Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing
Encyclopedia
Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing (also known simply as Shut Up and Sing) is a 2006 documentary film produced and directed by Academy Award-winning director Barbara Kopple
and Cecilia Peck
(daughter of famed actor Gregory Peck
).
The film follows the Dixie Chicks
, an extremely successful all-woman Texas
-based country music
trio, over a three year period of intense public scrutiny, fan backlash, physical threats, and pressure from both corporate and conservative political elements in the United States
after lead singer Natalie Maines
publicly criticised then President of the United States George W. Bush
during a live 2003 concert in London
as part of their Top of the World Tour
.
It is the first Rated R project by the Dixie Chicks.
2003 Top of the World Tour
, discussing the Dixie Chicks' super-star status prior the incident at their London show. They had sold more albums in the United States than any other female band in history. With the release of their 2002 album Home
, they were again at the top of the Billboard
Charts. The new single
from that album "Travelin' Soldier
", a sensitive depiction of a soldier's life during the Vietnam War
era, and the young woman who waited for him, finding he was killed in battle, had peaked at #1 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs
Chart.
The film then cuts to a scene from the Dixie Chicks
' March 10, 2003 concert at the Shepherd's Bush Empire Theatre in London, England. The atmosphere in the European audience is of dramatic opposition to the announcement from United States President George W. Bush's
authorization of the invasion of Iraq. Approximately 1 million people had recently demonstrated in London against the impending war. During the introduction to their song "Travelin' Soldier
", Natalie Maines
, a Texas native, says:
The Guardian
, a major English Newspaper, published Maines' statement as simply "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas.". Shortly thereafter, the U.S. media picked up the story and controversy erupted. Conservative groups in the U.S. rallied against the Dixie Chicks
and a firestorm of anger and criticism followed.
The film shows the band's reaction to the open hostility, political and corporate backlash, and physical threats directed at the group. The band did not expect such a strong reaction, and they are unsure if they should "shut up and sing", apologise, or stand by their convictions and let more sparks fly.
The film follows the day-to-day life of the Chicks. It shows them with their husbands and their children, at home in Texas and in the recording studio in Los Angeles
, getting their hair and makeup done before appearances, exchanging ribald remarks with each other, writing song lyrics and working on musical arrangements. Simon Renshaw, the group's longtime manager, is the focus of many scenes as he attempts to guide the Chicks through the vicissitudes of the music industry.
The title of the film is a lyric from the Dixie Chicks' 2006 post-controversial single "Not Ready to Make Nice
" from the album Taking the Long Way
. It was the criticism and hate mail that they received because of their political statements, one of which drew such concern from both the FBI and the Texas Rangers
that they advised the Chicks to cancel a concert in Dallas, Texas
, and they were shown the original letter that specified a date, time, and location at which lead singer Natalie Maines would be shot dead, unless she "shut up and sang". However, the show took place without incident. Living in a constant state of fear took an emotional toll on the Chicks, in particular because they toured with their babies with them.
The song, "Not Ready to Make Nice
" includes a reference to that very real death threat:
Commentator Laura Ingraham
coined the phrase "shut up and sing"; it was the title of her 2003 book Shut Up & Sing: How Elites from Hollywood, Politics, and the UN Are Subverting America
.
The tagline of the film, "freedom of speech is fine as long as you don't do it in public", is a reference to a scene in which an interviewed protester says "freedom of speech is fine but by God you don't do it outside of the country and you don't do it in mass publicly".
, announced that NBC
had refused to air the TV advertisements for the film, stating that it was following a "policy of not broadcasting ads that deal with issues of public controversy". NBC publicly acknowledged the decision but claimed that it was willing to work with Weinstein to find an acceptable alternative. At the same time, the distributor also claimed that The CW had refused to air these advertisements, citing "concerns we do not have appropriate programming in which to schedule this spot". That network later said its statement was merely an opinion on whether its target audience would respond to the ad, and that it would have accepted the ads if Weinstein had actually bought commercial time.
At the time, CBS
was the only major television network to have agreed to air the ads for the film, according to a Weinstein spokesperson, who said the company was also waiting on responses from ABC
and Fox. It is not clear which decision either network ultimately made. However, individual stations affiliated with all five networks, including some owned by NBC, aired the ad during local ad time.
and Los Angeles
on October 27, 2006 in only 4 theatres. In its first week it grossed an average of US$50,103. In its sixth week (38 days after its original release) the film expanded to its widest release, being shown at 84 theaters.
. As of February 15, 2007, it had a 91% rating, being "certified fresh." It also has a 91% rating from the "Cream of the Crop" reviewers.
