Led Zeppelin
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Movie Reviews of Led Zeppelin
Movie Review: I Have Been To The Mountain Top & Seen The Zep DVD....
Summary: 5 Stars
I first saw TSRTS in 1984 when I was 12 & I instantly became a fan for life. Four years later I started collecting bootlegs & I got a poor video copy of RAH 1970 & I could not believe that this concert was never released officially. Despite the terrible, and I mean terrible, sound & picture you could tell that this band was on fire. Fifteen years later & few morsels of poor copies of "Danish TV", "Supershow", "Tous En Scene", "Knebworth 8/11/79", & "Kashmir" & "Ten Years Gone" from Knebworth 8/4/79 on MTV, my prayers were finally answered; an official visual release from Zeppelin. I truly thought I'd die before that day happend.The RAH show is phenomenal! Fans & former naysayer's are finally getting to see what I've known for years; that these guys were everything that rock music should & could be. There were even a few surprises from RAH I hadn't seen before, like the awesome version of "How Many More Times", a blistering "Bring It On Home", & a very lyrical version of "What Is...". The highlight for me then & now are the totally punk (yeah, you heard me, I said "punk") versions of Eddie Cochran's "C'mon Everybody" & "Something Else". This ain't your "Hobbit" Zeppelin but the true ass-kicking band that they were. It's worth the price alone.
The MSG 73' section is great too. I never cared for live versions of "Misty Mountain Hop" but the DVD has changed my mind. The remixing has done wonders to the bootleg copies I've heard of "MMH" through the years. I love the new "Since I've Been Loving You", the visuals are so much better then on TSRTS. "The Ocean"... the best surprise on the DVD. If you ever wondered why they never reformed after Bonham's death, here's your answer. The interplay between Bonham & Page is as tight as a vice & as loose as a goose. Even the Bonzo introduction of "We've done 4 already but now..." is priceless.
Earl's Court is great too. I love the acoustic set. Jones really shines on mandolin during "...California" & "That's The Way"; & "Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp" is pure fun. Surprisingly, I even really liked "Stairway..." no matter how jaded countless listens have made me(though I will always be partial to TSRTS version).
A real treat is the Knebworth section. I've always heard it was awful which is not the case at all. If you're a bigger fan of the 30 plus minutes versions of "Dazed & Confused" from the early days I can see where a fan might be disappointed, but if you like "songs" as opposed" to "jams" hopefully you won't be. A few of the songs in this section I often thought sounded weak live are absolutely fantastic! "Sick Again" totally rocks, "In The Evening" no longer has such a dominant cheesy 80's keyboard sound like on audio bootlegs, & "Achilles..." is frickin' AWESOME!!! Page is sloppy as all hell but he pours everything he has into it. Remember this is rock music metalhead guitar freaks, if you want exact precision listen to Segovia or Malmsteen. Even my older punk rock friends from the 70's now even admit how great they were after watching "Achilles..." in all it's sweaty glory. If it can change a few Sex Pistols & Iggy Pop fans minds then it truly does go across all boards. The true treat though is the revamped "Whole Lotta Love". There are 3 different riffs in this version on the same theme. The last one sounds like Black Sabbath's Toni Iommi meets The Sex Pistols Steve Jones, truly heavy,dirty, & slinky. I prefer it even to the RAH version. And they were considered "irrelevant" at this point? Plllleeeeeaaaaaasssssseeeeee.....
The extras are great too, particularly the Page & Plant press conference & the brief Bonham interview in Australia.
All in all it was truly worth the wait & I have nothing but praise.... but I'm still hungry for more, & after viewing it you will be too... in a good way. Enjoy!
