Can we stop with the nitpicking about the set. It has not even come out yet, it's coming out Tuesday. There are going to be alot of artists that are not going to be in the set. Criterion's Monterey Pop set still didn't have everyone that was at the fest. Again as far as i'm aware Woodstock Diaries was directed by D.A. Pennebaker, who was not commisioned to make a film , but went with his own crew anyway, from what i've read. I am not going to nit pick about who and what is not here in the bonus scenes. There is enough that is good in this set that it's making me countdown the days until it comes out (it's now getting down to minutes). The points are all valid, but Warners has been known to put out the best product apart from Criterion. I trust them. And Wadleigh did oversee this blu ray transfer (I hope Ned Price was involved also), and the content, so I am sure it came down to him. As far as The Band was concerned they hated their performance at Woodstock. Also, I know Wadleigh, even though he did have a "Filmed By" credit in Lost Performances, he was against it. But their is alot to be excited about with this release. I for one am happy that the whole film is being kept in the original aspect ratio (the 2.20 is false as one website today said it is 2.40 which would be about right). So the single, double, and triple frames are all in the ratio, not the "Floatting Matte" version that has been there since 89. Just like That's Entertainment (for some reason I consider it a sister film and I do not know why), multi ratio but kept within the original 1.85 framing. The 1.33 mattes open up to 1.85 at key moments. I really believe this is going to be one of the best Blu Ray sets this year.
I am hoping to have my official HTF review up tomorrow or Tuesday at the latest, but all I can say is that what is included looks, and especially sounds, great. What is not included will probably not be reviewed by me.
The bonus performances are not presented with lossless audio, but they must be high bitrate DD because they sound really good.
I will be looking all day Ken for yours and RAH's reviews. This is just as exciting for me as The Godfather was last year, and will tide me over until 09/09/09 when The Beatles Reissues come out. As far as Ravi Shankar and the other artists again it could be a number of factors, so we should not nitpick. I for one did not like Pennebaker's film. His style was good for Monterey Pop, but Woodstock was an epic event, and it needed a big vision for it. The multi screen and widescreen optics and the surround sound make you apart of the event, and the film than becomes more than just a filmed record.
"There are going to be alot of artists that are not going to be in the set. "
How does that not matter to fans of music?
Yes the Woodstock diaries have a lot of fine preformance of some of the many Bands that didn't make it even on the Directors cut, But theres no US release of this. Not only that , the film was closer to the orignal source then the last Directors cut.so having not seen this new one there might be another reason to get that WD pal dvd(or the better Japanese dvds)
"There is enough that is good in this set that it's making me countdown the days until it comes out "
Of course I agree with that!
"Wadleigh, even though he did have a "Filmed By" credit in Lost Performances, he was against it"
and of course most of those preformaces are in WD ,so I douet the reason that they are lelf out of this set is because Pennebaker shot them(I am still not sure if any of the Preformances are his".)
I am sure not one to know what music Wadleigh likes or dosn't.from what I read on the internet(for all its worth)he was agansit the Directors Cut too.
as for the Band,the clip is fine I watched it again on the pal dvd which I just got.if theres something wrong with their performance of" The weight" I couldn't tell,It sounded great to me. or seeing CSNY do blackbird which was also great.
By the way the back of the dvd ,has the WB logo!!!
Someone mentioned the TARGET excul . Packaging... does anyone know if that is for the reg DVD Box Set edition or did they get that packaing for the Blu Ray edition also. It is shown in their weekly store ad this week.
**** Called local Target and the Tamborine style Box Set is only for the DVD edition only. *******
Perhaps, perhaps not. I haven't seen anything that says so, but as I feel I must repeat, one of them (Director's Cut) has to do with this release, the other (Diaries) does not.