Shut Up and Sing has received positive reviews from major American publications such as Rolling Stone
, The New Yorker
, Entertainment Weekly
, Chicago Tribune
, Variety
, Time
, USA Today
, New York Post
, The Wall Street Journal
, TV Guide
, San Francisco Chronicle
, Newsweek
, LA Weekly
and The Washington Post
. It was also very well received by Richard Roeper
on the television program Ebert & Roeper.
cover, in which they are featured in the nude, with their privates cleverly hidden. On the U.S. version of the poster, however, the "nudity" was edited out and towels are seen over their nude bodies. The writings, which were originally on their bodies, were transferred to the towels. The Canadian poster used the original photo, with no towels added.
The original photograph included the words "Dixie Sluts" but for the promotional poster, a more demure "Dixie Bimbos" replaced the message on Emily Robison's arm.
for strong language.
of the film was released on February 20, 2007, and the UK in September 2007. On September 9, 2007, it ranked at #2 in the UK Top 20 DVD Chart.
Barbara Kopple
Barbara Kopple is an American film director, primarily known for her work in documentary film.-Biography:She grew up in Scarsdale, New York, the daughter of a textile executive and studied psychology at Northeastern University, after which she worked with the Maysles Brothers.Kopple has won two...
and Cecilia Peck
Cecilia Peck
Cecilia Peck is a film producer, director, and actress. Cecilia is the daughter of actor Gregory Peck and his second wife Veronique Passani.-Personal life:...
(daughter of famed actor Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck
Eldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
).
The film follows the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
, an extremely successful all-woman Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
-based country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
trio, over a three year period of intense public scrutiny, fan backlash, physical threats, and pressure from both corporate and conservative political elements in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after lead singer Natalie Maines
Natalie Maines
Natalie Louise Maines Pasdar is an American singer-songwriter who achieved success as the lead vocalist for the female alternative country band, the Dixie Chicks...
publicly criticised then President of the United States George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
during a live 2003 concert in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
as part of their Top of the World Tour
Top of the World Tour
Top of the World Tour was the 2003 concert tour by American country music trio Dixie Chicks. It was in support of their album Home, and named after the song "Top of the World" on that album.-History:...
.
It is the first Rated R project by the Dixie Chicks.
Synopsis
The film opens during the Dixie Chicks'Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
2003 Top of the World Tour
Top of the World Tour
Top of the World Tour was the 2003 concert tour by American country music trio Dixie Chicks. It was in support of their album Home, and named after the song "Top of the World" on that album.-History:...
, discussing the Dixie Chicks' super-star status prior the incident at their London show. They had sold more albums in the United States than any other female band in history. With the release of their 2002 album Home
Home (Dixie Chicks album)
Home is the sixth studio album by American country band Dixie Chicks, released in 2002 on Monument/Columbia Records. It is notable for its acoustic bluegrass sound, which stands in contrast with their previous two country pop albums....
, they were again at the top of the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Charts. The new single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from that album "Travelin' Soldier
Travelin' Soldier
"Travelin' Soldier" is a song written and originally recorded by American country music artist Bruce Robison in 1996 and again, in rewritten form, in 1999. It was later recorded by Ty England on his 1999 album Highways & Dance Halls. The first rendition to be issued as a single was by the Dixie...
", a sensitive depiction of a soldier's life during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
era, and the young woman who waited for him, finding he was killed in battle, had peaked at #1 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
Chart.
The film then cuts to a scene from the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
' March 10, 2003 concert at the Shepherd's Bush Empire Theatre in London, England. The atmosphere in the European audience is of dramatic opposition to the announcement from United States President George W. Bush's
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
authorization of the invasion of Iraq. Approximately 1 million people had recently demonstrated in London against the impending war. During the introduction to their song "Travelin' Soldier
Travelin' Soldier
"Travelin' Soldier" is a song written and originally recorded by American country music artist Bruce Robison in 1996 and again, in rewritten form, in 1999. It was later recorded by Ty England on his 1999 album Highways & Dance Halls. The first rendition to be issued as a single was by the Dixie...
", Natalie Maines
Natalie Maines
Natalie Louise Maines Pasdar is an American singer-songwriter who achieved success as the lead vocalist for the female alternative country band, the Dixie Chicks...
, a Texas native, says:
The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, a major English Newspaper, published Maines' statement as simply "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas.". Shortly thereafter, the U.S. media picked up the story and controversy erupted. Conservative groups in the U.S. rallied against the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
and a firestorm of anger and criticism followed.
The film shows the band's reaction to the open hostility, political and corporate backlash, and physical threats directed at the group. The band did not expect such a strong reaction, and they are unsure if they should "shut up and sing", apologise, or stand by their convictions and let more sparks fly.
