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Shut Up and Sing is also the name of a book by Laura Ingraham.
Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing
Directed by Barbara Kopple
Cecilia Peck
Produced by Barbara Kopple
Cecilia Peck
Claude Davies
David Cassidy
David Becker (associate producer)
Kelly Brennan (associate producer)
Craig Hymson (associate producer)
Daniel Voll (consulting producer)
Starring Martie Maguire
Natalie Maines
Emily Robison
Adrian Pasdar
Rick Rubin
George W. Bush (footage)
Simon Renshaw
Gareth Maguire
Music by Dixie Chicks
Cinematography Chris Burrill
Joan Churchill
Seth Gordon
Gary Griffin
Luis Lopez
Darrin Roberts
Editing by Bob Eisenhardt
Aaron Kuhn
Emma Morris
Jean Tsien
Michael Culyba (Co-Editor)
Distributed by The Weinstein Company
Release date(s) September 12, 2006 (Toronto Film Festival)
October 27, 2006 (limited release)
November 10, 2006 (wide release)
Running time 93 minutes
Country  United States
Language English

Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing (also known simply as Shut Up and Sing) is a 2006 documentary film produced and directed by Academy Award-winning director Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck (daughter of famed actor Gregory Peck).1

The film follows the all-woman Texas-based country music trio the Dixie Chicks over the three years while they were under intense scrutiny, physical threats, and pressure from more conservative political elements in the United States after lead singer Natalie Maines publicly criticised the current President of the United States George W. Bush in a 2003 concert in London.

Contents

Synopsis

The film opens by reviewing the Dixie Chicks' status before the London show. They had sold more albums in the United States than any other female band in history and were at the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with their new single "Travelin' Soldier", a sensitive depiction of a soldier's life during the Vietnam War era, and the young woman who waited for him, finding he was killed in battle. The film then shows them in a London concert in an atmosphere of dramatic opposition to the announcement from United States President George W. Bush's authorisation of the first pre-emptive strike on another country in U.S. history, resulting in the American War on Iraq. Earlier that day, approximately 1 million people had collected at a public demonstration in London against the war. During the concert, lead singer Natalie Maines told the audience the band does not support the war in Iraq and said that they are ashamed that President Bush is from Texas (their home State). Once the London media published the remarks, conservative groups in the U.S. rallied against the Chicks and a firestorm of criticism followed. The film shows the open hostility directed at the band and their reaction. The band did not expect such a strong reaction, and they are unsure if they should "shut up and sing", apologise, or stand by their convictions and let more sparks fly. They end up standing by their comments.

The film illustrates the day-to-day life of the Chicks. It shows them with their husbands and their children, at home in Texas and in the recording studio in Los Angeles, getting their hair and makeup done before appearances, exchanging ribald remarks with each other, writing song lyrics and working on musical arrangements. Simon Renshaw, the group's longtime manager, is the focus of many scenes as he attempts to guide the Chicks through the vicissitudes of the music industry.

The title of the film is a lyric from the Dixie Chicks' 2006 post-controversial single "Not Ready to Make Nice" from the album Taking the Long Way. It was the criticism and hate mail that they received because of their political statements, one of which drew such concern from both the FBI and the Texas Rangers that they advised the Chicks to cancel a concert in Dallas, Texas, and they were shown the original letter that specified a date, time, and location at which lead singer Natalie Maines would be shot dead, unless she "shut up and sang". However, the show took place without incident. Living in a constant state of fear took an emotional toll on the Chicks, in particular because they toured with their babies with them. 2

The song, "Not Ready to Make Nice" includes a reference to that very real death threat (among many they were receiving):

And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Saying that I better
shut up and sing or my life will be over?!

Commentator Laura Ingraham made the same reference in the title of her book Shut Up & Sing: How Elites from Hollywood, Politics, and the U.N. are Subverting America. The tagline of the film, "freedom of speech is fine as long as you don't do it in public", is a reference to a scene in which an interviewed protester says "freedom of speech is fine but by God you don't do it outside of the country and you don't do it in mass publicly".

Release dates

  • March 16 2007 (Thessaloniki Documentaries Festival)
  • August 11 2007 (Jecheon International Music & Film Festival)

Television advertisements

In October 2006, the film's distributor, The Weinstein Company, announced that NBC had refused to air the TV advertisements for the film, stating that it was following a "policy of not broadcasting ads that deal with issues of public controversy". NBC publicly acknowledged the decision but claimed that it was willing to work with Weinstein to find an acceptable alternative.3 At the same time, the distributor also claimed that The CW had refused to air these advertisements, citing "concerns we do not have appropriate programming in which to schedule this spot". That network later said its statement was merely an opinion on whether its target audience would respond to the ad, and that it would have accepted the ads if Weinstein had actually bought commercial time.4

At the time, CBS was the only major television network to have agreed to air the ads for the film, according to a Weinstein spokesperson, who said the company was also waiting on responses from ABC and FOX.5 It is not clear which decision either network ultimately made. However, individual stations affiliated with all five networks, including some owned by NBC, aired the ad during local ad time.

