Customer Reviews

Message of Love: The Isle of Wight Festival: The Movie

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Director Murray Lerner and his film crew were hired by the Isle of Wight Festival promoters to make a movie of the events and music that took place from August 26-31st 1970. Due to financial problems and lack of interest from the film distributors, the film footage sat unreleased for twenty-five years (although bits of Hendrix, The Who & Free's performances surfaced in other presentations). Before the 1995 movie was released I absolutely hungered to see anything of this footage. Admittedly, my anticipation for the film was incredible. Eventually I got my wish. Fortunately, I was generally satisfied with MESSAGE TO LOVE, although I did have reservations. First the good: I was able to see The Doors, Moody Blues, Jethro Tull, Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis, Free, Taste, etc. in their prime. These are classic performances, mostly well played. The scene of Kris Kristofferson getting booed off stage haunted me for weeks; I felt sorry for the guy. Too bad they didn't show his come-back performance a few days later, where he was better received.

The dissapointments: I want more footage. A lot of the music performances are extremely edited-down. Donovan is only seen for like three seconds. John Sebastian's show stopping performance is poorly edited too as they come in for the ending of his song. Performances from Tony Joe White, Melanie, Cactus, Procol Harum weren't even included in favor of "Machine Gun" (Hendrix) "All Right Now" (Free) "Young Man Blues" (The Who) ...redundant footage, because they were all available in other presentations.

Lastly, the film is generally downbeat, focusing in on the problems that plagued the festival. Actually, the violence and unpleasentness is overplayed. This was actually a good festival, with good bands and a lot of positive aspects. Too bad Lerner couldn't focus more on this. Nevertheless, it's still a fine film and I hope to see more footage released to the public.

The big difference between this movie and Woodstock: Woodstock had the non-musical footage serving as interludes to the performances. Here the impression I get is largely the opposite, although there is quite a bit of music seen and/or heard throughout the film.

The talent roster is roughly equal between the two festivals (Jimi Hendrix appeared at both). However, I think fans of most of the MESSAGE TO LOVE artists will be irked by how little screen-time that most of the musicians receive. For example, I am a disappointed Miles Davis fan (his segment lasts about a minute), while the footage of another of my musical favorites (Joni Mitchell) is preoccupied with her tearful reaction to an impatient crowd rather than her music.

Too many of the featured artists (Tull, Miles, Joni, etc.) have loyal followings that would warrant an alternative multi-volume edition featuring their complete performances (this has already happened with sets by Hendrix and The Who). That would release this movie from the inflated expectations of fans who've waited up to a quarter-century to hopefully see significant chunks of the artists' sets. We could then be more receptive to the story the film-makers are trying to tell.

Most of the performances are good, although a little too brief (and some songs are probably edited), which is why I had to dock this review one star. This is more of a documentary of the event than anything else. You'll see the promoters and the crowd get almost as much time on the camera as the performers. The Isle of Wight wasn't exactly Britain's answer to Woodstock (Altamont ended the Woodstock spirit and this is Hippydom's last true hurrah), but still a great festival.

This has poignant moments, like Jimi Hendrix' final performance featuring "Message to Love," "Machine Gun" and "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)," one of the Doors' final performances (Jim Morrison looks sad and out of it) featuring "When the Music's Over" and "The End" and Joni Mitchell bursting out in tears after one rambunctious hippie interrupts her set while playing "Woodstock" (he's lucky he didn't try interrupting the Who's set!). She carries on singing "Big Yellow Taxi." After instances like Altamont, the promoters add security like a metal fence dividing the young teens and adults (some English, some American) who've paid admission and those who haven't and police dogs. So, naturally, there's plenty of arguments between the promoters and the music fans. Due to the war between them, Kris Kristoferson is unduly booed onstage. Folks are too busy trying to get in to listen to the original "Me and Bobbie McGee." Joan Baez, after her performance of "Let It Be" is interviewed. She's honest and says "This is my job, so naturally, I expect to be paid." A humorous moment is Tiny Tim singing via megaphone "There'll Always Be An England." A sad moment is when one hippie says he's given his young son LSD (nowadays, a social worker would probably take the son away from him). It's amusing to see a young thin Ian Anderson perform with Jethro Tull ("Whoever said we wouldn't perform tonight is full of...") on "My Sunday Feeeling" and a young thin Paul Rogers perform "All Right Now" with Free. This is also Emerson, Lake and Palmer's debut performance (each of them celebrates in full flamboyance by Emerson nearly destroying his organ, Lake setting off a cannon and Palmer removing his shirt while performing "Pictures at an Exhibition/Blue Rondo a la Turk"). It's also one of the Moody Blues' 1st performances live. Fortunately for the freeloaders (nowadays one would find it extraordinary that they would spend a lot of money on crossing the boat to the Isle and not schill out 3 English pounds), the fence is taken down and all hold hands in peace, while a guitar plays "Amazing Grace." You really sympathize with Rikki (one of the emcees), as he bears his heart with the audience that he and the other promoters will have lots of fees to pay for this decision. As the festival comes to end, Rikki later sums it all up when he says "This is the last great event." One of the carpenters looks a little like Jerry Garcia!