The film follows the day-to-day life of the Chicks. It shows them with their husbands and their children, at home in Texas and in the recording studio in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, getting their hair and makeup done before appearances, exchanging ribald remarks with each other, writing song lyrics and working on musical arrangements. Simon Renshaw, the group's longtime manager, is the focus of many scenes as he attempts to guide the Chicks through the vicissitudes of the music industry.
The title of the film is a lyric from the Dixie Chicks' 2006 post-controversial single "Not Ready to Make Nice
Not Ready to Make Nice
"Not Ready to Make Nice" is a country pop song co-written and performed by the American all-female band Dixie Chicks for their seventh studio album Taking the Long Way...
" from the album Taking the Long Way
Taking the Long Way
-Public reception:On May 31, 2006, the album took three number one spots on the charts of Billboard magazine. It was number one on the Hot Country Albums, Top Digital Albums, and on the Billboard 200 chart, going Gold in its first week with 526,000 units sold....
. It was the criticism and hate mail that they received because of their political statements, one of which drew such concern from both the FBI and the Texas Rangers
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
that they advised the Chicks to cancel a concert in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, and they were shown the original letter that specified a date, time, and location at which lead singer Natalie Maines would be shot dead, unless she "shut up and sang". However, the show took place without incident. Living in a constant state of fear took an emotional toll on the Chicks, in particular because they toured with their babies with them.
The song, "Not Ready to Make Nice
Not Ready to Make Nice
"Not Ready to Make Nice" is a country pop song co-written and performed by the American all-female band Dixie Chicks for their seventh studio album Taking the Long Way...
" includes a reference to that very real death threat:
And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Saying that I better
shut up and sing or my life will be over?!
Commentator Laura Ingraham
Laura Ingraham
Laura Anne Ingraham is an American radio host, author, and conservative political commentator. Her nationally syndicated talk show, The Laura Ingraham Show, airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network...
coined the phrase "shut up and sing"; it was the title of her 2003 book Shut Up & Sing: How Elites from Hollywood, Politics, and the UN Are Subverting America
Shut Up & Sing: How Elites from Hollywood, Politics, and the UN Are Subverting America
Shut Up & Sing: How Elites from Hollywood, Politics, and the UN Are Subverting America is the second book written by conservative radio show host Laura Ingraham. The book was first published in 2003 by Regnery Publishing, and details Laura's views on elites from the world of politics to educational...
.
The tagline of the film, "freedom of speech is fine as long as you don't do it in public", is a reference to a scene in which an interviewed protester says "freedom of speech is fine but by God you don't do it outside of the country and you don't do it in mass publicly".
Release dates
September 12, 2006 (Toronto International Film FestivalToronto International Film FestivalThe Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
– world premierePremiereA premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
)
September 21, 2006 (San Sebastián International Film FestivalSan Sebastián International Film FestivalThe San Sebastián International Film Festival is an annual FIAPF A category film festival held in the Spanish city of San Sebastián .-History:The festival was founded in 1953...
)
September 30, 2006 (Aspen Film Festival)
- October 15, 2006 (Woodstock Film Festival)
October 17, 2006 (Rome Film Fest)
- October 19, 2006 (Austin Film FestivalAustin Film FestivalThe Austin Film Festival was started in 1994 in Austin, Texas and is claimed to be "the first organization of its kind to focus on the writer’s unique creative contribution to the film and television industries"...
)
October 25, 2006 (London Film FestivalLondon Film FestivalThe BFI London Film Festival is the UK's largest public film event, screening more than 300 features, documentaries and shorts from almost 50 countries. The festival, , currently in its 54th year, is run every year in the second half of October under the umbrella of the British Film Institute...
)
- October 27, 2006 (limited release)
- November 10, 2006 (wide release)
March 16, 2007 (Thessaloniki Documentaries Festival)
March 29, 2007
- April 26, 2007 (limited)
June 15, 2007 (Sydney Film FestivalSydney Film FestivalThe Sydney Film Festival is an annual film festival held in the Australian city of Sydney and is held over 12 days in June. The competitive film festival draws international and local attention, with films being showcased in several venues across the city centre and includes features,...
)
- June 29, 2007
August 9, 2007
August 11, 2007 (Jecheon International Music & Film Festival)
August 15, 2007
- October 3, 2007
Television advertisements
In October 2006, the film's distributor, The Weinstein CompanyThe Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company is an American film studio founded by Bob and Harvey Weinstein in 2005 after the brothers left the then-Disney-owned Miramax Films, which they had co-founded in 1979...
, announced that NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
had refused to air the TV advertisements for the film, stating that it was following a "policy of not broadcasting ads that deal with issues of public controversy". NBC publicly acknowledged the decision but claimed that it was willing to work with Weinstein to find an acceptable alternative. At the same time, the distributor also claimed that The CW had refused to air these advertisements, citing "concerns we do not have appropriate programming in which to schedule this spot". That network later said its statement was merely an opinion on whether its target audience would respond to the ad, and that it would have accepted the ads if Weinstein had actually bought commercial time.
