Festival Express
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Movie Reviews of Festival Express
Movie Review: Brings 'em Back Alive and How Great is That?
Summary: 5 Stars
Even in the recent shadow of the 60's it was a lunatic idea for a rock promoter -- plan a three concert tour of Canada, set prices at a level above free (the only acceptable concert price for many a year past Woodstock), charter a train for the musicians, fill it with food and booze for six days of travel across the Canadian prairie, and expect to make money. But that's what the promoters of Festival Express did and now, 34 years later as the long-lost tapes have emerged, been edited and re-mixed, I'm just thankful they had that lunatic idea and filmed this documentary to put us on that train. Of course it all was a financial disaster, rock musicians can easily outdrink even diplomats and academics, but it is one terrific ride, and for me, far and away the documentary of 2004.
Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead explains the liquor thing: "Liquor was new for all of us; we'd all been doing marijuana and hallucinogens." Well, Janis had always had her Southern Comfort, but for the rest of the entourage maybe that explains why the train had to make an unscheduled stop in Saskatoon to restock the booze. The hat was passed, so the narration goes, and over $800 was raised, enabling us to see loving footage of the likes of Jerry Garcia and Rick Danko of the Band helping load new cases of booze onto the train.
The music scenes here are superb, far better than in Woodstock, let alone the anti-Woodstock, Gimme Shelter, and the ten or so minutes in the middle of the film when under the night stars in Winnipeg the Band sings The Weight followed by Janis doing Cry to Me may be the best capturing on film of what it was like to live in that time and hear that music live. Of course, if one is ever still tempted to think he/she was brilliant while high an extended scene of Danko, Garcia, and Joplin noodling away on an old Leadbelly song (aside -- these people really knew their roots, blues and country/folk, and lots of that comes through in the casually shot footage of jam sessions on the train) surely cures that illusion -- if they weren't, and they weren't, chances are no one else was either. Still the 60s do have their relevant messages for today -- for example, the Dead singing New Speedway Boogie with its first line that should be applied to all our politicians, in office and aspiring to, "Please don't dominate the rap, Jack, if you've got nothing new to say..."
Janis sings Me and Bobby McGee over the credits, right after the closing scene of an old engineer, shutting the switching site shed doors on the engine that pulled the train and walking away, growing smaller in the distance as the camera stays fixed on his back. For one who remembers exactly where he was when hearing of her death just a couple months later, the only disappointment of this movie is that there may be no soundtrack album, at least none is mentioned in the credits. If the Band, the Dead, Janis, or their supporting cast -- Ian and Sylvia, Buddy Guy, Flying Burrito Brothers, among others -- matter to your life still, see this movie as soon as you can.
Movie Review: SWITCHMAN'S SLEEPIN', TRAIN 102, IS ON THE WRONG TRACK AND HEADED FOR YOU...
Summary: 5 Stars
With The Dead, Janis, The Band, Buddy Guy and a host of free-spirited musicians ready to party and have a nice little trip, you know one little train will barely be able to contain the energy! Sad to see the lack of good-will and bad vibes spewed forth by some in the north (officials and some concert goers), but aside from that, this event is one for the ages.
Great performances abound on this documentary style music-fest with peak Dead including Pigpen just before his death: Don't Ease Me In, Friend of the Devil, New Speedway Boogie, Hard to Handle and Easy Wind are enough to buy this treasure (I'm a huge Dead fan - not much is available to view from this period). Janis just rocks the stage, and nearly steals the show, with her trademark full-out soul and the great Big Brother & Holding Co. band are wonderful to see, their guitarist just tears it up (seeing some of the now passed away greats puts a tear in your eye - sniff). The few Band songs are really cool and they seem to be having a great few days (Rick Danko gets plastered - hysterical), Buddy is looking slim and in fine form enjoying the journey, with many an interesting observation to share.
Seeing some of the rare performances of the likes of Tom Rush and Seatrain are a nice bonus and bring back the feeling of the engaged social climate of the era. If Hendrix hadn't just died, he would probably have made it with his Band of Gypsies...he would have been right at home here.
I Can't believe more clouds of smoke aren't visible, although the crowds do seem to be having a blast generally. This is not an American audience! There is a feeling of restricted, stifled space with the Canadian festival goers??? What's the deal? I don't know, but the protesters pissing and moaning that dope and music should be free and ruining the vibe could be part of it...VERY INTERESTING ON MANY LEVELS! Let me guess, NONE of you (protesters) are giving away the products of your labor these days, or funding musical events out-of-pocket, eh?
This was lost for 33 years (although I have heard of this before) due to lawsuits and the promoter's bankruptcy, and now it is expertly put together by the likes of Eddie Kramer for the benefit of fans of this great era of music. Seriously, don't miss this, it is really a trip and historically invaluable! I guess we can thank those who helped stall this project for making us (still around) appreciate it that much more. Funny how the world turns and all works out in the end. ENJOY!
