MesmeroWatch list, 0 saved

Movie
Poster for Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King

Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King

1993 · 90 min

A warm, scrappy portrait of outsider creativity that feels like flipping through a handmade zine with friends.

Overview
A documentary covering the rise of extremely alternative band Half Japanese: from the early days when Jad and David Fair recorded loud music in their bedroom for distribution via mail order cassette tape, to their contemporary incarnation after David's departure for married life and Jad's increased stature among musicians and critics. Includes interviews with Jad, David, Mo Tucker of Velvet underground fame, and Penn Jillette, who produced an album of theirs.

Search YouTube for the trailer

In the UKNo streaming, rental or purchase options known.
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • warmstrength 2 of 3
  • whimsicalstrength 2 of 3
  • earneststrength 2 of 3
  • satiricalstrength 1 of 3
Pacing
measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • art
  • music
  • identity
  • obsession
  • friendship
Places
  • small town
  • home
Era
contemporary
Audience
adult
Form
  • documentary
  • true story
Content intensity
  • Gore none
  • Language mild
  • Violence none
  • Sex none
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action1
Horror0
Humour6
Realism9
Romance1
Tension2
Darkness2
Complexity4
Emotional weight5

More like this

Titles like Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King

Movie

The Sparks Brothers

2021

A warm, witty, and affectionate deep-dive that celebrates creative persistence and the joy of eccentric pop music.

Warm, whimsical · about art and music · documentary

Via
  • warm
  • whimsical
  • art
  • music
  • documentary
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
140 min
Details In your watch list
The Sparks BrothersHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns)

2003

A genial, affectionate hangout with an eccentric band, full of quirky anecdotes and gentle laughs rather than drama.

Warm, whimsical · about art and music · documentary

Via
  • warm
  • whimsical
  • art
  • music
  • documentary
Pacing
measured
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
102 min
Details In your watch list
Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns)Hidden from your suggestions.
Movie

A loose, affectionate hangout with a scrappy band, more like watching friends jam than a polished concert film.

Warm, earnest · about art and music · documentary

Via
  • warm
  • earnest
  • art
  • music
  • documentary
Pacing
measured
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
60 min
Details In your watch list
Guided By Voices: The Who Went Home and CriedHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Gimme Danger

2016

A warm, rambling hangout with a wild frontman, full of scrappy archival clips and wry anecdotes that make you feel the noise and the friendship.

Warm, earnest · about art and music · documentary

Via
  • warm
  • earnest
  • art
  • music
  • documentary
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
108 min
Details In your watch list
Gimme DangerHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

A lively, witty immersion into a singular artist's mind, driven by archival interviews and performances that crackle with intelligence and irreverence.

Whimsical, earnest · about art and music · documentary

Via
  • whimsical
  • earnest
  • art
  • music
  • documentary
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
93 min
Details In your watch list
Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own WordsHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Maestro: King of the Cowboy Artists

1995

A warm, gently funny portrait of a stubbornly joyful outsider that leaves you pondering why anyone makes art at all.

Warm, whimsical · about art and identity · documentary

Via
  • warm
  • whimsical
  • art
  • identity
  • documentary
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
54 min
Details In your watch list
The Maestro: King of the Cowboy ArtistsHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Live It Up: The Mental As Anything Story

2026

A warm, funny and gently moving look at a band that never took itself too seriously, full of wit and affection.

Warm, whimsical · about art and music · documentary

Via
  • warm
  • whimsical
  • art
  • music
  • documentary
Pacing
brisk
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
92 min
Details In your watch list
Live It Up: The Mental As Anything StoryHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

A gentle, curious half-hour spent watching an eccentric artist coax strange sounds from homemade instruments, quietly inspiring.

Earnest · about art and music · documentary

Via
  • earnest
  • art
  • music
  • documentary
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
27 min
Details In your watch list
The Dreamer That Remains: A Portrait of Harry PartchHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Puuluup: Cables in the Car

2026

A gentle, funny, quietly moving hangout with two oddball musicians, where small absurd moments and late-blooming joy leave you smiling.

Warm, whimsical · about art and music · documentary

Via
  • warm
  • whimsical
  • art
  • music
  • documentary
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
95 min
Details In your watch list
Puuluup: Cables in the CarHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Amigo Arrigo

2019

A warm, affectionate portrait of an eccentric musical mind, drifting through archival clips and reminiscences like a relaxed conversation about art and stubborn creativity.

Warm, earnest · about art and music · documentary

Via
  • warm
  • earnest
  • art
  • music
  • documentary
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
77 min
Details In your watch list
Amigo ArrigoHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Freakscene: The Story of Dinosaur Jr.

2021

A candid, affectionate look at a loud, prickly band, mixing archival footage with honest talk about friendship and friction.

About art and music · documentary

Via
  • art
  • music
  • documentary
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
82 min
Details In your watch list
Freakscene: The Story of Dinosaur Jr.Hidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Pulp: What Do You Do for an Encore?

2026

A warm, witty backstage pass that pairs arena spectacle with four decades of wry, nostalgic archive footage.

Warm, whimsical · about art and music · documentary

Via
  • warm
  • whimsical
  • art
  • music
  • documentary
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
98 min
Details In your watch list
Pulp: What Do You Do for an Encore?Hidden from your suggestions.

Where to watch in the UK

No UK streaming, rental or purchase options are known.

Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

Details

Genres
documentary, music
Directed by
Jeff Feuerzeig
Starring
Byron Coley, Jad Fair, David Fair, Maureen Tucker, Penn Jillette
Runtime
90 min
Country
United States of America
Languages
English

TMDBIMDb