Reception

Box office

The film opened in New York City and Los Angeles on October 27 2006 in only 4 theatres. In its first week it grossed an average of US$50,103. In its sixth week (38 days after its original release) the film expanded to its widest release, being shown at 84 theaters.

  • Total domestic gross: US$1,215,045 (Estimate).6

Reviews

Critical reaction to the film has been extremely positive. At the time of its release, it had a 93% rating at the Rotten Tomatoes. As of February 15, 2007, it had a 91% rating, being "certified fresh."7 It also has a 91% rating from the "Cream of the Crop" reviewers.

Shut Up and Sing has received positive reviews from major American publications such as Rolling Stone,8 The New Yorker,9 Entertainment Weekly,10 Chicago Tribune,11 Variety,12 Time,13 USA Today,14 New York Post,15 The Wall Street Journal,16 TV Guide,17 San Francisco Chronicle',18 Newsweek,19 LA Weekly20 and The Washington Post.21 It was also very well received by Richard Roeper on the television program Ebert & Roeper.22

Awards and nominations

Poster

The theatrical poster of the film borrowed a picture of the band from a memorable Entertainment Weekly cover, in which they are featured in the nude, with their privates cleverly hidden. On the U.S. version of the poster, however, the "nudity" was edited out and towels are seen over their nude bodies. The writings, which were originally on their bodies, were transferred to the towels. The Canadian poster used the original photo, with no towels added.23

The original photograph included the words "Dixie Sluts" but for the promotional poster, a more demure "Dixie Bimbos" replaced the message on Emily Robison's arm.

Rating

The documentary received an R rating from the Motion Picture Association of America for strong language.24

DVD release

The DVD of the film was released on February 20, 200725, and the UK in September 2007. On September 9, 2007, it ranked at #2 in the UK Top 20 DVD Chart.

References

  1. ^ Singer, Leigh BBC Collective Dixie Chicks Shut up and Sing Film Interview
  2. ^ Cohn, Angel TV Guide Shut Up and Sing Review Retrieved 12 June, 2008
  3. ^ Dixie Chicks film ad sparks row BBC, October 28, 2006
  4. ^ Prickly Peacock nixes Chicks, Variety, October 26, 2006
  5. ^ NBC rejects TV ads for Dixie Chicks film, David Bauder, USA Today, September 28
  6. ^ Shut Up and Sing at the Box Office Mojo
  7. ^ Shut Up and Sing at the Rotten Tomatoes
  8. ^ Shut Up and Sing review, Peter Travers, Rolling Stone, October 27 2006
  9. ^ http://www.newyorker.com/online/content/articles/5E7AAC791A4783A7005B478F
  10. ^ Shut Up & Sing movie review, Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly, October 25
  11. ^ Movie review: Shut Up & Sing, Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
  12. ^ Dixie Chicks: Shut Up & Sing, Phil Gallo, Variety, September 5 2006
  13. ^ The Dixie Chicks and the Good Soldiers, Richard Corliss, Time, September 17 2006
  14. ^ Dixie Chicks open up in 'Shut Up' , Claudia Puig, USA Today, October 26 2006
  15. ^ AMID CLUCKING, DIXIE CHICKS RISE UP, Lou Lumenick, New York Post
  16. ^ Film review, Joanne Kaufman, Wall Street Journal (Members only)
  17. ^ Full Review - Dixie Chicks: Shut Up & Sing, Angel Cohn, TV Guide
  18. ^ Defiant Dixie Chicks speak their minds in 'Shut Up and Sing' , Joel Selvin, San Francisco Chronicle, November 17 2006
  19. ^ Movies: With the Chicks, David Ansen, Newsweek, November 6 2006
  20. ^ Film reviews, Ella Taylor and others, LA Weekly, November 1 2006
  21. ^ Shut Up & Sing, Stephen Hunter, Washington Post, November 16
  22. ^ (Sound file), Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
  23. ^ Peter T. Chattaway (2006-10-31). "Shut Up & Sing -- censored posters!". Filmchat. Retrieved on 2007-12-30.
  24. ^ Shut Up & Sing (2006) - Movie Info - Yahoo! Movies
  25. ^ DVD Review: Dixie Chicks - Shut Up & Sing

External links

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Dixie Chicks
Natalie Maines · Emily Robison · Martie Maguire
Laura Lynch · Robin Lynn Macy
Studio albums:
Live recordings:
Tours:
Related articles:
Discography  · Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing
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