Movie Review: This is probably the best CONCERT DVD yet for any band
Summary: 5 Stars
This DVD is a real treat for me or anyone around my age or younger because we will never have the chance to see Led Zeppelin live since Bonham (rest in peace) is no longer with us. Before this DVD, the only live footage I had of Zeppelin was "The Song Remains the Same" movie and even though it contains some good performances, they are interupted by those fantasy sequences. This DVD on the other hand only contains classic Zeppelin performances. Disk one does not seem to be as popular with everyone as disk two, but there are plenty classic performances on disk one such as "Dazed And Confused," "How Many More Times," "I Can't Quit Your Babe," "White Summer," "Moby Dick," and "What Is And What Should Never Be." It is true that the cameras don't capture every aspect of the performances, but in my opinion, the camera work on disk one is far better than most concerts shot at the time (including "Woodstock") and any Paul McCartney concert available on DVD today. Their Royal Albert Hall performance definitely has good angles so you could see the band play (it captures Page very well). Disk one is incredible. Disk two is even better. The Madison Square Garden performances are quite good actually (especially "Black Dog" and "The Ocean"). "Misty Mountain Hop" and "Since I've Been Loving You" are also a great performances but the camera people shot more of Page's head instead of him playing the guitar. Why weren't these songs included on "The Song Remains the Same" movie? The best part of Disk two is the footage from "Earl's Court" and "Knebworth." Starting with "Earl's Court," every performance is classic. "Going To California" is breath taking, "Bron Aur Stomp (not sure of the spelling)" has turned into a Zep favorite of mine, "In My Time of Dying" is definitely a stand out, and this is the best filmed version of the classic "Stairway to Heaven." Moving on to the Knebworth footage there is a killer version of "Achilles Last Stand," "Nobody's Fault But Mine" will simply rock your world, "In The Evening" has the Zep men playing with the fire that they were known for, and "Kashmir" is featured in its ultimate version. Any performances that I left out are also classic. How about the band? Page proves why is is one of the best guitar players on the face of the earth, Plant sings his heart out and has loads and loads of energy, the world gets to finally see why Bonham was one of the two best drummers who ever lived (Keith Moon was the other one), and even though Jonesy isn't shown as much as his bandmates, you know he's there with his exceptional bass and keyboard playing (he also plays the mandolin). The camera doesn't totally ignore Jones though, but the focus is mainly on Plant and Page and then Bonham. I must say too that the sound and camera work are both incredible for footage that was shot over twenty years ago. Why can't some concert DVDs shot nowadays (Paul McCartney) be this good? In fact, whoever is in charge of filming and assembling a concert DVD should use this Led Zeppelin DVD as a model for how it should look and sound. How about the special features? Great interview footage on disk two with Plant, Page, and Bonham. Disk two also contains promos of "Over The Hills and Far Away" and "Traveling Riverside Blues." Disk one has like a thousand versions of "Dazed and Confused" performed for television but this is still a treat. The concert footage is what makes this DVD so good. Good isn't even the word for it. It's incredible and spectacular. I also hope that Page finds some more old footage of performances featuring some songs that did not make it on to this DVD, but either way, this is the ultimate Led Zeppelin DVD and possibly the best filmed concert on DVD for any band.Movie Review: What's NOT to Love About This DVD?
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been a Zep fan since the late-Seventies, but I was too young to have seen them live. Since John Bonham's death in 1980, I had become a major Zeppelin fan. However, rare collectibles and bootlegs have, more or less, eluded me.So, it was with great anticipation that I tore off the wrapping on my copy of this DVD. I put in the first disc, which features a famous Royal Albert Hall show, and I put the package away so I would not see the song list. I wanted to experience the Royal Albert Hall show as if I was in the audience.
My pulse was pounding as we see the band walk on stage and immediately explode into "We're Gonna Groove." I was ecstatic! I was seeing Led Zeppelin like I always wanted to see them: Energized, and eager to play. And man, do they ever play.
It's a concert like none we see today. No props, no flashpots, and no special lighting effects. Just a band, plugged into amplifiers, and playing their hearts out on stage.
