Movie Review: The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers – Our Brother, Hillel
One-liner: An enigmatic, energetic and heartfelt deep cut rockumentary chronicle of the origins of the Red Hot Chili Peppers sound and its eccentric founding members.
The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother Hillel is a rockumentary that rewinds in time to the origins of one of music’s most enduring acts. It may come as a surprise that the band has been around for over 40 years, having formed in the early ’80s after being part of a few start-up bands where the founding members, Anthony Kiedis, Flea, and Hillel Slovak, met and created the iconic sound now synonymous with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. A music documentary and cautionary tale, this film treats Hillel Slovak as a “golden thread,” charting the rise of the band in relation to his musical genius and his descent into the pitfalls long associated with rock music. It taps into their early influences, covering how they each got involved in music as well as the incredible friendships that became the basis for the band.
The film is an informative, heartfelt and energetic tribute to the “silent” member of the band whose influence echoes today. A fitting tribute, Kiedis and Flea are interviewed along with other core band members of the time to honour the memory and ability of the third founding member, giving all due respect. This is a fascinating trip down memory lane which extends to their earliest days as childhood friends and carries beyond Hillel’s untimely death. It’s a testament to the enduring friendship of Kiedis and Flea, but also a haunting reminder of the man who helped curate the signature sound of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
This nostalgic retrospective delves deep into the history of the band and its members, cleverly immersing us in the life and times of the era. An absolute treasure trove of photos, video, sketches, and journal entries punctuates this quick-cut documentary, which attempts to harness the live-wire energy of the band and its funky rock music. A beautiful tribute, it’s also something of a confessional as the band members relay some of their toughest moments and deepest regrets, capturing the reckless spirit of their earlier years. It serves as a cautionary tale because they admit to their drug abuse and speak to how it overcame them, isolating and devastating their collective efforts.
“Wait, I can do the alphabet too.”
Moving from their days of rambling around Los Angeles to formalizing their musical efforts and taking things on the road, the documentary also captures the big turning points in the band’s trajectory as they went from somewhat experimental to a global breakthrough. Getting up-close and personal interviews with the band members is a real treat as they expound on their highs and lows with honesty and fond memories. You can see how Hillel’s contribution has filtered into their musical accomplishments and created a legacy for the rock band that continues to this day. Getting first-hand accounts of their exploits is special, and discovering just how monumental this guitarist’s contribution was makes one even more appreciative of the kind of music they make today.
A deep dive into their earliest days, it is much more than just a film for the fans. The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother Hillel is able to conjure up a vivid slice of life from the era, speaking to a culture of the day and making a wild contrast with our view of rock music in the modern era. Wild, untamed, and full of buzz, the film goes to some spellbinding places and is infused with such rich, raw honesty and heartfelt recollections that it makes for a compelling and in-depth documentary. Director Ben Feldman does a remarkable job of collating so much media, and the wizardry of the edit captures the essence of the band with incredible material.
The soundtrack echoes each chapter of their history, giving a good sense of the evolution of their sound and a fresh dimension to the context of the enduring members, Anthony and Flea. Using AI to capture the nuances of Hillel’s voice, it’s quite haunting to have him reading some of his own journals to the screen, but it enriches this testament to the band and tribute to a rock guitarist whose enigmatic quality gives the film a Searching for Sugar Man undertone. Filled with artful graphic recreations and engaging many intricate characters who could warrant documentaries of their own, The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is an insightful, entertaining and well-rounded film that feels like it could be the first part of a trilogy. While it hits all the right notes with purpose and will appeal mostly to fans of the band, it does seem like something’s missing.
The bottom line: Untamed
