Monterey Pop

I'll do a Criterion DVD release review later, but this film was Magnificent on the big screen at TIFF (Yonge & Dundas square).

Grace Slick is on record saying that the Monterey Pop festival in 1967 is more important than Woodstock.
And it is.

Otis Redding, as far as I'm concerned, was the class act that stood out beyond the rest. And this "rest" was a mighty talented sort:

Ravi Shankar
Jimi Hendrix
Janis Joplin
The Mamas and the Papas
The Who
The Animals

I mean, that is some mighty Legendary lineup.

Brian Jones was there. It was so great, so peaceful. A wonderful optimistic vibe was central. Monterey started the whole music festival explosion.
D.A. Pennebaker made a time capsule of a rock movie that is very special. The lightshow over the opening credits, the editing, the songs of the day, Jimi setting his guitar on fire. The Who almost blowing the whole place up (I think Keith Moon had dynamite in his drums...) Janis just won everyone over. Holy cow, her version of "Ball and Chain" is an epoch. She was amazing. An amazing woman who doesn't get enough respect...

Monterey Pop is a fantastic historic film that you can watch over and over. It always rewards repeat viewings. Just like Julie Taymor's Beatles movie: Across The Universe or Milos Forman's Hair or Amadeus. Only there are no actors in Monetery Pop. They were all very real.
I wish I was there.