I was in heaven. This was not just another concert DVD. . . This was like watching a dream. I had imagined what it was like to see Zeppelin prior to 1973, and with this disc, I not only get to see them play, but it's a mesmerizing show.
I finished the first disc nearly exhausted with excitement, and having to wipe away a tear or two from joy. It's a feeling I will probably never have again, but it's one I wanted to share with you because if you are either old enough to have listened to Led Zeppelin before Bonzo's death or you are simply a fan of their music, this DVD is the most crucial part of a Zep fan's official collection.
You have to understand that, aside from the decidedly mediocre and indulgent concert film, "The Song Remains the Same," most Zep fans today have never seen them like this. Now, thanks to Jimmy Page, we are able to see Led Zeppelin as they were in virtually every part of their career. It is an excellent document of their career as a band, and I recommend it highly.
If you don't get chills watching Robert Plant belt out early Zep songs in the Royal Albert Hall show, you were probably never really a Zeppelin fan to begin with.
Furthermore, several reviews here are critical of the pre-digital era recordings. I think that it is absolutely LAUGHABLE to criticize this disc for having less than 21st Century digital quality. Does anyone whine about the "less-than-stellar" recordings made by Louis Armstrong in the Twenties, or do jazz fans clap their hands in sheer bliss that they can sit and enjoy the the fact that they can actually hear Satchmo play? The fact that we can see Zeppelin kick ass on stage is well worth the ridiculously low price offered on this website.
Can the audio here compare to the best discs available? No. Does that matter? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Look at what you are getting: There has not been an official video document of a Led Zeppelin concert, aside from "The Song Remains the Same," for nearly THIRTY YEARS! Fans who did not have access to bootlegs never heard "Earl's Court '75," or "Knebworth '79."
This disc affords true fans, who never saw the band live, the opportunity to see Zeppelin at their best. I am a fan of their music, and after I finished watching the disc, I commented to a friend that I would have paid $250 for access to this footage.
That's what this disc means to me. It's almost priceless material, and we get it for less than one ticket to ANY current rock concert being held today. That says something.
I hope you get the same level of enjoyment out of it as I did, because if you do, you are in for one hell of a good time.
Movie Review: Finally! Led Zeppelin gets proper live treatment.
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had a love affair with Led Zeppelin since I was 16. I will be 29 in just a few days and that love is stronger than ever. One thing that always seems to bug my love for the band is the lack of good quality visual and audio material. Led Zeppelin did its best work on stage as they improvised and reworked their classic songs for the concert stage. This two-disc DVD set is the long overdue celebration of one of music's greatest concert attractions. Led Zeppelin DVD is a visual feast for the senses and an audio delight that provides both the hardcore fan and the casual novice a front row seat into hard rock's greatest band. There is much to be happy about including a stunning performance at Royal Albert Hall in 1970. I love the covers of Something Else and C'mon Everybody. The band is on fire and they know it and you can tell that the audience is literally getting off on the band. Concerts of any kind should have a sort of connection between the fan and the artist and Led Zeppelin proved its worth to both the eager fan and the goal of the performer. The 1973 Madison Square Garden shows are known for making up the only previously official live footage and album. The Song Remains the Same has always been average at best but on this DVD set one gets a new look at an old friend. The viewer gets unreleased versions of great renditions of Misty Mountain Hop and The Ocean, which makes one wonder, why they were left off the film when it was released in 1976? The sound is also much smoother than the DVD release of TSRTS film, which I hope, gets the proper remastering treatment one day.
Next up is Earl's Court and what can I say but it was like a kid at a candy store. A stunning and intimate acoustic set along with fired up versions of In My Time of Dying and Trampled Underfoot. The viewer also gets one of Jimmy Page's best ever Stairway to Heaven solos giving the now worn out song a look and sound of grandeur. The 1979 Knebworth shows represented a comeback for Led Zeppelin after being away from the concert stage for two years and away from their native homeland for four years. One can really tell that they were both nervous and excited about these shows and it shows in the playing. The viewer gets great versions of Sick Again, Kashmir and Achilles Last Stand. The playing is not quite on the same level of Earls Court or Royal Albert Hall but considering the long layoff shows a determined and passionate band that still had plenty of fuel left in the band's collective hearts. Knebworth deserves praise for a band willing to continue and the bands revamped arrangement of Whole Lotta Love should humble critics who have been far too harsh about these shows.