An edition with more complete performances would be great in the future. In the meantime, this will have to do. By the way, this is a 2 sided disk (at least my copy is) and if it ends with Joni Mitchell singing "Big Yellow Taxi," turn the disk over and you'll get Miles Davis and the rest of the program.

In general, I think it's a remarkable video. To think that the video was locked up in someone's vault for so many years is un-thinkable.

My only disappointment is that there is too much focus on the events rather than the musical performances. Although, the back stage antics are great. A lot of the music performances are extremely edited-down (as one reviewer noted). Because of that, I am bothered by one question. "What other master-pieces remain hidden inside that vault?" I can only help but feel unfulfilled. For I'm sure that there is more footage out there. Strange enough, additional "private" releases have begun to "slowly" appear after this film became public. From artists such as Jimi Hendrix & The Who. ...But, where are the rest?

It's obvious that there is more corporate dealings going on yet. Squeezing out what ever pennies that can be scrounged through the resource of the tapes. Taking advantage of the hungry mouths & pockets of the public. They very thing that was revolted against by the majority of those who witnessed the event. I think they ought to change the title to "Message To Money" instead. However, I admit that I am one of those hungry ones. Aching to see a more complete performance of that venue. Other than what was offered & poorly represented in the video. Like Donovan's performance which lasted only three seconds. And what about Tony Joe White, Melanie, Cactus, & Procol Harum who weren't even included? I have yet to see the complete performance of ELP's debut of "Pictures At An Exhibition". ...I'm wondering if such footage even exists?

I guess my message here is to say that "there ought to have been a more complete video made of this event!" Perhaps a sequel?

I also like to say, "hurry up on those new releases!" ...That is if any exist?

Reyerbrandt

This DVD features so many of my heroes -- Miles Davis, Free, Jethro Tull, Joni Mitchell, Hendrix etc -- that I had to get it. It's a fascinating record of this historic concert. It also dispels any romantic illusions one might have about the hippy era.

Money constantly rears its ugly head throughout the story. (Ironically, this DVD is probably the item that enables the promoters to finally break even.) Several of the artists are quoted saying the concert should be free, but then the promoters are caught admitting that the artists won't set a foot on stage until they are paid.

Nearly every non-performer on this film comes across as eccentric or stoned. The English vox-pops (interviewed in pubs, country estates or by the dockside) are particularly unlikeable madcaps. But most of the concert-goers seem decent enough.

The performances are largely enthralling. It's amazing what music these small bands could generate without backing or overdubs. The Who are a revelation. It's amazing to see an extended Miles Davis band featuring Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea -- they set up the best groove of the whole movie, but sadly this performance is severely cut.

Hendrix was actually slightly disappointing to me (I hadn't seen him on video before) -- I guess I was expecting the sonic barrage of his studio albums. In concert, his bassman seems particularly crucial to the overall sound. Within a month of the concert, Hendrix was dead, perhaps the greatest loss the rock world has ever suffered.

Paul Kossoff, Tiny Tim, Rory Gallagher and no doubt several other deceased artists I haven't mentioned also appear. If you're into this era (1968 to 1971), then this DVD is pretty well indispensable. If not, you'll probably be unmoved.

