Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Taylor Mac's 24-Decade History of Popular Music

Play trailer 2:19 Poster for Taylor Mac's 24-Decade History of Popular Music Released Jun 28, 2023 1h 46m Documentary Music LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
In 2016, Taylor Mac performed a one-time-only, 24-hour immersive theatrical experience in front of a live audience at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn. The concert offered an alternative take on U.S. history, narrated through music that was popular from the nation's founding to the present, with Mac transforming hourly by changing into elaborate, decade-specific costumes by Mac's longtime collaborator Machine Dazzle. The documentary, TAYLOR MAC'S 24-DECADE HISTORY OF POPULAR MUSIC, captures Mac's marathon performance in New York, alongside footage from other shows on the tour, which played throughout the world. In the show, Mac and 24 musicians interpret 24 songs, from "Yankee Doodle" to "Gimme Shelter," "Born to Run," and "Gloria," with one performer leaving the stage each hour, until Mac is on stage alone in the final 24th hour.
Watch on Max Stream Now

Where to Watch

Taylor Mac's 24-Decade History of Popular Music

Critics Reviews

View All (12) Critics Reviews
Randy Myers San Jose Mercury News Through interviews with Mac and scenes of backstage preparations, we feel we’re a part of this 10-years-in-the-making production. Rated: 3.5/4 Jul 6, 2023 Full Review Elisabeth Vincentelli New York Times Offers a necessarily abridged look at Mac’s towering achievement, which showcased an incredible range as an interpreter, a theatrical gusto and a mischievous, often biting humor. Jun 27, 2023 Full Review Noel Murray Los Angeles Times This movie is a lovingly crafted memento of a remarkable achievement, one that compressed Mac‘s life and much of modern history into 24 hours of wild stunts and show-stopping show-tunes. Jun 27, 2023 Full Review John Paul King Washington Blade In any case, it’s a stirring and memorable document of a signature work by one of America’s most brilliant queer artists, which makes it essential viewing as far as we’re concerned. Jul 13, 2023 Full Review Johnny Loftus Decider Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music is an epic journey of visuals, musical performance, and meta-community that powerfully manifests both its marathon scope and weighty themes. Jul 5, 2023 Full Review Glenn Dunks The Film Experience ...the film accentuates both the incredible intimacy and the mammoth scope of the show in equal measure. It is a joy to watch. And vibrantly queer, too. Jul 4, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (9) audience reviews
Steve A One of the greatest concert films ever created. Absolutely genius! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/04/24 Full Review Chris S I swam part of this in Australia at the time, and have seen other Taylor Mac shows since. Tho captures the insanity and the glorious inventiveness of Taylor Mac. Unapologetically queer and utterly fabulous Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/09/23 Full Review Carl W People who give this a low review are the people who most need to see it. This was a glorious moment in the history of performance art. Since I couldn't see it in person, I feel so privileged to have seen this small piece of it. Mac is a treasure for our nation. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/09/23 Full Review JL W Taylor and Machine Dazzle are, as the friend who introduced me to their work said, national treasures. The show is genius. It is enlightening, entertaining, exquisitely done, and DEEP. I am so glad it is captured on film. I attended part of 24-Decade in person, and Taylor's Christmas Special at The Curran in SF. They were unforgettable experiences. This is allows everyone to be there, but also in a meta way to see it behind the curtain and from above, to see the audience and the performances as a whole. It is a 24 hour state of amazing grace. I will watch it on repeat. Highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. You could read/know about the content in advance, or just jump in not knowing anything and let Taylor take you on the journey. Brilliant masterpiece. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/02/23 Full Review Dave D An amazing, astonishing, important and wonderful work of Performance Art. Defines the term 'thoughtful entertainment' at the highest level like nothing else! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/01/23 Full Review eileen c Taylor Mac is an absolute genius at creativity. He has an immense understanding, empathy for human psychology, and is fearless in engaging his audience in releasing themselves from their usual social constraints to explore what it is like to truly free oneself. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/01/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Taylor Mac's 24-Decade History of Popular Music

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

TAYLOR SWIFT | THE ERAS TOUR 99% 98% TAYLOR SWIFT | THE ERAS TOUR Watchlist TRAILER for TAYLOR SWIFT | THE ERAS TOUR Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story 93% 97% Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story Watchlist TRAILER for Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story Taeyong: TY Track in Cinemas % 99% Taeyong: TY Track in Cinemas Watchlist TRAILER for Taeyong: TY Track in Cinemas Moonage Daydream 92% 75% Moonage Daydream Watchlist TRAILER for Moonage Daydream Indigo Girls: It's Only Life After All 93% 85% Indigo Girls: It's Only Life After All Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis In 2016, Taylor Mac performed a one-time-only, 24-hour immersive theatrical experience in front of a live audience at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn. The concert offered an alternative take on U.S. history, narrated through music that was popular from the nation's founding to the present, with Mac transforming hourly by changing into elaborate, decade-specific costumes by Mac's longtime collaborator Machine Dazzle. The documentary, TAYLOR MAC'S 24-DECADE HISTORY OF POPULAR MUSIC, captures Mac's marathon performance in New York, alongside footage from other shows on the tour, which played throughout the world. In the show, Mac and 24 musicians interpret 24 songs, from "Yankee Doodle" to "Gimme Shelter," "Born to Run," and "Gloria," with one performer leaving the stage each hour, until Mac is on stage alone in the final 24th hour.
Director
Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Producer
Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman, Joel Stillerman, Linda Brumbach, Alisa E. Regas, Taylor Mac, Mari Rivera
Distributor
Max
Production Co
Telling Pictures
Genre
Documentary, Music, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 28, 2023, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 27, 2023
Runtime
1h 46m
Most Popular at Home Now