The extras on both discs are nice including a fine 30 minute performance for Danish television in March of1969 with a nice and rarely played Babe I'm Gonna Leave You. We also get a fascinating NBC interview by a pro Beatles press in which the band commends the fab four while keeping its own goals and ideas that would make them the band of the 1970's. The sound and visual presentation have been handled with care considering this footage is old and was almost unsalvageable. The visuals can be a bit dark with gaps replaced by clever even if mildly annoying bootleg footage. However, its all done with the love and care and big time admiration should go out to Jimmy Page, Kevin Shirley, and Dick Caruthers for providing the final acclaim and a fitting closing chapter to one of music history's greatest bands.
Movie Review: Just plain awesome.
Summary: 5 Stars
This is it folks, this is what every Zeppelin fan has been waiting for. This 2-DVD set is just too darn good. It's amazing to see so many different performances after being stuck with one performance (The Song Remains The Same) for a while. I really can't play favorites among the two discs because they're both just plain awesome. The first disc is comprised entirely of one concert from The Royal Albert Hall in 1970. This is raw Zeppelin, no colored lights, no fancy costumes, no video screens, no flaming gongs (I don't have anything against those things though). It's just four guys rocking out. From the frantic opening drums of "We're Gonna Groove" to the closing blues lines of "Bring It On Home", this concert displays Led Zeppelin at full force (and they were only together for less than two years at the time of this concert). My only complaint is that "How Many More Times" runs a little too long, but I'll watch it anyway. Now, I've heard complaints about the picture quality and the sound quality and how they both are not very good at times, but you have to remember, those reels were 33 years old when Page decided to create this DVD set, of course they're gonna have quality problems, but I really don't mind. The bonus features are also interesting. There are 3 TV appearances and one promo film for "Communication Breakdown." The best TV appearance footage has got to be the French TV video just for its humor value. Humor value? Yes, seeing Led Zeppelin rock out in front of an audience of stowic middle-aged people drove me to laughing. The others are pretty good too, I especially like the Danish TV one.Alright, so the Led Zeppelin of the first disc was raw and fresh, but the LZ on disc two is polished and refined, but that's a good thing. The disc starts out with "Immigrant Song" which is okay, not a great track, but serves as a bridge between disc 1 and 2. Then, the real magic starts to happen. First up is footage from the 1973 Madison Sqaure Garden Concert that was not inlcuded in "The Song Remains The Same". "Black Dog" is pretty good, but not as good as the next three songs. "Misty Mountain Hop" is amazing and full of energy, but then comes the excellent blues song "Since I've Been Loving You" which features Jimmy Page playing incredible guitar. To close out is "The Ocean" which features John Bonham and his opening count in, which the crowd obviously loves. The film quality is also better than the one from Royal Albert Hall. Then, we transition to video for the Earl's Court footage. It starts with usual three songs from the acoustic sets that LZ did after the release of III. But, the real gems are the three electric songs, "In My Time Of Dying", "Trampled Underfoot" (my personal favorite), and a version of "Stairway To Heaven" that beats out the one from TSRTS. From there we go to Knebworth in 1979 and back to film. The Led Zeppelin here stands in stark contrast to the raw LZ that graced disc 1. LZ performs most of the hits from their later two albums along with "Rock and Roll" and "Sick Again", but the real treat is the rendition of "Whole Lotta Love" which forgoes the middle section for an funky extended solo by Jimmy Page, a much different version from that at Royal Albert Hall.
Overall, this is a must have for any Zeppelin fan, along with How The West Was Won.