1970
Directed by Michael Wadleigh
I am currently going through a break up and a bout of laryngitis, neither of which is fun and both of which require ice cream. Fortunately, we finally came across an enjoyable film. This is a particularly interesting watch if you are trying to complete the 1001 Album list as well, which I don't recommend to anyone who has a life.
There is not exactly a plot to detail here since the movie mostly just features musical performances, the best of which include Joan Baez (cover your ears for her high notes) and CSN. I am really not one to romanticize Woodstock, but this was an engaging documentary. It really makes you wish there was a camera around for other historical moments. You know, that don't involve presidents getting shot or naked hippies.
RATING: ****-
Interesting Facts:
The Beatles were invited to perform at the festival but they declined. John Lennon offered to perform as the Plastic Ono Band. John, stop trying to ruin my life.
Neil Young refused to be filmed.
I didn't know Neil Young wouldn't be filmed..
ReplyDeleteMy regret was that (it is alleged) the film crew didn't get up in time to catch jefferson Airplanes set.
I should like this more than I do.. this is my music , man.
It's good to see the images, but I more often play the album - except that means getting out the triple disc vinyl out and deciding which side...
I had a quick look at your 1001 Albums list the other day. Not so easy to browse as you list them by genre rater than artist.. but then it was intriguing to see what categories you put some in.
I think Andrew has an album blog as well, and once asked I would follow that.. I declined because..
Well, I never at all mind if we (and I mean both you and Andrew) clash over movie taste. I'm quite happy for you to be bored to death by Bergman. I don't in anyway feel insulted when you say bad things about a film I think is great, and you don't. We find other things to agree on and can even make jokes about it. Somehow music taste seems.. more personal .. and disagreements strike a bit deeper. You don't like Bergman? fine, good for you.. But to not like Bob Dylan? Wow, that HURTS!
Also music taste seems a lot more generationally ingrained. There seems to be some sort of hormone that kicks in at somewhere in your late 30's that makes you lose all interest in current music and leads to comments your parents said about your own generations artists. "Sigh.. look at them.. who do they think they are? I mean, what is that song supposed to mean? It's all meaningless rubbish these days.. In MY day, songs meant something real.. t's all written by a computer now.." Yawn.
I'm starting to go off on one again aren't I?
There is a fairly new four-hour version of Woodstock that includes Jefferson Airplane, Ray. It is actually a pretty awesome version.
ReplyDeleteRay, totally understand. Music is much more emotional, I remember reading a quote that said "writing about music is like dancing about architecture." I love having a blog though, because then I can have a record of what I thought. As far as Bob Dylan goes, why does he have to mumble so much? I can't understand him:(
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to comment on the film too much without discussing the wider cultural impact. And it's hard to discuss that until the story reaches its inevitable conclusion at Altamont, which we will apparently cover in Gimme Shelter.
ReplyDeleteI'd be fascinated to see a documentary forty of fifty years later revisiting as many people as possible who featured in this original film. Kids who believed or hoped that they, their country or the world was on the cusp of a new era. What happened to those dreams? How many regret them, how many still believe? How many became lawyers, how many changed the world in some way? And how many were bewildered by their own teenage kids and the rubbish music they listened to?
I declined to join in with the album blog also. I don't think music is a genre which lends itself well to listening once or twice just to tick the box. Plus the 1,001 movies list gives me direction I don't otherwise have whereas I probably already know more than an album book can teach me. Plus I'll only get unnecessarily pissy if Amanda has a go at Bob Dylan and pissier still when the book picks the wrong albums.