Product Details

• Actors: Jimi Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell, Noel Redding, Steve Winwood
• Directors: Roger Pomphrey
• Producers: Bous De Jong, Caroline Thomas, Nick De Grunwald
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Rhino / Wea
• VHS Release Date: May 19, 1998
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304928238
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #405,305 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Can an effective episode of Classic Albums be produced when its subject's creator has been dead for more than a quarter century? Perhaps surprisingly, the answer is yes. With Experience members Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell, additional musicians on the order of Steve Winwood and Dave Mason, manager Chas Chandler, and engineer Eddie Kramer telling much of the story, Jimi Hendrix still stands front and center in this hourlong examination of the making of his most ambitious release, the 1968 double LP Electric Ladyland. The series's usual centerpiece (isolating parts of the multitrack tapes to illuminate the whole) is invaluable not only in demonstrating Hendrix's genius for building performances in the studio, but, by extension, implying how the music coming out of his head reflected his heart. The result is possibly the most moving documentary about Hendrix, and certainly one whose rare bits of film (such as a promotional clip for "Burning of the Midnight Lamp") make it even more invaluable. --Rickey Wright

Product Description

The story of Electric Ladyland is told here in words, music, rare archival film footage, and a contemporary diary kept by one of Hendrix's employees. Among those contributing are Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix Experience; singer/keyboardist Steve Winwood; engineer Eddie Kramer; and, in his last interview, Hendrix' manager Chas Chandler. With a musical soundtrack that includes "All Along the Watchtower," "Still Raining Still Dreaming," "Gypsy Eyes," "Crosstown Traffic," "Voodoo Chile" and "House Burning Down," this electrifying program provides insights into the life, work, and musical genius of a rock music legend. 75 minutes.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for any musician influenced by Hendrix, April 10, 2000

By 

J. Thomas Hudson (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Classic Albums - Jimi Hendrix: Electric Ladyland (DVD)

While the average Hendrix fan might not be interested in the details of how Electric Ladyland was made, for the musician this DVD is priceless. If you've seen "The Making of Sgt Pepper" and liked it, this is a similar treatment of Electric Ladyland. You get to hear individual tracks and interviews from the engineer and band members on how it was all done. Eddie Kramer, Mitch, Noel, all talking about their memories. You also get a glimpse into the personality of Hendrix that is very different than the wild man image. This movie has given me even more appreciation of this musical masterpiece.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Okay, not outstanding, September 11, 2005

By 

wahwah5 "wahwah5" (hot cold summer) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Classic Albums - Jimi Hendrix: Electric Ladyland (DVD)

While this DVD is interesting and well-produced, it doesn't measure up to other releases in the "Classic Album" series. The great bulk of screen time is spent on talking head interviews. That in itself would be okay, but they focus more on praising Jimi than discussing the music and the nuts and bolts of its creation. There is a lot of material that didn't make it onto this DVD - extensive alternate takes and outtakes - that has been broadcast on the radio. That material would have provided a fascinating supplement and insight into the Electric Ladyland creation process, and the brilliance behind the compositions of the songs. But instead this disc shows too much reminiscing about Jimi and mourning of his early death.

Once again, Eddie Kramer provides the meat of the subject matter, playing the mixer like a virtuoso. But even here his comments seem curiously attenuated. Electric Ladyland is a masterwork of studio recording, one of the striking achievements of 20th century rock music, and a complete treatment could fill several DVDs. Here we only get snippets. The same is true of the performances; this disc only shows brief clips, frequently interrupted, of various classic performances.

This is a disc for completists, and you probably won't want to watch it more than once. It talks about Jimi a lot, but there just isn't much of him here.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A documentary on the making of a classic album, January 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Classic Albums - Jimi Hendrix: Electric Ladyland (DVD)

If you are a Hendrix fan and want to know how this album was made then this is DVD is for you. I liked how the engineer was able to strip songs to the bare bones and explain how Hendrix was able to obtain those unique guitar sounds.