A Mighty Wind is a 2003 mockumentary about a folk music reunion concert and the three groups that must come together to perform on national television for the first time in years. The film was directed (and co-written) by Christopher Guest. The title alludes to the folk standards "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Wasn't That A Mighty Storm" covered by many singers of the early 1960s. The film was inspired by the 1982 documentary film The Weavers: Wasn't That a Time! about The Weavers' 1980 Carnegie Hall reunion concert. For the Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, see Christopher Guest, Baron Guest. ... For the Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, see Christopher Guest, Baron Guest. ... Eugene Levy (born December 17, 1946) is a Canadian Emmy- and Grammy Award-winning actor, television director, producer, musician and writer. ... Bob Balaban (born August 16, 1945) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor and director, best known for his collaborations with Christopher Guest. ... Catherine OHara (born March 4, 1954) is a Canadian/American actress and comedian. ... Eugene Levy (born December 17, 1946) is a Canadian Emmy- and Grammy Award-winning actor, television director, producer, musician and writer. ... For the Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, see Christopher Guest, Baron Guest. ... Michael McKean (born October 17, 1947) is an American actor, comedian, composer and musician, best known for his portrayal of Leonard Lenny Kosnowski on the sitcom Laverne and Shirley; as one of the members of Spinal Tap; as a Saturday Night Live cast member; and for other various appearances in... Harry Julius Shearer (born December 23, 1943) is an American comedic actor and writer. ... John Michael Higgins (born February 12, 1963) is an American actor whose film credits include Christopher Guests mockumentaries and the role of David Letterman in HBOs The Late Shift. ... Jane Lynch (born July 14, 1960) is an American writer, actor and comedian best known for her roles in Christopher Guest comedies such as Best in Show. ... For the African-American television actress, see Parker McKenna Posey. ... Fred Willard (born September 18[1]) is an American comedian and character actor, known for his improvisational comedy skills. ... Deborah Theaker (born April 6, 1964 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada) is a Canadian actress. ... “WB” redirects here. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Best in Show (2000) is a mockumentary that follows five entrants in a prestigious dog show. ... For Your Consideration is the fourth feature film directed (and co-written) by Christopher Guest. ... Mockumentary (also known as a pseudo-documentary)[1], a portmanteau of mock and documentary, is a film and TV genre, or a single work of the genre. ... Folk song redirects here. ... For the Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, see Christopher Guest, Baron Guest. ... Blowin in the Wind is a song written by Bob Dylan, and released on his 1963 album The Freewheelin Bob Dylan. ... Documentary film is a broad category of visual expression that is based on the attempt, in one fashion or another, to document reality. ... The Weavers were an immensely popular and influential folk music quartet from Greenwich Village, New York, United States. ... Carnegie Hall (generally pronounced )[3] is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street. ...

Many actors and actresses return from This Is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, and Best in Show for this film, including Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Fred Willard, Bob Balaban, Ed Begley, Jr., Jennifer Coolidge, Paul Dooley, John Michael Higgins, Michael Hitchcock, Rachael Harris, Don Lake, Jane Lynch, Larry Miller, Jim Piddock, Deborah Theaker, and Parker Posey. This Is Spin̈al Tap (which is officially spelled with a non-functional umlaut symbol over the N) is a 1984 mockumentary directed by Rob Reiner and starring members of the semi-fictional heavy-metal glam rock band Spinal Tap. ... Waiting for Guffman is a mockumentary written,starring, and directed by Christopher Guest that was released in 1997. ... Best in Show (2000) is a mockumentary that follows five entrants in a prestigious dog show. ... Eugene Levy (born December 17, 1946) is a Canadian Emmy- and Grammy Award-winning actor, television director, producer, musician and writer. ... Catherine OHara (born March 4, 1954) is a Canadian/American actress and comedian. ... Michael McKean (born October 17, 1947) is an American actor, comedian, composer and musician, best known for his portrayal of Leonard Lenny Kosnowski on the sitcom Laverne and Shirley; as one of the members of Spinal Tap; as a Saturday Night Live cast member; and for other various appearances in... Harry Julius Shearer (born December 23, 1943) is an American comedic actor and writer. ... Fred Willard (born September 18[1]) is an American comedian and character actor, known for his improvisational comedy skills. ... Bob Balaban (born August 16, 1945) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor and director, best known for his collaborations with Christopher Guest. ... Edward James Begley, Jr. ... Jennifer Coolidge (August 28, 1963) is an American comedic actress. ... Paul Dooley (fore) as Enabran Tain in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine See Paul Dooley (Australian rules footballer) for the Western Bulldogs footballer. ... John Michael Higgins (born February 12, 1963) is an American actor whose film credits include Christopher Guests mockumentaries and the role of David Letterman in HBOs The Late Shift. ... Michael Hitchcock (born July 28, 1958 in Defiance, Ohio) is an American actor, screenwriter and television producer. ... Rachael Elaine Harris (born January 12, 1968) is an American actress and comedian. ... Don Lake was born November 26, 1956 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... Jane Lynch (born July 14, 1960) is an American writer, actor and comedian best known for her roles in Christopher Guest comedies such as Best in Show. ... Lawrence J. Miller (best known as Larry Miller), born October 15, 1953 in Valley Stream, New York, is an American stand-up comedian and actor who frequently portrays babbling, obsequious yes-men, slightly odd friends, wisecracking professionals and other second-banana characters to headlining comedians in movies and television shows. ... Jim Piddock (b. ... Deborah Theaker (born April 6, 1964 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada) is a Canadian actress. ... For the African-American television actress, see Parker McKenna Posey. ...

One of the songs from the movie, "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song, and was performed at the 76th Academy Awards by Levy and O'Hara (in character). The song was written by McKean with his wife, actress Annette O'Toole, while they were driving from California to Canada during the no-fly time after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... The Academy Award for Best Song is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are songwriters and composers. ... 76th Academy Awards Sunday, February 29, 2004 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California Hosts Preshow: Billy Bush, Chris Connelly & Maria Menounos Show: Billy Crystal Crew Producer: Joe Roth Supervising Producer: Michael Seligman Director: Lou Horvitz Duration 3 hours, 40 minutes Network ABC The big contenders for the 76th Academy... Annette OToole (born Annette Toole on April 1, 1952[1] in Houston, Texas) is an American dancer and actress. ... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly...

Plot

After the death of influential folk music producer Irving Steinbloom, his children organize a reunion concert for the three most successful groups he ever worked with, in order to pay tribute to Irving's life. "The Folksmen", "The New Main Street Singers", and "Mitch & Mickey" all have their own issues with getting prepared for the concert. The New Main Street Singers are mostly new to the genre (being a reincarnation of the original Main Street Singers) and have a manager with a painfully bad sense of humor attempting to organize their antics. The Folksmen see the concert as an opportunity for a comeback, and while they express contempt for folk groups that have compromised the integrity of the genre for commercial success—an issue that comes to a head when a miscommunication about the concert playlist is discovered—they must find ways to engage a new generation of fans. Mitch and Mickey haven't spoken since a traumatic break-up decades before—now Mitch is a barely coherent emotional wreck, Mickey has married a model train enthusiast, and neither of them has played music in years. For these three groups to perform successfully on national public television, live, from New York City's Town Hall, will require a miracle of immense proportions. New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... The Town Hall is a performance space located at 123 West 43rd Street, between Sixth Avenue and Broadway, in New York City, New York. ...

The Folksmen

The Folksmen are a trio consisting of Mark Shubb (bass vocals and upright bass, played by Harry Shearer), Alan Barrows (tenor vocals, mandolin, guitar, and five-string banjo, played by Christopher Guest), and Jerry Palter (baritone vocals, guitar, and mandolin, played by Michael McKean). The Folksmen are an apparent parody of such groups as Peter, Paul and Mary, The Weavers, The Limeliters, and The Kingston Trio. A basso (or bass) is a male singer who sings in the lowest vocal range of the human voice. ... Side and front views of a modern double bass with a French bow. ... Harry Julius Shearer (born December 23, 1943) is an American comedic actor and writer. ... This article is about Tenor vocalists in music. ... This article is about the musical instrument. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Banjo (disambiguation) The banjo is a stringed instrument developed by enslaved Africans in the United States, adapted from several African instruments. ... For other uses, see Baritone (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... This article is about the musical instrument. ... The trio Peter, Paul and Mary (often PP&M) is a musical group from the United States; they were one of the most successful folk-singing groups of the 1960s. ... The Weavers were an immensely popular and influential folk music quartet from Greenwich Village, New York, United States. ... The Limeliters are a folk music group formed in July 1959 by Lou Gottlieb (bass), Alex Hassilev (baritone), and Glenn Yarbrough (tenor). ... The Kingston Trios original lineup: Bob Shane, Dave Guard, Nick Reynolds The Kingston Trio is an American folk group. ...