At the time, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
was the only major television network to have agreed to air the ads for the film, according to a Weinstein spokesperson, who said the company was also waiting on responses from ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and Fox. It is not clear which decision either network ultimately made. However, individual stations affiliated with all five networks, including some owned by NBC, aired the ad during local ad time.
Box office
The film opened in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on October 27, 2006 in only 4 theatres. In its first week it grossed an average of US$50,103. In its sixth week (38 days after its original release) the film expanded to its widest release, being shown at 84 theaters.
- Total domestic gross: US$1,215,045 (Estimate).
Reviews
Critical reaction to the film has been extremely positive. At the time of its release, it had a 93% rating at the Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
. As of February 15, 2007, it had a 91% rating, being "certified fresh." It also has a 91% rating from the "Cream of the Crop" reviewers.
Shut Up and Sing has received positive reviews from major American publications such as Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
, Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
, The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
, TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
, San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, LA Weekly
LA Weekly
LA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
and The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
. It was also very well received by Richard Roeper
Richard Roeper
Richard E. Roeper is an American columnist and film critic for The Chicago Sun-Times and now a co-host on The Roe Conn Show on WLS-AM...
on the television program Ebert & Roeper.
Awards and nominations
- Aspen Film Festival:
- Audience Award - Favorite Documentary
- Boston Film CriticsBoston Society of Film Critics Awards 2006The 27th Boston Society of Film Critics Awards, honoring the best in filmmaking in 2006, were given on 11 December 2006.-Winners:*Best Film:**The Departed**Runner-up: United 93*Best Actor:**Forest Whitaker – The Last King of Scotland...
:- Best Documentary Feature
- Broadcast Film CriticsBroadcast Film Critics Association Awards 2006The 12th Annual Critics' Choice Awards were presented on 14 January 2007 by the Broadcast Film Critics Association to honor the finest achievements in 2006 filmmaking...
:- Best Documentary Feature
- Best Song ("The Neighbor")
- Chicago International Film FestivalChicago International Film FestivalThe Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America....
:- Special Jury Prize
- Online Film CriticsOnline Film Critics Society Awards 2006The 10th Online Film Critics Society Awards, honoring the best in film for 2006, were given on 8 January 2007.-Best Picture:United 93*Babel*Children of Men*The Departed*Pan's Labyrinth-Best Director:...
:- Best Documentary Feature
- San Diego Film CriticsSan Diego Film Critics Society Awards 2006The 11th San Diego Film Critics Awards, honoring the best in film for 2006, were given in 2006 by the San Diego Film Critics Society.Clint Eastwood's war drama Letters from Iwo Jima won the awards for Best Film and Best Director. Japanese actor Ken Takakura won the award for Best Actor for his role...
:- Best Non-Fiction Film
- Southeastern Film CriticsSoutheastern Film Critics Association Awards 2006The 15th Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards, honoring the best in film for 2006, were given on 18 December, 2006.-Top 10 films:#The Departed *Academy Award for Best Picture*#Iwo Jima kara no tegami #The Queen...
:- Wyatt Award for the film that best captures the "spirit of the South" (won)
- Woodstock Film FestivalWoodstock Film FestivalThe Woodstock Film Festival is an American film festival that was begun in 1999. The festival was first conceived as a part of the Woodstock '99 Music and Arts Festival, with movies being screened as part of that event.-History:...
:- Audience Award - Best Documentary Feature
- Sydney Film FestivalSydney Film FestivalThe Sydney Film Festival is an annual film festival held in the Australian city of Sydney and is held over 12 days in June. The competitive film festival draws international and local attention, with films being showcased in several venues across the city centre and includes features,...
:- Audience Award - Documentary Category
Poster
The theatrical poster of the film borrowed a picture of the band from a memorable Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
cover, in which they are featured in the nude, with their privates cleverly hidden. On the U.S. version of the poster, however, the "nudity" was edited out and towels are seen over their nude bodies. The writings, which were originally on their bodies, were transferred to the towels. The Canadian poster used the original photo, with no towels added.
The original photograph included the words "Dixie Sluts" but for the promotional poster, a more demure "Dixie Bimbos" replaced the message on Emily Robison's arm.
Rating
The documentary received an R rating from the Motion Picture Association of AmericaMotion Picture Association of America
The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. , originally the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America , was founded in 1922 and is designed to advance the business interests of its members...
for strong language.
DVD release
The DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
of the film was released on February 20, 2007, and the UK in September 2007. On September 9, 2007, it ranked at #2 in the UK Top 20 DVD Chart.
External links
- Director Barbara Kopple's website
- Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing at the Rotten TomatoesRotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...