Product Details

• Actors: Various Artists
• Directors: Various
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Shanachie
• DVD Release Date: June 10, 2008
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0015FQZCQ
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #66,538 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

This DVD and CD set includes the classic 1964 documentary AND THIS IS FREE, an intimate slice of life portrait capturing all the characters and flavor of Maxwell Street. It also includes the film MAXWELL STREET - A LIVING MEMORY, a captivating look at the area s early days at the start of the century. The bonus CD features Maxwell Street blues fixtures including greats like Robert Nighthawk, Baby Face, Leroy Floyd Jones, J.B. Hutto, and many more. This set also includes a 36 page companion booklet featuring stories from various people who spent years on Maxwell Street, as well as many beautiful pictures.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CHICAGO MEMORIES, June 30, 2008

By 

BILLYBOBUK (PLANO,TX) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: And This Is Free: The Life and Times of Chicago's Legendary Maxwell St. (DVD)

This is an outstanding release--the subject is Maxwell St. Chicago,a legendary marketplace and breeding ground for some of the finest blues music ever made--and as could be expected some fairly eccentric characters emerged.
The DVD consists of two b/w films,And This Is Free and Maxwell Street;A Living Memory--both are excellent and include some fine music from the street, including Robert Nighthawk. An excellent 36page booklet include many great photos and information, plus a 17track CD of blues that you could have heard back in the day.Plus some excellent extras which all add up to a great record of a place in time that sadly is now gone but not forgotten thanks to this release.
A lot of work has gone into this and we should all appreciate everybody concerned for there fine work--anyone interested in blues history, Chicago, the history of America, life-----anybody left!!!---you will enjoy. Support this release, the only way we can get more.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost Perfect, Long Overdue., July 31, 2008

By 

Charles K. Cowdery (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: And This Is Free: The Life and Times of Chicago's Legendary Maxwell St. (DVD)

Of all the documentary films made about Maxwell Street (and there have been quite a few), "And This Is Free" is the best known. Shot on multiple Sundays during 1964 by director Mike Shea, you experience both the market atmosphere and the blues and gospel music. Mike Bloomfield had a behind-the-scenes role in getting this made.

The cinema verite style is similar to D.A. Pennebaker's Bob Dylan - Don't Look Back (1965 Tour Deluxe Edition), which was made the next year.

Although it was released on VHS many years ago, "And This Is Free" has long been unavailable in any format. Shanachie Entertainment did the original VHS release, then lost the rights to Studio IT, which was never able to put together a deal to bring it out. Shanachie got it back and immediately started to plan this DVD release, in a package that is loaded with great extras. In addition to Shea's documentary, you get Shuli Eshel's 2002 documentary, "Maxwell Street: A Living Memory." There's also a slide show about Maxwell Street produced and narrated by Shuli's partner, Roger Schatz.

The package also includes a CD of excellent Maxwell Street-related music, but if you want the real "And This Is Free" soundtrack recordings, you have to get And This Is Maxwell Street, Studio IT's 2001 release of all the music recorded for the film, plus Mike Bloomfield interviewing Robert Nighthawk.

That is this package's only flaw, the fact that they didn't or couldn't merge in the complete soundtrack recording. Although it seems to be readily available from resellers, it technically is out-of-print.

The package also includes a substantial booklet, part of which was developed in conjunction with the Maxwell Street Foundation. The Maxwell Street Foundation is a non-profit group dedicated to preserving Maxwell Street's heritage.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Historical Info, September 27, 2008

By 

Roz S (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: And This Is Free: The Life and Times of Chicago's Legendary Maxwell St. (DVD)

I am a resident of Chicago and I remember going to Maxwell Street when I was much younger with other friends. At the time I didn't understand the significance of it, and by the time I realized how important it was, they were planning to destroy it..I'm all for change but I was so brokenhearted when I found out they were not going to preserve any of it. In regards to the Video and CD I think anyone who is interested in Chicago history should definitely invest in this item because there is a wealth of information here and if you are not personally familiar with this location after viewing the DVD you will feel like you were there, and the CD and booklet are a little something extra. I was really impressed with the information in this DVD and it is worth every penny.It's truly a wonderful history lesson and you won't be disappointed.