Project Detail

In the Court of the Crimson King

Synopsis

King Crimson is a band that people literally are dying to be in. IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING recruits us into the world's most demanding rock band and introduces us to a world full of acute suffering, only alleviated by the applause of an audience so in love with King Crimson that their demands threaten to make the lives of the band members even more miserable. Filmed over several years and featuring exclusive performances shot in Pompeii and the UK, the film follows a dysfunctioning family of ageing artists determined to make meaningful work in the deepening shadow of their own mortality. The group's leader Robert Fripp, famous for his unique guitar work with David Bowie and Brian Eno, and aptly described as “a cross between Mahatma Gandi, Joseph Stalin and the Marquis de Sade”, has overseen an environment for over 50 years in which freedom and responsibility conspire to place extraordinary creative demands on the band's members, and ultimately the film’s maker Toby Amies. Not everyone survives the experience intact. IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING also contains excellent music and bad jokes.
Official Selection SXSW 2022 - 24 Beats Per Second - World premiere