It certainly helps that the actors in the narrative side of things are quite good. Catz conveys Derbyshire’s obsession with technology and music believably, so she’s more than just a one-note person. Her heartbreak at certain points is earned, not a cheap ploy for sympathy. The two main co-workers of hers do an excellent job as well, both sharing a fun, flirty, and very different chemistry with her.
While the first blending of the traditional narrative and the hypnotic documentary does not work, the filmmaker directs with an unabashed style that is quite lively. The imagery throughout Delia Derbyshire: The Myths And The Legendary Tapes greatly emphasizes the objects that fascinated the musician. The way Catz brings that forth in both the sound and visual departments is pretty cool. Hearing the degrading magnetic tapes Derbyshire so fondly recorded for sound or the images of a woman feeling displaced in time and place as she stands alone on a street corner proves impactful. It gives true insight into the great composer’s mindset and love of music.
“…impossible not to get swept up in it all.”
Then there’s the score. Cosey Fanni Tutti, who appears in the movie, does a great job at remixing, manipulating, editing, and synching Derbyshire’s lost tracks into a compelling, cohesive whole. Taken on its own, the music gives audiences the proper emotional resonance at all times, telling the musician’s story all on its own. When combined with the strong visuals, the experimental yet epic compositions feel even more heightened.
Delia Derbyshire: The Myths And The Legendary Tapes is as bold in execution as style as its subject was in creating and exploring music. Much like with any boundary-pushing piece of art, it might not always succeed smoothly, but Catz directs with such confidence and uses so many amazing visuals that it is impossible not to get swept up in it all. Add to that the fantastic score and the uniqueness of everything on display, and the documentary is a must-see. Maybe you’ll love it; perhaps you’ll hate it. Either way, rest assured, you’ll have never seen anything like it before.
Delia Derbyshire: The Myths And The Legendary Tapes screened at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival.
"…maybe you'll love it; perhaps you'll hate it. Either way, rest assured, you'll have never seen anything like it before."
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