a particularly moving performance.
- The moment when Swift, Antonoff, and Dessner discuss the creation of “mirrorball,” revealing how it was inspired by Swift’s canceled Lover Fest tour and the pandemic’s impact on performers.
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc