The Fearless Freaks

The Fearless Freaks (2005)

May 25th, 20051h 40min

Music, Documentary
70%

Overview

Equal parts punk and psychedelia, the Flaming Lips emerged from Oklahoma City as one of the most bracing bands of the late 1980s. The Fearless Freaks documents their rise from Butthole Surfers-imitating noisemakers to grand poobahs of orchestral pop masterpieces. Filmmaker Bradley Beesely had the good fortune of living in the same neighborhood as lead Lip Wayne Coyne, who quickly enlisted his buddy to document his band's many concerts and assorted exploits. The early footage is a riot, with tragic hair styles on proud display as the boys attempt to cover up their lack of natural talent with sheer volume. During one show, they even have a friend bring a motorcycle on stage, which is then miked for sound and revved throughout the performance, clearing the club with toxic levels of carbon monoxide. Great punk rock stuff. Interspersed among the live bits are interviews with the band's family and friends, revealing the often tragic circumstances of their childhoods and early career.


Make sure to check your pop-up blocker!!

Trailer

Similar Movies

Juzo Itami: The Man with 13 Faces

Juzo Itami: The Man with 13 Faces


Released on: 2007-01-01
Documentary

A documentary about the legendary Japanese filmmaker.

There Is a PiL in Heaven

There Is a PiL in Heaven


Released on: 2012-06-26
Music

Public Image Limited provide a monumental live performance at London's Heaven, showcasing tracks fro...

Love & Mercy

Love & Mercy


Released on: 2015-05-29
Drama, Music, History

In the late 1960s, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson stops touring, produces "Pet Sounds" and begins to l...

SLC Punk

SLC Punk


Released on: 1998-09-24
Comedy, Drama, Crime, Music

Two former geeks become 1980s punks, then party and go to concerts while deciding what to do with th...

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere


Released on: 2025-10-22
Drama, Music

Bruce Springsteen, a young musician on the cusp of global superstardom, struggles to reconcile the p...

Dead Mail

Dead Mail


Released on: 2024-03-09
Crime, Thriller, Music, Mystery, Horror

An ominous help note finds its way to a 1980s post office, connecting a dead letter investigator to ...

Blondie : Greatest Hits - Sound & Vision

Blondie : Greatest Hits - Sound & Vision


Released on: 2005-11-08
Music

1. In the Flesh - 2. X Offender - 3. Denis – 4. Detroit 442 – 5. (I'm Always Touched by Your) Presen...

There Is No Authority But Yourself

There Is No Authority But Yourself


Released on: 2006-01-01
Documentary

A Dutch documentary about the history of the anarchist punk band Crass. The film features archival f...

The James Dean Story

The James Dean Story


Released on: 1957-08-13
Documentary

Released two years after James Dean's death, this documentary chronicles his short life and career v...

Hollywood Rated 'R'

Hollywood Rated 'R'


Released on: 1997-06-19
Documentary, Horror, Science Fiction

A roller-coaster ride through the history of American exploitation films, ranging from Roger Corman'...

Coluche, une époque formidable

Coluche, une époque formidable


Released on: 2021-06-11
Documentary, TV Movie

Documentary on the French comedian, actor, humanitarian and legend Coluche.

Velvet Goldmine

Velvet Goldmine


Released on: 1998-08-28
Drama, Music

Almost a decade since larger-than-life glam-rock enigma Brian Slade disappeared from public eye, an ...

Green Day: The Early Years

Green Day: The Early Years


Released on: 2017-03-23
Music, Documentary

"Green Day: The Early Years" chronicles the rise of the world's most influential punk band, from the...

I Love You I Miss You I Hope I See You Before I Die

I Love You I Miss You I Hope I See You Before I Die


Released on: 2020-01-27
Documentary

A harsh and dreamy story of a young girl from the American West and her longing heart. Through Betty...

Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché

Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché


Released on: 2021-02-27
Documentary, Music

The death of punk icon and X-Ray Spex front-woman Poly Styrene sends her daughter on a journey throu...

Outlawed: A Punk Rock Uprising in the Basque Country

Outlawed: A Punk Rock Uprising in the Basque Country


Released on: 2021-01-15
Documentary, Music, History

A sonic journey through Basque punk rock and the turbulent past that defined its sound, chronicling ...

NDDJ (Notre-Dame-du-Jambon)

NDDJ (Notre-Dame-du-Jambon)


Released on: 2022-11-20
Documentary

Karan and Rohan, two biracial brothers raised in a marginal environment, are finding ways to get sti...

Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory

Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory


Released on: 1895-03-22
History, Documentary

Working men and women leave through the main gate of the Lumière factory in Lyon, France. Filmed on ...

Razing the Bar: A Documentary About the Funhouse

Razing the Bar: A Documentary About the Funhouse


Released on: 2014-05-20
Documentary, Music

Razing the Bar documents the development and eventual demolition of a well-loved fringe punk rock Se...

8-8-88 Church of Satan Mansonite Rally

8-8-88 Church of Satan Mansonite Rally


Released on: 1988-08-08
Documentary

On August 8, 1988, the world’s first and largest Satanic rally took place. Ripped from a video featu...