THE STOLEN LYRIC REVIEWED
“The Stolen Lyric” feels like it was an attempt to capitalize on the Adult Swim market, but with Broadway sensibilities. This take on Robin Hood features the Merry Men as a band to get ripped off by Sheriff. The group attempts to win their song back, but this leads to a cartoonish battle to get their musical way. Still, there’s something about the film’s overall aesthetic that leaves me curious.
The movie puts to use many quick audio samples. These famous tracks are meant to represent the other bands that Sheriff stole from, but it also plays the concept of Fair Use to a very fine line. When you read up on the film’s creator, you realize that he was a survivor of the 2008 economic mini-crash. Drawing that against the economic warfare underpinnings of the film and one’s eyebrow raises very high. But, the movie was good.
I appreciate the attempt to tell a medieval story via song and to branch out to the look of the latest stars of today. If you’re expecting Errol Flynn, you’re not going to get that. Still, I could’ve seen this movie work as an off-brand animated film in the 1960s.
FILM STATS
- 1 hr and 49 mins
- Not Rated
- Toeris Books