Movie Review: Wave That Flag
Summary: 5 Stars
The Fourth of July always puts me in the mood for a little Grateful Dead. To me they are the quintessential American band. It certainly fits musically, with their music drawing from the blues, country, bluegrass, and gospel, in addition to other streams of Americana. But, even more so, their collective personality was classic American, in lots of positive ways and plenty of negative ones too. They were fun, energetic, creative, exploratory, and generous, yet hypocritical, arrogant, fat, lazy, and ultimately self-indulgent to the point of self-destruction. They were dreamy idealists while at the same time the most crass of capitalists. And just in case the connection was too subtle for the heads, the Avuncular Jerry Garcia would croon it out on "U.S. Blues:" "I'm Uncle Sam,/ That's who I am/ Been hidin' out/ In a rock n' roll band."
You aren't going to catch a Dead show anymore, at least not the real deal, but Festival Express is a nice little treat to catch a little bit of contact vibe. I hadn't heard about this until recently, but apparently there was a traveling festival in 1970 including the Grateful Dead, Buddy Guy, Janis Joplin, and the Band. The concert footage is worth watching but even more amazing are the scenes from the train, traveling from town to town, with musicians completely inebriated and jamming non-stop in various combinations. It's worth it just to see a relatively young Jerry Garcia and a relatively old Janis Joplin sitting intimately and just making music. The movie also comes with a villain- though he is packaged as the hero- rock promoter Ken Walker. Hunched over, wringing his hands like Mike Myers playing Dr. Evil, and even with an old-fashioned handlebar mustache just to complete the malevolent ambience. He tells us over and over again how he saved the day in various venues. Threatening anyone in his path, punching out some Canadian mayor in the face, brandishing a gun to make his point, that kind of thing. He takes great pride in what we come to learn was a gigantic failure, but the movie would be less entertaining without this character.
Anyway, it is fun ride, you'll wish you could have been there. I recommend it as part of your Fourth of July festivities. Never mind that the entire film takes place in Canada. Some of the best of America is actually Canadian. This is nothing new, don't over-think it. It's just a good time.
Movie Review: One of the best of the year
Summary: 5 Stars
I enjoyed FAHRENHEIT 9/11 and the movie where the guy keeps asking for more McDonalds hamburgers until he blimps up, but as far as documentaries go this was my favorite in 2004. Even the story behind the movie was inspiring, how the reels of unprocessed film sat around in a Canadian shed in cannisters for 35 years, and the kids used to sit on the cannisters and slide down the hill during a snowstorm instead of using sleds! Kudos to those who restored the film, especially the sound which is crystal clear and resonant, you can hear the shouts and jeers of the protestors over the tuning up sessions of the Festtval musicians.
Regarding the music, well, what can I say, Janis is unbelievable and her singing (and "acting," if I can call it that, her way of selling a song) gives the lie to those who claim that alcohol and drugs were ruining her talent in the "Kozmic Blues" period and after. Buddy Guy, as everyone mentioned, is sensational, one can't help but think he should have been a huge, huge star like Sly Stone. The sequence (shot in extreme close-up) of Janis, Jerry Garcia, Rick Danko and Bob Weir sitting around the club car improvising on "No More Cane" is so beautiful and sad, it will bring tears to the eyes of a hard edged cynic.
The Canadian musicians almost steal the show. I never heard of the group MASHMAKHAN (sp?) but they really give it everything, a little like Spike Jones old group of the 1940s. And what about Sylvia Tyson and her fantastic singing with Jerry Garcia backing her up and seeming to inspire her into being a total rock chick! I'm glad the DVD version of this film shows more of Sylvia, also credible as a sort of Joan Baez folk rebel. The DVD also has some of Eric Andersen, the folkie who travelled on the train and was interviewed for the film but was cut out a la Kevin Costner in THE BIG CHILL. Andersen still looks pretty good and his presence is a welcome treat.
Movie Review: astounding and poignant portrait of janis, the dead, dank etc
Summary: 5 Stars
"Festival Express," simply put, is astounding. The film has the makings of a instant classic rockumentary: think of "The Last Waltz," but stripped of the empty pretense. The actual film is short, but all the acts are absolute gems. Levon Helm of The Band growls through a hard-nosed version of "The Weight", and Richard Manuel sounds beautifully fragile and sincere in "I Shall Be Released", while The Band rocks through a incomparable rendition of "Slippin' and Slidin'". Equally dazzling is Buddy Guy, who leaps into the audience while playing "Money" and the Flying Burrito Brothers and Ian and Sylvia and all the rest. The Greatful Dead, especially Jerry Garcia, reveal themselves through the on-train jams as well, though their satge performances are not especially unique or memorable. Of course, the undeniable star of all this is Janis Joplin. The concert footage of her is pristine and powerful and even on film, her performances of "Tell Mama" and "Cry Baby" are electrifying. The Festival Express was one of the last few gig Janis did before her death and when she affectionately proclaims "next time you decide to throw a train, man, invite me," it is absolutely heartbreaking.
The movie truly captures the excitement that all of these performers created in concert and is an emotional look at many of their lives on the train with each other. For those who were there or wish they could have been, the footage of artists who have since passed, Joplin, Garcia, Danko, Manuel and others, the memories are bittersweet.
Festival Express is elegantly simple and great fun and all times.
The period footage was taken directly from the 16mm negatives and is beautifully colored and evocative of the times, the excellent quality enhances the performances even further, No film or rock and roll buff should be without a copy to watch over and over again.