Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions

Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions is a film built strictly around Taylor Swift and two other musicians discussing and performing the music from their latest album together. There's some language (most notably, "s--t," "s--tty," "damn," "hell," and "bitch") and lyrics discuss drinking, addiction, relationships, and allusions to sexual intimacy. Otherwise, topics in the documentary revolve around what the lyrics mean to each of the musicians involved. They talk about struggling with anxiety, self doubt, depression, celebrity, relationships, and the burden of the COVID-19 quarantine that forced them to record the album separately but also inspired the music. Swift and her companions sip wine and beer as they sit around a fire and talk. At the end, we hear Swift suggest they celebrate with whisky.
Community Reviews
soo good!!
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Insightful, Amazing, Really Well Done Docu
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What's the Story?
Taylor Swift and the two musician collaborators on her most recent album meet at a studio in upstate New York to perform their album together for the first time in FOLKLORE: THE LONG POND STUDIO SESSIONS. The three -- Swift, Jack Antonoff, and Aaron Dessner -- had worked separately in their homes during the COVID-19 quarantine to record the surprise album released in July 2020. Now they come together and talk about the process and the meaning behind each of the tracks on the album and play each song together for the first time.
Is It Any Good?
Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions will be catnip to the world's many Taylor Swift fans, but it's also a unique look inside the artistic process behind one album. It's intriguing to listen in on the origins and meaning of songs with otherwise cryptic or, conversely, seemingly generic lyrics. We also learn a little more about the artist. Swift suggests this is her first album that's not fully autobiographical, though there are many personal and life-inspired lyrics. Watching the superstar sing in a solitary studio with just guitar and/or piano accompaniment crystallizes her vocal talent.
Each song is discussed and then performed -- no bloopers are shown here. We don't see any technicians or camera crew; the film is made more intimate by being limited to the three people, their conversations, and the music in such an isolated setting. The two musicians conversing with the singer -- Dessner and Antonoff -- are here mostly as sounding boards for Swift. There's no question who the celebrity is in the group, but the entire atmosphere is laid back. They look like they're having fun; the album feels cathartic for all of them during a difficult year. Viewers, too, can enjoy the relaxed mood.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what Taylor Swift reveals about herself and her artistic process in Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions.
Which of the songs did you like best on the album, and why? What did you learn about the songs on the album?
How does this documentary differ from others that you've seen about Swift or other musicians?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: November 25, 2020
- Cast: Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner
- Director: Taylor Swift
- Studio: Disney+
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Music and Sing-Along
- Run time: 105 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: November 26, 2020
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love music
Themes & Topics
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