Geoff Edgers really, really loves the Kinks. In fact, that’s an understatement. The British rock band, famed for hits such as “Lola” and “You Really Got Me,” but which never quite reached the highest echelon of rock fame like contemporaries The Who and the Rolling Stones, are Edgers’ musical obsession. His love for the band drove him to the financial and familial brink. You haven’t seen a super fan until you’ve encountered Edgers.
That love, along with his tenacious desire to see the band re-form, is the subject of a documentary, “Do It Again: One Man’s Quest to Reunite the Kinks,” created by Edgers and directed by Robert Patton-Spruill. It will be shown over the weekend of Jan. 1-2 at The Grand in Ellsworth as part of the theatre’s Mini Rock Documentary Film Festival, which also will feature “Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him)?” Dec. 26-30.
“Do It Again” is not only chock-full of biographical details about the Kinks, but also is a story about brotherhood, about making art and about one man’s attempt to do something great in his life, regardless of whether he actually succeeds. Though in its inception it was envisioned as a more standard rock documentary, it became something else entirely during its filming.
“In early 2008, I decided I wanted to make a really good film about the Kinks, because basically, there isn’t one, and there should be,” said Edgers, 40, of Boston, who is an arts reporter for the Boston Globe. “Obviously, it ended up being a different film. Rob, who is gifted and has made several movies, decided he didn’t want to make a movie just about the Kinks. He wanted to make a movie about me.”
Aside from the music the Kinks made — songs such as “Waterloo Sunset” are regularly cited as perfect pop creations by music critics in both the U.K. and the U.S. — the band also is well known for the internal strife that was a regular part of band life throughout its entire 30-year-history. In particular, brothers Ray and Dave Davies developed an increasingly toxic relationship, with Ray’s songs taking prominence over other members’ contributions, and Ray’s continual dismissal of his brother’s work, which reached a breaking point in 1996. For the brothers, who have not worked together in more than 14 years, a reunion seems unlikely.
Not that that discouraged Edgers, who dives into the project of reuniting all four original members of the band — the Davies brothers, bassist Pete Quaife and drummer Mick Avory — with gusto. Over the course of the film, Edgers sends out letter after letter to musicians and music industry figures known to be connected to the Kinks or who are known to be fans of the band, asking them to appear in the film and play a Kinks song with him. Out of 60 sent out, 50 are rejected.
“We had the door slammed in our faces so many times, that that really changed the shape of the film,” said Edgers. “Most people would say, ‘It’s time to quit.’ But we kept going. When I saw those early cuts, I realized that the story was going in another direction. I like those stories where I start out not knowing what direction it will go in.”
The people who do agree to appear, however, are surprising. They range from psych-folk cult hero Robyn Hitchcock to indie rocker and movie star Zooey Deschanel, both who offer their perspectives on the music and contribute covers of Kinks songs. Paul Weller, of the British punk band the Jam, refuses to play a song with Edgers — and Sting not only performs but comes across as a genuinely nice guy and a true music fan.
The story is framed against a backdrop of a difficult time in Edgers’ life, as his job at the Boston Globe is jeopardized when its parent company, New York Times Corp., threatens to shut the paper down. Though at the beginning of the film he seems a bit naive and somewhat emotionally unstable, by the end he becomes increasingly endearing, and you begin to root for him and his seemingly impossible quest. We won’t reveal whether or not Edgers succeeds, or even gets to speak with Ray or Dave Davies, but regardless of the outcome, the ending is satisfying.
Kinks fans across the globe have been supportive, donating money to Edgers to help finance the film and attending screenings. “Do It Again” received positive critical reactions at film festivals in London, Atlanta, Nashville, Cleveland, Rotterdam and Warsaw, and was locally an audience favorite at both the Maine International Film Festival and the Camden International Film Festival. Edgers, however, has not yet received the final thumbs up from Ray Davies to screen the film theatrically, or to release it on DVD.
“On one level, we’re waiting to hear from the artist, to see if Ray will give us permission to pay him money to license the songs in the film,” said Edgers. “Beyond that, we’re trying to put together a shorter version of the film to be shown on TV. We could edit down the film from 85 minutes to 55. It’s been a very long process of trying to get this movie out to people.”
It is possible that the Ellsworth screening could be the last screening of “Do It Again” audiences will get to see for a very long time — possibly ever.
“This whole process has been a combination of pain and pleasure,” said Edgers. “There has been great moments of excitement, and great moments of disaster. I’m just trying hard to see the whole thing through, because that’s the least I can do.”
“Do It Again: One Man’s Quest to Reunite the Kinks” will screen at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 1, and Sunday, Jan. 2, at The Grand in Ellsworth. The Grand also will screen the film “Who is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him?)” at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 26-30. Admission is $7. The Grand also will offer a film tribute to the director Blake Edwards, who passed away this month. The theater will show “The Pink Panther” at 2 and 5:30 p.m. Jan. 4, and 2 p.m. Jan. 5, and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 5, and 2 and 5:30 p.m. Jan. 6. Admission is $7. For information, visit www.doitagainthemovie.com or www.grandonline.org.
