ViewGuide

Created Nov 08, 2015 12:52AM PST • Edited Nov 08, 2015 09:59AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Really Great 4.5

   Fans of the Beach Boys, Glen Campbell, the Mamas & the Papas, Sonny & Cher or Nancy Sinatra should seek out this documentary about the unsung musicians who made their music for them. The Wrecking Crew wasn’t an official name for the group. These independent studio players didn’t have an official name, but the handle stuck and this eponymous rockumentary thrills with the cavalcade of hits they helped create.

   The film is a non-stop feast of great songs, big stars and backstage insight, delivered like the world’s greatest home movie, courtesy of filmmaker Danny Tedesco, son of Wrecking Crew guitar great Tommy Tedesco. That’s Tommy playing lead guitar on the theme from Bonanza, one of thousands of sessions he did as “the most recorded guitarist in history”, per Guitar Player magazine.

   A few other examples:

   • Cher talks glowingly about “Philip”, aka Phil Spector. She was a backup singer on You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ and the Ronettes Be My Baby, Wrecking Crew songs both.
   • Carol Kaye demonstrates how she came up with the bass line for the Mission: Impossible theme.
   • The sax from the Pink Panther theme came from the Wrecking Crew. Of course it did.
   • The theme from Hawaii Five-Oh also came from them. Yes, the Wave.

   Premiering in ‘08, The Wrecking Crew stands between 2002’s Standing in the Shadows of Motown & 2013’s Muscle Shoals. They are the three legs on the stool of Sixties & Seventies American popular music.

4. Acting

   Perfect 5.0

   The Wrecking Crew

   • Tommy Tedesco
     • Carmie Tedesco, his wife
   • Hal Blaine
   • Carol Kaye
   • Glen Campbell
   • Al Casey
   • Snuff Garrett
   • David Gold
   • Bones Howe
   • Plas Johnson
   • Larry Levine
   • Lew McCreary
   • Joe Osborn
   • Earl Palmer
   • Don Peake
   • Bill Pitman
   • Don Randi
   • Stan Ross
   • Leon Russell
   • Joe Saraceno
   • Julius Wechter

   Famous Recording Artists

   • Brian Wilson
   • Herb Alpert
   • Frank Zappa
   • Peter Tork
   • Nancy Sinatra
   • Roger McGuinn
   • Al Jardine
   • Cher
   • Micky Dolenz

   Industry Types

   • Lou Adler
   • Dick Clark
   • Jimmy Webb

5. Male Stars Perfect 5.0

6. Female Stars Perfect 5.0

7. Female Costars Perfect 5.0

8. Male Costars Perfect 5.0

10. Film

    Great 4.0

11. Direction Good 3.0

12. Play Great 4.0

13. Music Perfect 5.0

14. Visuals Really Great 4.5
15. Content

16. Edge

    Tame 1.2

17. Sex Innocent 1.0

18. Violence Gentle 1.0

19. Rudeness Salty 1.7

21. Reality

    Natural 1.0

22. Circumstantial Natural 1.0

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0