RiP: A Remix Manifesto

Synopsis

As brash and madly kinetic as the mash-ups that fill its soundtrack, Brett Gaylor's documentary is anything but a mild-mannered examination of copyright and "copy-wrong" in the digital age. The music and methods of Girl Talk (a.k.a. Gregg Gillis) provide the through line for Gaylor's audacious and ambitious look at the changing notions of fair use and free speech as they're redefined by artists, lawyers and legislators. This battle pits remixers and recyclers of cultural detritus against corporations who struggle to maintain their control over everything from Mickey Mouse's likeness to the music of Metallica. Gaylor's eagerness to let viewers remix his own footage shows you where his sympathies lie.

-Jason Anderson

Official Site