Dreaming of You: The Making of The Coral follows the story of six childhood friends as they follow their musical dreams to became one of the most influential British indie bands that shaped the new millennium music scene. The Coral, a band born from the salty air and industrial grit of The Wirral, have never been one to follow a straight path and this coming-of-age documentary tells their story.
Making good use of the band’s own film footage, the documentary follows the six boys from their early school days, when they stood out from the crowd for being a little different, through to their first gigs, the moments of recognition, and ultimately their inevitable split.
There is a lot of nineties nostalgia in this film as we see the six young boys emerging from their “curtain twitching suburbia” to exploit their passion for music and create their own unique sound strongly influenced by the Liverpool’s vibrant late-’90s garage rock scene. We love the many references to everyone who supported and encouraged the young artists in their creative journey, from supportive teachers who recognised their passion for music making, to their parents and grandparents who offered rehearsal spaces in their homes, the odd paid jobs and hearty traditional family meals.
“We were like this secret society of lads doing their own language. You don’t know what it is but you are hungry for something” The Coral
The music strengthens the film’s message and plays a vital role in telling their story as a band as they went to perform in bars and alongside budding artists, to meeting their manager and finding their unique sound, so distinctly British yet strongly influenced by the 60s folk-pop, spaghetti western soundtracks, grandad’s old vinyl records and a sprinkle of old shanty music.
The soundtrack features plenty of original songs by The Coral created over their three decades of music making and performing. They have released eleven studio albums, including their debut single Shadows Fall (2001) that earned them the national recognition, followed by The Invisible Invasion (2005), Roots & Echoes (2007), and Coral Island (2021). They caught the attention of Alan Wills, who, captivated by their eclectic sound, founded DeltaSonic Records around them.
Their music is unique with its blend of psychedelic folk and garage rock with a distinctive sound of haunting, dreamlike melody. They were hailed as pioneers of a new wave of rock ’n’ roll energy—an antidote to the stagnation of the post-Britpop era and their music had also influenced the work of later British indie acts like Arctic Monkeys and Blossoms, who credit The Coral with shaping their sound.
The cinematography is impressive and a true highlight of the story outlaid in the documentary. The VGA ‘archive’ footage shows the band’s early days while the more recent HD recordings, the original sequences from ‘Dreaming of you’ song video, game-style animations, live-action cut-outs, and collages of photos and videos really bring together the identity of this iconic band and the character of the band mates. The film-makers did an impressive job to create a perfect visual collage that shows the many strings that contributed to the band’s success and the artists’ development. The film is incredibly engaging, hugely relatable to everyone who navigated through the weird teenage years and it keeps you hooked from start to finish.
This film is great for teenagers and beginner artists seeking motivation! Narrated by the band, with appearances from The Lightning Seeds, The Zutons, and Tramp Attack, Dreaming of You: The Making of The Coral explores themes of friendship, fame, and fuzzy guitars.
While some musicians might chase a trend, The Coral have always seemed content to follow their own muse. They are the band you listen to when you want to feel a sense of place, to be transported to a world where the familiar is just a little bit off-kilter, and every melody feels like a secret whispered just for you. They didn’t top the charts with every release, but their enduring legacy lies in their unapologetic originality and their role as a truly great British musical institution.
Dreaming of You: The Making of The Coral is in the UK and Irish cinemas from 12 of September. Follow the links to London screenings below. Follow this link for screenings elsewhere.
Curzon Cinema Soho on 13 September
The Rio Cinema London 14 September
The Picture House Hackney 15 September
Plex Cinema, Peckham 16 September
Keep up to date with more family-friendly fun by following us on Instagram. For more ideas of things to do with the kids in London, visit our events and activities area which provides details of free and ticketed events and special offers from London’s finest venues.