According to the film, the Folksmen released six albums on the Folktown Records label: Singin' (featuring "Old Joe's Place"), Pickin' (featuring "Blood on the Coal"), Ramblin' (featuring "Never Did No Wanderin'"), Hitchin' (featuring "Loco Man"), Wishin' (featuring "Barnyard Symphony" and "Skeletons of Quinto"), and Saying Something (featuring "Children Of The Sun"), which broke with the tradition of using only acoustic instruments and single-word titles without final '-g's. Their biggest hit, "Old Joe's Place," reached position 17 in the charts. The appearance of The Folksmen in A Mighty Wind was not their first reunion performance. Before A Mighty Wind, The Folksmen performed "Old Joe's Place" on the 3 November 1984 episode of Saturday Night Live, hosted by McKean. In 2001, the band "reunited" as the opening act for Spinal Tap's "Back from the Dead Tour". The Folksmen also appeared in the video release, The Return of Spinal Tap as Spinal Tap's opening act for their Royal Albert Hall performance. The same actors portray The Folksmen and the three main members of Spinal Tap. is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... SNL redirects here. ... For other uses, see Spinal Tap (disambiguation). ... Albert Hall redirects here. ...

After the performance at Town Hall, Shubb decides he wants to spend the rest of his life living as a woman, complete with blonde wig. He continues to sing and speak, however, in his famous bass register.

Songs:

• "Old Joe's Place": their only hit song. Contains silly lyrics, such as "there's a puppy in the parlor and a skillet on the stove / and a smelly old blanket that a Navajo wove".
• "Never Did No Wanderin'": describes, in amusing detail, how the singer has never traveled anywhere. Covered by the New Main Street Singers, who open their Town Hall performance with this song, which forces the surprised Folksman to change their lineup.
• "Loco Man": a calypso song about a man who does not do a thing.
• "Corn Wine": a song about the passage of time, which features a prominent penny whistle, while also obeying the iron law "nonny before ninny".
• "Blood on the Coal": a mash-up of two folk standards: train wrecks and mine disasters. The train "went in the wrong hole" and crashed in the mine.
• "Barnyard Symphony": a child-like song about a farmer and his animals. Contained audience participation.
• "Start Me Up": an acoustic song that describes how people can relate to cars. Cover of The Rolling Stones classic.
• "Skeletons of Quinto": a song about the Spanish Civil War.
• "Children Of The Sun": The Folksmen's only electric song from 1968, vaguely psychedelic in sound.

Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music which originated in Trinidad at about the start of the 20th century. ... Rolling Stones redirects here. ... Not to be confused with the Spanish Civil War of 1820-1823. ...

The New Main Street Singers

The New Main Street Singers perform in A Mighty Wind

The nine pastel-clad "New Main Street Singers" are patterned after The New Seekers, The New Christy Minstrels and The Rooftop Singers. Writers Levy and Guest's initial outline for the film had this neuftet singing in unison as a musical joke. Image File history File links Mighty Wind concert This is a copyrighted image that has been released by a company or organization to promote their work in the media. ... Image File history File links Mighty Wind concert This is a copyrighted image that has been released by a company or organization to promote their work in the media. ... The New Seekers was an Australian pop group, formed in 1969 by Keith Potger after the break-up of his group, The Seekers. ... The New Christy Minstrels were a 1960s a popular folk group reknown for a rousing and clean-cut sound. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Unison (disambiguation). ...

That idea was dropped and John Michael Higgins's intricate vocal arrangements were used instead. In the film, the original Main Street Singers had released such albums as Songs of Good Cheer (featuring "Just That Kinda Day"), Strolling Down Main Street (featuring "Potato's in the Paddy Wagon"), The Main Street Singers in Bethlehem (featuring "The Good Book Song"), and Sunny Side Up (featuring "Fare Away"), before breaking up in 1971. John Michael Higgins (born February 12, 1963) is an American actor whose film credits include Christopher Guests mockumentaries and the role of David Letterman in HBOs The Late Shift. ...