Please ! I am not talikng about how warners handled the DR Cut of the Movie
Other than saying the source footage was better in the WD's then the last Woodstock DVD! Some of the footage is the same and you can clearly see the difference. I am talking about the extras,Yes its great that some new stuff is showing up,even if I am not keen on having some of this stuff on short extra dvds like the Target one
Its only a disapiontment when one know how wonderful those woodstook diares are ,and its clear you couldn't care ,and only are intrested in the film. ,I am just informing people that theres a lot of preformances which weren't included and do exist and where released before ,for whatever reason they aren't on the extras of this set,
Woodstock Diares:
I can't make it anymore - Richie Havens Freedom - Richie Havens Fixin' to die - Country Joe McDonald Rainbows all over your blues - John Sebastian When you find out who you are - Incredible string band "Clip" Jennifer - Bert Sommers If I were a carpenter - Tim Hardin Evening raga - Ravi Shankar Walkin' down the line - Arlo Guthrie Drug store truck drivin' man - Joan Baez Sir Galahad - Joan Baez Waiting for you - Quill Soul sacrifice - Santana Leaving this town - Canned Heat Southbund train - Mountain Love city - Sly & The Family Stone Try (just a little bit harder) - Janis Joplin Ball and chain - Janis Joplin My generation - The Who Somebody to love - Jefferson Airplane White rabbit - Jefferson Airplane Let's go get stoned - Joe Cocker Thing called love - Country Joe & The Fish I'm going home - Ten Years After The Weight - The Band People can find this on YouTube Mean town blues - Johnny Winter Black bird - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Everything gonna be alright - Paul Butterfield Duke of Earl - Sha Na Na Star spangled banner - Jimi Hendrix Woodstock improvisation - Jimi Hendrix (of couse this is one the single BR)
Lost Preformances video (kind of Muddy looking ,like first Woodstock Video) 1. The Weight (The Band) 2. Let's Go Get Stoned (Joe Cocker) 3. Going Up The Country (Canned Heat) 4. Drifting Blues (Paul Butterfield) 5. Walking Down The Line (Arlo Guthrie) 6. More & More (Blood Sweat & Tears) 7. Rockin' Around The World (Country Joe McDonald) 8. Darling Be Home Soon (John Sebastian) 9. Love City (Sly & The Family Stone) 10. If I Were A Carpenter (Tim Hardin) 11. Birthday of the Sun (Melanie) 12. We Shall Overcome (Joan Baez) 13. Marrakesh Express (Crosby Still & Nash) 14. Work Me Lord (Janis Joplin) 15. Strawberry Fields Forever (Richie Havens)
The interviews on the new release suggest otherwise. The almost four hour cut is apparently the one he originally turned in before having to trim it to its original theatrical length. I'm sure he could not resist the temptation to tweak it a little, but that is certainly what Wadleigh and Producer Dale Bell imply.
Well, you've made it pretty damn confusing--even in this post--as to what you're upset over. You keep on mentioning "this [Blu-ray] set" and "these performances", without seeming to understand the separation in production. I think all of us interested (and yes, I do care) in getting this realize not all performances were included, but you seem to think we're entitled to an entirely separate film in addition to what they're giving us, which seems unreasonably critical.
"but you seem to think we're entitled to an entirely separate film in addition to what they're giving us, which seems unreasonably critical."
Well like I said over and over again,this stuff has already come out and its a shame its still not out in the US,whats so hard to understand about that?
Strange But Nice ,Amazons Bonus is not on a extra disc ,but on the offical BR Bonus disc,in the Preformances play list
Having watched the santana clip, I have to say these are clearly the best Q of any woodstock footage
As For the directors Cut,it looks the best I ever saw it,But....... comparing the same footage with whats on the Woodstock Diaires (which isn't new isn't Blue Ray)and this Santana Bonus track on the new set,The Directors cuts elements are weaker,The Color is clearly better on the 1:33 stuff and less grainey(no because of DNR,)
I don't know if the could ever do anything about this,are we looking a reduing the whole film???
The sound is clearly Fantastic!! yes this set is great,but what if??
Because you keep on mentioning it in relation to a different product, that's why. Start a new thread in the DVD section for Woodstock Diaries if you want, but it's not relevant to this specific title.
well I started this post,so just because they didn't include this or most of this footage,which is "woodstock footage", not shot for a different film,
lelf out of the original film for many reasons.They couldn't release a 8+ hour film. and of course many of the groups didn't like their sets,others refused to let their fotage be use. Neil Young made sure he wasn't filmed ,even if he's there and can be seen in silhouette,and its even stranger that the only place you can find this clip is on his new set. Its a long time latter,Now Creedence and The Dead and other groups let them include their footage.And the Directors Cut isn't the origninal film either .it is an improved video version
This set includes some of this extra footage,so it has to do with the original post, This most be the only time I can remember outtakes looking supier to the Original. Part of why the original film is wonderful are those split screens and mattes ,which are great,the other thing that sets this film apart is the recording of the sound