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Reviews
In the Court of the Crimson King: King Crimson at 50 (2022)
The cost of seeking perfection
An intimate, at times painful portrait of a group of men who settle for nothing other than perfection, and are cursed with the self-awareness to know no such things exist.
This is a film about what makes the people tick. Fripp, whose tinpot dictator routine hides a deeply sensitive and thoughtful man, carries on his traditional role of "not leading" the band, but is its core. It's hard at times to believe this playful chap created some of the darkest guitar lines in history, and at times not. The same could also be said of their first dummer, Mike Giles, who manages to be both a god of thunder and quintessential English gentleman.
Some of the reflections are pained - the path to perfection will always claim some roadkill - but their complaints are put into perspective by Bill Rieflin. How much does this music really mean? His resolve and dignity answer that question better than any histrionics.
The film also features a variety of very serious fans who go to KC shows expecting the beset night of their lives, and quite often get it.