The New Main Street Singers were formed by George Menschell (played by Paul Dooley), the sole survivor of the original Main Street Singers. Menschell sings, but does not play his guitar. He just holds it. Sometimes, his microphone does not even appear to be plugged in. In the commentary for the DVD release, Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy say that in a scene that was cut from the finished movie, it is explained that Menschell cannot play the guitar, but that just before a performance of the original Main Street Singers, he got a stain on the front of his shirt and covered it up by holding a guitar for the performance, something he continued to do for all subsequent performances. Paul Dooley (fore) as Enabran Tain in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine See Paul Dooley (Australian rules footballer) for the Western Bulldogs footballer. ...

The new group is centered on Terry Bohner (tenor guitar, played by John Michael Higgins) and his wife Laurie Bohner (guitar, played by Jane Lynch). Laurie is a former adult film star and is the co-founder, together with her husband, of Witches in Nature's Colors (WINC), a group of modern-day witches that worship the power of color. They are joined by Sissy Knox (mandolin and tambourine, played by Parker Posey), a former delinquent and daughter of one of the original members of the Main Street Singers. They are managed by the obnoxious Mike LaFontaine (Fred Willard), whose fifteen minutes of fame came by way of the failed TV program "Wha' Happened?" which lasted less than one season during the 1970s. The group, which is otherwise entirely white, includes one Filipino American member, Mike Maryama (played by Mark Nonisa), a detail likely inspired by Larry Ramos, the sole Filipino American member of the New Christy Minstrels. The tenor guitar is a slightly smaller, four-string version of the steel-string acoustic guitar or electric guitar. ... John Michael Higgins (born February 12, 1963) is an American actor whose film credits include Christopher Guests mockumentaries and the role of David Letterman in HBOs The Late Shift. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... Jane Lynch (born July 14, 1960) is an American writer, actor and comedian best known for her roles in Christopher Guest comedies such as Best in Show. ... Pornographic films are motion pictures that explicitly depict sexual intercourse and other sexual acts, typically for the purpose of sexual arousal in the viewer. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Witchcraft. ... This article is about the musical instrument. ... “Buben” redirects here. ... For the African-American television actress, see Parker McKenna Posey. ... Mike LaFontaine is a fictitious character played by Fred Willard in the Christopher Guest film A Mighty Wind. ... Fred Willard (born September 18[1]) is an American comedian and character actor, known for his improvisational comedy skills. ... In 1998, Benjamin J. Cayetano became the first Filipino American (and second Asian American after Governor George R. Ariyoshi) to be elected state Governor of the United States. ...

Songs:

• Just That Kinda Day: a song about optimism in a pessimistic world.
• Fare Away: based on the novel Moby-Dick, this song was a big hit in 1968.
• The Good Book Song: based on stories of the Bible.
• Never Did No Wanderin': cover of the Folksmen song, with more enthusiasm (the Folksmen liken it to a toothpaste commercial).
• The Main Street Rag: the Main Street Singers' theme song.
• Potato's in the Paddy Wagon: a silly song about a girl who won a sheriff's heart.

Moby-Dick book cover Moby-Dick - the official title of the first edition - is a novel by Herman Melville. ... Modern toothpaste gel Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used to clean and improve the aesthetic appearance and health of teeth. ... // Advert redirects here. ...

Mitch & Mickey

Mitch Cohen (vocals and guitar, played by Eugene Levy) and Mickey Crabbe née Devlin (vocals & autoharp, played by Catherine O'Hara) may represent a parody of a number of folk music duets, including: In music a singer or vocalist is a type of musician who sings, i. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... Eugene Levy (born December 17, 1946) is a Canadian Emmy- and Grammy Award-winning actor, television director, producer, musician and writer. ... An Autoharp The Autoharp is a musical string instrument having a series of chord bars attached to dampers which, when depressed, mute all the strings other than those that form the desired chord. ... Catherine OHara (born March 4, 1954) is a Canadian/American actress and comedian. ... Folk song redirects here. ...

