Rockin’ the Wall 2010
Distributed by The Video Project, PO Box 411376, San Francisco, CA 94141-1376; 800-475-2638
Produced by Larry Schweikart, Marc Leif, Steve Lopez
Directed by Marc Leif
DVD, color, 83 min.
Jr. High - General Adult
History, Music, Popular Culture
Date Entered: 06/27/2011
Reviewed by Jessica Isler, Reference and Instruction Librarian, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VTRockin’ the Wall plays as part history documentary, part “rockumentary.” It explores the history of the Cold War, particularly the impact of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain; tracing this history in parallel with significant developments in Western rock and roll music. The primary method for this exploration is through interviews with musicians who lived in or performed in the Soviet countries before the fall of the Soviet Union, interlaced with photo and video documents from the period (speech excerpts of Churchill, Reagan, and Kennedy all appear).
The main assertion is that the significance of rock and roll to those behind the Iron Curtain cannot be underestimated. Radio Free Europe broadcast this new music and radios in the Soviet bloc were tuned in. The artists reflect on rock and roll’s unique position as a force for social change, asserting the music’s unique ability to represent freedom, energy, and inspiration. Interviewees describe the underground secondhand music trade, describe small acts of musical rebellion against oppressive regime, and relate the way in which Rock and roll provided a common language of subversion and solidarity for those trapped behind the Wall.
The personal stories and remembrances of the musicians provide insights into the tragedy, despair, the paradoxes, and ultimately, the humanity of this time in history. Recommended for general audiences and those interested in the intersection of Cold War history and music as a vehicle for social change.