My brother went to this and i've always been envious. He slept through Hendrix (probably judging by the lacklustre performance a lucky break) but said that Cactus, Free and a show stopping Taste were the highlights (there was a promise that the Taste gig was to be released in full-but still nothing!) Anyway all these years later i get to see what he was on about. On the whole musically it was better than Woodstock, but at least at Woodstock you got the whole songs not a lot of edits as on this, but what you do get makes you wish for more Taste of course, Jethro Tull and a brilliant Miles Davis (edited badly) are top notch. The Doors and Leonard Cohen are uninspired and Joni Mitchell is twee. At the end i sympathised with Rikki Farr afterall he promoted the thing why should a load of grumby anarchists expect it to be free and storm the gates. I couldn't help but wish the security guard had belted the moronic American 'radical' (who probably owns real estate now)making an ass of himself by was urging the guard to hit him and felt more sympathy for the guard dog that got killed by the gate crashers. If anyone has read up on the festival the whole thing would of passed off peaceably (as the other two had) if the local council hadn't moved the site. So they were the real villians. The guy at the end who gave his kid LSD is another moron. Actually the whole film is a 'screw you' to the Woodstock generation which i never brought into, but at least 'message to Love' is an honest view of what was essentially the end of love and peace. Shame that there wasn't more music-according to the rock festival site it's out there somewhere!

In 1969 Woodstock was the first event of it's kind and a year later the even bigger Isle of Wight Festival was the last. This rockumentary released 25 years after the event is in the vein of 'Woodstock', only better. What sets this apart is the music. The movie gives pretty even coverage to both the music and capturing the hippy vibe of the event. There is a constant tension created by the barrier surrounding the event and the thousands who came without the price of admission. This is similar to what happened at Woodstock but it plays out slightly differently here. The coverage of this tension and the unique festive atmosphere is compelling watching but it is the music that takes center stage. Never was there such a collection of rock icons together at a single event as at the Isle of Wight and this includes the last concert performances by Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrision. Hendrix died a mere 18 days afterwards. The complete lineup of performances in this movie are as follows:
Jimi Hendrix - Message to love
The Who - Young man
Free - All right now
Taste (Rory Gallagher) - Sinner Boy
Tiny Tim - There'll always be an England
John Sebastian - Red Eye Express
Donovan - Catch the wind
10 Years after - Can't keep from crying
The Doors - When the music's over
Moody Blues - Nights in white satin
Kris Kristofferson - Me & Bobby McGee
Joni Mitchell - Woodstock, Big yellow taxi
Miles Davis - Call it anything
Leonard Cohen - Suzanne
Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Pictures at an exhibition
Jimi Hendrix - Machine Gun (segment), Voodoo Chile
Joan Baez - Let it be
Jethro Tull - My Sunday Feeling
The Doors - The End Jimi
Hendrix - Foxy Lady
The Who - Naked Eye

Ok- here is one of the greatest collection of rock artists-not only that-but a pivotal moment of when 60 greats blend into the up and coming 70s arrivals-and what does this film feel is the most important element? The huddled masses of course! If one is interested in what youth looked like in 1970 this may be your cup of tea- sort of lookng at your high school year book I guess.
I find myself clicking through this mess to find the music. A pity that there is so little of it-
But its worth geting to see a few songs of the Who, Hendrix, Doors and Joni Mitchell. Others just get one song! Miles Davis appears for approx. 30 seconds! There is however nice footage of Tull and Moody Blues- would like to see the entire performances of these guys.
Missing- but appearing at the festival included Tony Joe White, Chicago, Procol Harum, and Pentangle. Not on this film.
The Bob Dylan performance is just a song over the credits. The actual Dylan live performance was the previous year-1969. When is this going to be released?
Hoping that one day another volume of this appears from the vaults- with more performances! Please- no crowds! It's just not
interesting!

I'd heard about this show for years and years, so once I saw the video was out, I snagged it, expecting a presentation of historic musical performances. "Message To Love" is just that, but so much more, and most of the "more" isn't very pleasant; it turns what I expected to be a concert video into a history lesson. But what happened happened and the event is honestly documented here, warts and all. The ugliness comes from the clash of 60s hippie idealism with the reality of a corporate future. There are no villains or heroes here among the four feuding camps: the promoters, the performers, those attendees who paid to get in and the attendees who couldn't (or didn't believe they should). If you want to skip through the messy bits, this video is full of classic (and historic) performances given at a time where music was at a cusp of huge change. The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis and the Doors are the standouts here and everything else is at least fair-to-good. Worth a look.

I too waited 25 years for this to come out as I was there and wanted to relive the major collection of talent onstage. This was definitely the last major festival and the end of the peace 'n' love era.
But the movie was a disappointment to me.
1. Half of it is concerned with the people who wanted free entry - so they weren't really a part of the festival I attended 'cos they didn't get in.
2. The focus is on American bands while the UK bands were probably better overall.
3. At the end when the camera zooms along the portaloos I had a lens poked into my 'booth' and told them to bugger off. I could have made the movie maybe.