• Ian and Sylvia
• Jim and Jean
• Richard and Mimi Fariña
• Friend and Lover
• Richard and Linda Thompson
• Bob Dylan and Joan Baez
• Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash
• Sonny Bono and Cher

In the fictional reality of the film, they released seven albums together: Meet Mitch & Mickey (which contains the song "One More Time" and whose cover looks suspiciously like that of With the Beatles), If This Rose Could Talk, Songs From A Love Nest, Together Forever (featuring "Kiss At the End of the Rainbow"), Over the Moon, Live At the Folk Place, When You're Next To Me (featuring the song of the same title). The font used for the group's name is the same font that folk group Peter Paul & Mary used and the covers for "Together Forever" and "Live at Folk Place" have references to PPM album covers. After their breakup, Mitch went on to record three poorly received solo albums: Cry for Help (containing such singles as "If I Had A Gun" and "Anyone But You"), Songs From A Dark Place, and Calling it Quits. The cover of Calling it Quits, showing Mitch digging his own grave, is suggestive of the tombstone of the cover of Phil Ochs's album from 1969, Rehearsals for Retirement. Ian and Sylvia Tyson were a Canadian folk music duo who performed and recorded from the early 1960s through the early 1970s. ... Richard George Fariña ( March 8, 1937 – April 30, 1966 ) was an American writer and folksinger. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Friend and Lover were a real-life married duo of Jim Post and Cathy Conn (who later divorced) who made it big with Reach Out of the Darkness as a One Hit Wonder in 1968. ... Linda Thompson is a British singer. ... This article is about the recording artist. ... Joan Chandos Baez (born January 9, 1941) is an American folk singer and songwriter known for her highly individual vocal style. ... For the song of the same name, recorded by Tracy Byrd and later by Jason Aldean, see Johnny Cash (song). ... Valerie June Carter Cash (June 23, 1929 – May 15, 2003) was a singer, songwriter, actress and comedian and was a member of the Carter Family, and the second wife of singer Johnny Cash. ... Salvatore Phillip Sonny Bono (February 16, 1935) – January 5, 1998) was an American record producer, singer, actor, and politician whose career spanned over three decades. ... This article is about the entertainer. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Philip David Ochs (December 19, 1940–April 9, 1976) was a U.S. protest singer (or, as he preferred, a topical singer), songwriter, musician and recording artist who was known for his sharp wit, sardonic humor, earnest humanism, political activism, insightful and alliterative lyrics, and haunting voice. ... Rehearsals For Retirement was Phil Ochs sixth album, released in 1969 on A&M Records. ...

Part of the performance of "Kiss At the End of the Rainbow" is an actual kiss between Mitch and Mickey at a certain point in the song. This leads to an awkward silence during rehearsals and a moment of dramatic tension during the performance, culminating in a kiss at the appropriate moment, which appears to have an effect on both characters. For the American glam metal band, see Kiss (band). ...

Songs:

• When You're Next To Me: Mitch and Mickey's last song together.
• Killington Hill: a silver-dagger ballad about a rape, a murder, and a nap. Mitch suggets this as a "possible opener" for their set at the Town Hall show.
• One More Time: a love plaint.
• The Ballad of Bobby and June: a story about two lovers who lived during the American Civil War.
• A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow: their 1966 hit, which in reality was nominated for an Academy Award.

At the end of the film, Mickey sings "The Sure-Flo Song" (about urine incontinence aids), which was written by Catherine O'Hara.^{[citation needed]} Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ...

All three folk groups, along with the audience, sang the anthem "A Mighty Wind" together as the finale of the concert.

Production

In an interview done during the film's publicity, Annette O'Toole stated that many of the songs were written when—in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks—plane groundings meant she and husband Michael McKean had to drive from their home in Los Angeles to Vancouver, where O'Toole's show Smallville was being filmed. Along the way, to amuse themselves, they wrote the songs, one of which was nominated for an Oscar. The Town Hall scenes were filmed at the restored Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. Annette OToole (born Annette Toole on April 1, 1952[1] in Houston, Texas) is an American dancer and actress. ... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... For other uses, see Vancouver (disambiguation). ... Smallville is an American television series created by writer/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and was initially broadcast by The WB. After its fifth season, the WB and UPN merged to form The CW, which is the current broadcaster for the show in the United States. ...

Reception

One of the songs from the movie, "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song, and was performed at the 76th Academy Awards by Levy and O'Hara (in character). Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... The Academy Award for Best Song is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are songwriters and composers. ... 76th Academy Awards Sunday, February 29, 2004 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California Hosts Preshow: Billy Bush, Chris Connelly & Maria Menounos Show: Billy Crystal Crew Producer: Joe Roth Supervising Producer: Michael Seligman Director: Lou Horvitz Duration 3 hours, 40 minutes Network ABC The big contenders for the 76th Academy...

External links

• A Mighty Wind at the Internet Movie Database
• Transcript of the "original" Folksmen reunion on Saturday Night Live
• Christopher Guest interview for A Mighty Wind