We were perusing through the most popular films on Netflix when a friend of mine and I watched one of the most underrated and underappreciated independent films: The History of Future Folk. At first glance, I assumed it was some cheesy documentary telling the obscure future of the human race. We then read the Netflix synopsis and we were even more intrigued by the ludicrous description. It said "Truth be told, most tyrannical alien despots are pussycats who just need a banjo and a good bedtime story." A ludicrous description, but we gave it a shot.
The movie tells the tale of General Trius, a super soldier bad ass from the planet Hondo. He made a promise to his mother as a child that he would stop a giant meteor from destroying his home world. To do this, he must travel to Earth and wipe out the human population so his species can inhabit the planet. While standing in a Costco about to release a devastating flesh eating bacteria, General Trius hears music for the first time. General Trius decides he cannot destroy the beings that created this beautiful collection of sounds. He teams up with the Mighty Kevin, another Hondonian, to stop the meteor saving both Hondo and Earth from destruction. The heroes of the story, also form a folk music duo, don their Hondonian space gear, and play small gigs at a local bar. With Trius on banjo, and Kevin on guitar, they sing hilariously clever and creative songs about their travels through space, their home world, and even love.
My favorite scene in the film is when you see the Mighty Kevin, a grown man, react to and envelop the emotions conveyed by music when you hear it for the first time. This music ranges from Mozart to the Super Mario Brothers theme song and is masterfully played on the banjo. You witness him act out happiness, sorrow, and even terror. Imagine anything that you have ever claimed is your favorite thing. Do you remember a time before you were exposed to this thing? Can you remember your first experience with it?
After finishing the film, I realized that the Netflix description had absolutely nothing to do with the movie itself. I enjoyed the music in the film so much that I went to see if I could purchase the soundtrack, but I found something even better. Their website. They have been doing off-Broadway shows for years. They encourage fans to bring their own red, bucket shaped, Hondonian helmets and even have instructions on their website to learn how to make it yourself. The band lives and breaths their zany, musical aesthetic, constantly interacting with fans on social media and posting Future Folk fan art. The band tours around the country, and though I missed their 2014 Part of Earth Tour, I anxiously wait for the announcement of their next tour.
If you enjoy comically bizarre comedies, folk music, science fiction or Hawaiian shirts, then I would highly recommend seeing this movie. If you enjoy the movie as much as I did, I encourage you to actively listen to their music. If you enjoy their music, put on your red helmet and join me for this innovative, comedy band's next performance. Hondo!
