Directed by Michael Wadleigh
1970/US
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/YouTube rental
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
We are stardust
We are golden
We are billion year old carbon
And we’ve got to get ourselves back to the Garden. (“Woodstock” by Joni Mitchell)
One part concert film, one part spectacle, and one part close looks at the hippies in the crowd — this documentary works on many levels.
I watched the almost four-hour director’s cut which includes about an additional hour, mostly of acts that did not appear in the documentary including Janis Joplin. I would have happily watched something double the length. These musicians (and others) were in their prime: Joplin, The Who, Santana, Crosby Stills & Nash, Sly & the Family Stone and Jimi Hendrix.
The film also captures the monumental feat the organizers carried out. This thing attracted half-a-million people that swamped all kind of planning and turned the event into a free concert. It became a small city, occupied solely by young people high on various substances, complete with soup kitchen and hospital. And all this without any major violence or police presence. Could we do this again? We couldn’t even do it again in 1969.
The filmmaking is incredible. There is liberal use of aerial shots, split screens, and all the bands have a different “feeling”. I don’t think anyone could have done any better with the material. Wadleigh was assisted by Martin Scorcese and his regular editor Thelma Schoonmker both in shooting and in the editing room Most highly recommended.
Woodstock won the Academy Award for Best Documentary, Feature.
It is indeed legendary. Who has not heard of this event and watching this documentary it is almost like having been there. Which was your favourite act?
It’s really hard to choose a favorite. If I have too it would be Sly and the Family Stone. Also love Country Joe MacDonald and the Fish and the “Feel Like I’m Gonna Die Rag”. But everyone is just primo. I was looking at the concert poster and there were a lot of fab acts that didn’t make even the director’s cut. The Grateful Dead, Credence Clearwater, Blood Sweat & Tears, and The Band all MIA. I know for sure the Dead actually played don’t know about the others. Am going to dig into a 2019 doc about the concert today!
Joe Cocker “With a Little Help From My Friends” is my personal fav, a performance that is simply primal….that’s the best I can do to describe the indescribable.
Woodstock – full playlist
http://www.woodstockstory.com/bandsperformerssetsplaylists1969.html
I have read that, because of the chaotic nature of the organisation bands ended up playing way off the times they were first given. That may be the reason some are missed on film, also that some band members thought their performance were adversely affected by the conditions and refused to allow film to be released – CCR/John Fogarty immediately comes to mind.
I’ve actually heard Jerry Garcia say in an interview that the Dead were terrible at Woodstock. How about that Credence Clearwater set – all their greatest hits. I would have been in heaven!
Well then, heaven awaits your presence-
Thank you my friend!