“Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage” is a celluloid love letter to three nerdy, Canadian high school dropouts who somehow became rock gods.
I love Rush — they have their own unique, unmistakable sound (though they were lumped into the “progressive rock” genre>
A cool thing I learned from the doc: Rush ranks 3rd for most consecutive gold or platinum studio albums (after the Beatles and the Rolling Stones).
“Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage” will likely be in the Top 10 Best Rock Documentaries when I get to that list!
Trailer for “Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage”
Watch “Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage”
I see 3 places to watch “Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage” for free on YouTube:
It looks like Amazon is renting it too.
Check here for any additional streaming options: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/rush-beyond-the-lighted-stage
Ratings:
- My Rating: 95/100
- IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 94/100 (Users); 90/100 (Critics)
Release Date: June 10, 2010
Review of “Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage”
“Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage” is a celluloid love letter to three nerdy Canadian high school dropouts who somehow became rock gods.
From the get-go, the film hooks you with its treasure trove of archival footage.
You get Geddy Lee at his bar mitzvah, a teenage Alex Lifeson shredding on a guitar,and the late John Rutsey, the original drummer, mugging in a swimsuit.
The doc doesn’t shy away from the quirks that make Rush both beloved and bewildering.
Critics sometimes dismiss their intellectual lyrics and complex compositions.
But the documentary makes a compelling case for their genius.
It highlights how their lack of rock star aesthetics and mainstream appeal didn’t deter them; instead, it fueled their cult following.
Director Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen interview the band members themselves—Lee, Lifeson, and the enigmatic Neil Peart.
Dunn and McFayeden weave in interviews with musicians from a diversity of music:
Heavy Metal artists interviewed include Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Les Claypool of Primus, Tim Commerford of Rage Against the Machine, Vinnie Paul of Pantera, Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater, and Zakk Wylde of Black Label Society.
For Alternative and Progressive rock artists interviewed include Danny Carey of Tool, Jimmy Chamberlin and Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, and Jason McGerr of Death Cab for Cutie.
Other Rock artists interviewed include Sebastian Bach of Skid Row, Jack Black of Tenacious D, Mick Box of Uriah Heep, Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters, Kim Mitchell of Max Webster, Gene Simmons of Kiss, Freddie Gruber, and Matt Stone of DVDA.
I loved the Rush fanboy enthusiasm of these rock stars.
The doc covers Neil Peart’s tragic loss of his wife and daughter and also his subsequent two-year motorcycle sabbatica.
The film portrays this period not as an end but as a transformative chapter, culminating in Peart’s return to the drum kit—a moment that feels like an encore to a life well-lived.
Some reviewers say the doc drags in the latter half, bogged down by the minutiae of the band’s internal dynamics and musical evolution. I didn’t see that.
The only part that non-Rush fans might find slow is their shift to a synth-based sound and Peart’s quest for a new drumming technique. That might test the patience of all but the most hardcore fans.
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc