Where were you in the summer of '69? During these tumultuous times, the war was raging; Ali had been stripped of his crown; and in an obscure patch of earth in upstate New York, an event called Woodstock would change the world. This unique book is a collection of remembrances and perceptions from the filmmakers who created, and for performers and festival producers who appeared in, the Academy Award winning film, Woodstock.
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Did you know that the history-making documentary Woodstock was made possible by funds from 1960s talk-show host Merv Griffin? An innovative TV special featuring Griffin (and earnings of $23,000) allowed filmmaker Michael Wadleigh and his partners at Paradigm Films in New York to push the boundaries of filmmaking technology--and their considerable skills--by creating the epic documentary chronicling Woodstock, the 1969 musical celebration of peace, love, and rock & roll that attracted "half a million strong" to Max Yasgur's idyllic farm in upstate New York.
Published to coincide with the film's 30th anniversary, this delightful book--aptly described by editor and Woodstock associate producer Dale Bell as "our Rashomon story"--is an oral history composed of recollections from more than 40 of the film's primary crew members and festival musicians. This rich tapestry of memory creates a rush of affection, fascination, and deepened appreciation for the film and its creators, all of whom (including Martin Scorsese and now-legendary editor Thelma Schoonmaker) remain deeply moved by the lasting influence of their efforts. The suspense is palpable as participants describe the rush of preparation, the frenzy of filmmaking, an exhausting marathon of editing and Warner Bros.-funded postproduction (165 hours of footage whittled down to a four-hour director's cut!), and, finally, a well-deserved Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
Bell guides us chronologically through this phenomenal tale of brilliant collaboration, cooperation, frustration, and astonishing achievement. (From multiple-image editing to the first-ever use of Dolby noise reduction for a feature film, Woodstock was technologically ahead of its time.) What's amazing is that the film almost wasn't made at all. But in this engaging book, we see why Woodstock had to be made--as revealed by the crew members' proud recollections of making a film that shall forever remain one of the pivotal visual documents of the 20th century. --Jeff Shannon
From Library Journal
Film producer Bell pieces together an oral history of Woodstock, the documentary of the now legendary upstate New York music festival held in August 1969. An associate producer of the film himself, Bell enlists more than 40 film crew members to describe the planning, filming, and editing of the Academy Award-winning movie. Bell and his collaborators weave a fascinating account of the financial support, technical requirements, and teamwork needed to complete the film. Along with a few musicians, they reminisce about the high points at Woodstock and explain why some bands were included in the documentary and others weren't. Though perpetuating the myth of Woodstock as the epitome of a Sixties countercultural event rather than the highly orchestrated commercial venture it actually was, Bell and the other contributors capture the enthusiasm generated by the cinema verit? project as well as the era's wide-eyed idealism. Recommended for film buffs and classic rock fans.ADavid P. Szatmary, Univ. of Washington, Seattle
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Looking at Woodstock from the filmmakers point of view,
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This review is from: Woodstock: An Inside Look at the Movie That Shook Up the World and Defined a Generation (Paperback)
For those of us who weren't around when the Woodstock Music & Art Fair in 1969 happened (I was born a year after the fact), the music and the movie gives us a chance to look at what it was all about. For those of us in the younger generation that were influenced by Woodstock in some form or another, "Woodstock: An Insider's Look at the Movie That Shook Up the World and Defined a Generation" is a book that shows what it was like to be the 50 or so people who were responsible for the creation of the film. Dale Bell was part of the crew hired by director Michael Wadleigh, and through letters and interviews with other crew members, we get a chance to relive what it was about, from a perspective most of us have never heard about. By reading memories from the gaffers, grips, sound people, and even a few musicians, it's a miracle that the movie was ever made, and literally an oddity that the movie ever got finished. For young filmmakers, it offers a look into the world of documentary making, capturing an event as it happens, hoping that at least the film hasn't run out and that you have enough lighting to get you through. As you turn each page, you'll literally right there with them, either in the mud, or in a New York editing room, or in sunny California dealing with the "suits" who wanted a 90 minute movie, and couldn't see the historical significance behind the event. Once you read this, you will view the movie in the same manner again, and that's good. For the first time, you'll see the movie and realize all the hard work (and money, or lack of it) it took to document one of the most important events of the 20th century.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book.,
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This review is from: Woodstock: An Inside Look at the Movie That Shook Up the World and Defined a Generation (Paperback)
I loved this book. I've read all kinds of books on Woodstock and this was from a really different perspective. It deals solely with the filmakers and the experimental techniques they used to film the entire concert event, as well as the hassles they had to deal with from the studio to get the film made and released. A real interesting read.
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