Customer Reviews

CSNY / Deja Vu

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

This is a documentary film,not a concert or musical. There are parts of songs but no full song is shown apart from the "Find The Cost of Freedom" video and the "Living with War" videos that are "extras".

A powerfull and thought provoking document, this film is set against the Iraq War and shows both sides of the political argument, whilst enforcing the band's belief that the war should end now. Filmed during CSN & Y's "Freedom of Speech" tour the film shows reactions from the audience both for and against the band's songs. From veterans themselves and, something I found truly heartrending, from the families of those killed in war. It also shows members of the community, media and politicians campaigning.

The film is an honest account of the tour, even showing a fall by Steve Stills on stage and the rough edges still evident during the early part of the tour.It shows some audience members booing and walking out of concerts. However, one must ask what these people were doing at a CSN&Y concert in the first place given their long history and repetoir of anti war material together with Young's well publicised Living With War album.

There are three moments from the film that are still imbeded in my mind. The first, a veteran who has lost both her legs in battle now fighting in the political arena. The second, a mother who has lost a son in Iraq. Seeing her son's photo with thousands of others, on the screen behind the stage, she reflects that this has been the first time she has seen any public recognition of her sons sacrifice. Finally an audience member advises us that the Government is smarter than us so we should not question it!! Now that is scary.

My son Joshua was a senior in high school on that fateful morning of
September 11th,2001.The next day he and his best friend went
to the local Army recruiter and enlisted.Like all Americans,he felt helpless in this terror-filled new universe we all woke up to
on the morning after.Nothing would ever be the same.Americans were
facing a "faceless" enemy;my son and thousands of young Americans like him,felt they had to "do something". In the spring of 2003,Josh
entered Iraq and would not come home until January 2004. America had finally put a face to our enemy;Saddam Hussein had to be taken down.
Mission accomplished...but was it the right mission?
CSNY/DEJA VU chronicles the aftermath of Bush's decision to topple Saddam.
The "liberators" suddenly became "occupiers" and our brave young men and women were no longer soldiers but were thrust into becoming policemen.
It is this new role of the American soldier that is the underlying basis for this Bernard Shakey film and THIS is a Bernard Shakey film like no other.There are intercuts of folks that do not share CSNY's view
of Dubya's policies and those folks do not mince words.Everyone has heard
what happened at the Atlanta concert and it's hard to watch. There's an
interview with some cat who walked out and he makes the comment that the
people in Bush's government are smarter than CSNY.I bet he wishes he could take that comment back now!!!This is NOT a performance film;it is a
documentary of four aging icons who could no longer stand on the sidelines and let the game go on without any regard to the rules.Crosby has stated on numerous occasions that Bush and Co highjacked America's
principles and turned them into policies. It is these policies
that have killed thousands of our soldiers and tens (if not hundreds) of
thousands of Iraqi civilians.Maybe CSNY made money off this tour...I've
read some criticism of that.Who cares? They did put their music where their mouth was and I thank them for it. My son Josh went back to Iraq again in the spring of 2005.I had to live with war all over again.He came back
in early 2006 but he was a changed young man.At 21, my son had seen things
most male baby boomers will never have to experience. Seeing CSNY
sing "Find The Cost Of Freedom ", beneath the backdrop of thousands
of photos of young soldiers killed in action,is chilling. I know we were blessed that Josh came home safely after two tours.
This film was made over two years ago...OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS ARE STILL DYING today in a country that will not pay their share for their cost of freedom.CSNY still preach that love is better than hate,understanding is better than confusion and peace is still better than war. Carry on!!!!

"CSNY / Déjà Vu" documents a politically charged reunion tour of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. While you may not have realized it by listening to classic rock radio, the band always had a political conscience. In particular, "Déjà Vu" (1970) featured 'Ohio,' a protest song about the Kent State shootings. Fast forward thirty-five years to the "Déjà Vu" film. The concept of déjà vu is used as a poetic device to make a connection between the wars in Vietnam and Iraq. So on one hand, this is a film about a musical tour but it is also a highly critical piece about George W. Bush and his handling of the Iraq War. Exclusively political segments show band members participating in rallies to support the election of anti-war candidates. There are heartfelt profiles of military personnel and their families. At one point Neil Young jams with Josh Hisle, a military veteran turned anti-war rocker. One of the most emotionally charged moments happens when the band is heckled in Atlanta. Scenes from the Colbert Report add humor to an otherwise heavy film. Musically, the 2006 Freedom of Speech tour featured a combination of material off the original "Déjà Vu" album and Neil Young's "Living with War" (2006). Old favorites like 'For What It's Worth' and 'Déjà Vu' find new significance along side newer songs like 'Let's Impeach the President' and 'Living with War.' The soundtrack is a good accompaniment that features songs played in their entirety. As a musical flick that deals with Iraq, "Déjà Vu" works well along side "I Know I'm Not Alone" and "Heavy Metal in Baghdad." Combining great music with leftist politics, "CSNY / Déjà Vu" is an entertaining, thought proving and powerful film.

