If I am going to do a month long documentary writing spree, I can’t ignore the often overlooked concert documentaries. Now in the past I have talked about concert docs like The Buena Vista Social Club, Sigur Ros and even Gimme Shelter, each kind of highlighting the times and even the musical perspective of the bands that are the focus of the documentary. This particular selection dwarfs all those previous ones not only in scope, but in a cultural subject that defined an entire movement and generation.
Woodstock is the seminal concert documentary of all time (I think at least). While so many other documentaries that have covered the subject of Woodstock focused on small parts of the bigger picture, Woodstock takes in the entire scope of the festival, from the music down to people that thrived on the concert grounds in Bethel New York on 1969. The documentary brings to life the vibrant culture and music, displaying what it would be like to experience this defining moment in music history with a deep love and intimate view of the concert. One of a kind performances from the genre defining musicians and long looks out to the vista of people that came from all over the country to take part in Woodstock.
A while back I talked about the Ang Lee film, Taking Woodstock, which was more of a personal look at the start and people that made Woodstock what it was. It didn’t focus on the music so much as it was a personal look at the singular life of one character and what it meant to be apart of that festival. Woodstock brings us what most people will forever remember about the concert, with thanks given to the Library of Congress and the National Film Preservation, the music that defined a generation. For people like myself who weren’t alive to experience this festival, this is as close we will ever get to immerse ourselves into the this historic cultural event. The performances are incredible, the music is lively, and the experience something to behold.
This is truly one of the documentaries that must be cherished and appreciated. It’s not just the fact that the documentary is about Woodstock, but it transcends documentary genre by diving into the festival and what made it so memorable. A lot of other concert documentaries on Woodstock pale in comparison to the scope of this and really is one of a kind. It was made with love and adoration, but also with a precise technical skill needed to make it more than just another concert documentary.
Advertisement