Neil Young, in addition to being a legendary singer and songwriter, is also known as a slightly skewed filmmaker, directing under the pseudonym "Bernard Shakey". As a great fan of his, I've seen just about all of Neil's films and videos, and many are curiosities that would interest few beyond Neil's most devoted fans.

But CSNY/Deja Vu is a true FILM, a top quality documentary about, not only a concert tour, but about the war that inspired the songs they sing, and the relationship between today's war and the war of 40 years ago that first brought Crosby Stills Nash & Young to international stardom. In the end, the band plays a leading role, but not a dominant role in the film. It is more about the several soldiers, former soldiers, soldiers' family members, politicians, and others whose stories are highlighted along the way as the tour winds its way across the country.

I've seen several documentaries about the Iraq War, and this is as good as any of them. Neil Young deserves critical praise and credit for making an excellent documentary film that can be appreciated by fans and non-fans alike.

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young were the voice of "My Generation." As us 'television children' were fed nightly by Cronkite on the slaughter in Nam, CSNY led us in the protest of this madness.

Sure, at the time, we were young and naive. Sure we were into drugs,, And sure, the music WE turned on to spoke political and social meanings to us, like it was intended to

Now, we are much older. We are in 'recovery' 12 step programs. Us old 'anti-Establishment hippies' are now THE establishment. And, thank God, Crosby, Stills Nash and Young are still at it! Because, it is Deja Vu all over again! Who else would have the guts to wake us up to our little forign war adventures these days, just like they did back then when "Nam" was festering upon the landscape.

Let us hope that the younger generation takes lessons from us old farts. War is not the answer. drugs are not the answer. change is the answer. and no one exemplifies that more than David Crosby. For us older former hippies, get this DVD and re live the cool vibes and licks of our revolutionary band. For the younger generation, get this DVD and feel the vibes that your fathers felt 40 years ago, then DO something for change!

As a loyal C,S,N & Y fan and I did see the concert live in California, I was a little disapointed. I guess I expected to see more concert footage as it was really a great concert and really got their message across. I really liked the interviews and the message that Neil is trying to get across to everyone but just expected something that wasn't there.

After watching a taped 2008 interview with Neil Young and Charlie Rose over Memorial Day weekend, I went directly to watch this film. I loved it --- Made me proud to be an American. It reminded me of the sixties and the guts it took for so many to assemble, speak-out and write/sing songs for social change.

I've been listening to Neil Young's Living With War for several years now. However, this film just coalesced the whole thing for me --- motivation behind the music, the Vets and their families...it made me proud to be an American whereby this country has a blessing in freedom of speech --- and a whole host/history of artists who are the epitome of courage when it comes to calling into question the inertia and momentum that tends to mobilize behind a society's propensity for herd instinct.

These guys are heroes in every sense of the word...just listen to the Vets in the film and the family members of the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

My only hope is this film and this album, Living With War, will not be their last. A classic contribution about the soul of America by 4 guys who continue to be examples that COURAGE ROCKS!

Neil Young gets his old bandmates together and embarks on a controversial tour against the Iraq war and George W. Bush. This film gives you a feeling that you are along on this tour. Great music of course but along with it comes access to what it would feel like to be a part of the tour. There are revealing insights from Crosby, Stills and Nash about Neil Young and his musical leadership. You also get both sides of how the tour was received by fans at the concerts. Some fans walk out in disgust over the political stance against the war. Most concert fans however are into Neil's stance against the war. This film puts you on tour with CSN&Y and their courageous concerts.

I saw this concert.....three times. It just kept getting better and better.
What makes the movie good is Neil Young's unflinching look at the people who love the message of Living With War music and those who loathe it. And they do loathe it. It's kind of funny watching the people in Atlanta react so angrily to the song "Let's Impeach the President".
Of course the old stuff is great and the interviews with CSN are what you'd expect but the interviews with the veterans is very emotional.
Buy this product. Oppose the war. Vote for Peace.

I would definitely recommend this title except, as others have also reported, I cannot play this disc on 2 of my 3 DVD players. I think the disc is unevenly weighted or out of round. It will not load up at all on my Sony player and on my Audiovox portable, it will play but it makes the whole player shake. I have returned and tried a total of 4 discs (all from different stores) and ALL have the same problem. I would love to recommend this DVD but until Lionsgate owns up and recalls the whole bunch, I cannot.