Woodstock: Three Days of Peace & Music (The Director's Cut) (DVD, 1997)

DVD was bought to replace the original VHS of Woodstock. The DVD contains more music than the original release, which is a must for any fan of 60's music. The DVD contains more footage and has improved sound quality.

It is hard to put the importance of this event into a musical historical context. It is unsurpassed. Some of the greatest musicians in modern history who had unsurpassed influence on the development of music and modern culture. This movie does a pretty excellent job of portraying that event and the context in which it happened. For many of the musicians, their greatest recorded work was brought out by playing in front of half a million spectators. Perhaps the greatest flaw in the movie is the terrible, awful, really pitiful subtitles (in English) of song lyrics in particular. Turn the subtitles OFF. Its really distracting and a terrible shame to detract from the incredible music. Historically, the most significant acts are probably Santana who melded Latin music to Rock and Roll, Sly and the Family Stone, who did much the same with R&B and Rock and Roll, and of course Jimi Hendrix, who took the electric guitar and rock music to places never heard or seen from before or since. The Who were outstanding. Ten Years After played their best ever, as did Joe Cocker. By the way, for those of you who only know Joe from "You are so beautiful" or the sacarin duets, "A little help from 'me' friends" will show why he was famous in the first place. The problem with old Joe is that he really "spazed" out when he sang. It was the source of much merriment, as with John Belushi singing a duet with him on SNL finishing up writhing on the floor after flinging himself in a twisted mess. For those who have never seen him, it can detract from his singing, which on this song is amazing. So if you have young teens or others who are prone to laughing at new and unusual, maybe have them listen first without watching. Richie Havens opened the concert with his unique guitar playing open tuning with rapid-fire strumming. Some of the music is not to my taste, like Joan Baez, but others will like her.
I highly recommend Woodstock for anyone who wants to better understand where the music they listen to came from and perhaps is going. It is also great for people who are interested in the greatest concert of all time.
Tom

yes, absolutely 5/5; this is one of the top ten 'desert island' LPs--can you still hear it in your memory? i can, totally.

although mastered & re-mastered, it is still somehow unaffected.

from the time when the intensity, the novelty, and the ecstacy was pure & not analyzed,
the downside(s) yet unexpected.
it was a metaphor for the era,
a touchstone for a generation, a genre, and for america.

bless woodstock, it's promoters, the town it was in, the farm that it was on (& the farm's owner, thank you Max!), the performers & attendees...

"AND--here-we-go-again...
uncle sam needs your help again,
got himself in a terrible jam,
way down yonder in -- -
put down your books,
pick up a gun,
blow them all to kingdom come--
and it's...
(refrain) 1,2,3 what are we fighting 4? Don't ask me...."

"Louder!!"

"next stop is...-- -" and it's...

"5,6,7 open up the pearly gates,
well, it ain't no time to wonder why,
WHOOPIE....

If anyone is wondering about the Woodstock DVD being old school stop here. For those who were reading the paper about what was happening at Woodstock in 1969 wishing they were there like me, this DVD is awesome .For those who were born after like my children this DVD is history. I went back in time watching how peace and love did inhearit the earth for a few short days in a field in upstate N.Y. . It just shows me how times have changed and wouldn't it be nice to bring back some of the love. I think everyone should experience this DVD. Peace.

A wonderful documentary...thank God somebody had the insight to film it or it would have been a lost historical record. Only wish the Doors would have found it worthy enough to be there....

The best footage scenes. I loved the movie.
I was a teenager through these times and these are my roots. These are the artist that I grew up listening to. Great times to sit and remember.

The DVD was evrything that I had hoped. The entire Woodstock movie plus extras. Great price and fast service a plus.

I bought this for my son. He is really into this era of music. My children were all raised on the 70's music that I love so well. When I got this in the mail I had to sit down and watch it before he did. I remember going to the show to see the movie. It sure brought me back to the good times I remember so well.

Anyone buying this video is either reliving what this event meant to them in the past, or trying to see what the hype and historical significance of the festival was. Either way, it's worth seeing. It may be boring to someone who wasn't alive then, and can't really relate to the music of that time, but it should still be interesting on some level. For those of us that grew up in that era, it brings back a lot of the feeling of that time, and we get to hear some great old music.

One of the foremost diaries of the day's when drugs and Rock n' Roll were fun and enjoyable... The filming was brilliant, well edited and the sound is wonderful !! I'm looking for the time coming when it happens again...I always recommend this to everyone. A must for all libraries.

its amazing footage and a great festival that changed the way music festivals are played today. awesome video :)

Clear digital memories. Like being there again without the rain. This DVD reminds me how life and social situations have changed. Clothing tastes and eating trends were set for the future of America. Maybe all you need is love but we got more.

The movie was filmed true to the day, a accurate documentary. great music and great overview of the festival.

This dvd is a great illistration of the greatest concert ever given. It's a must own for any music lover.

What a film of great rock performances. Virtually a who's who of the most popular rock acts of the time immortalized over a three day period. Not only a film about the music, but about the people who came, saw and left!

Was looking for a Valentine's present for my husband and spotted this DVD, which proved to have GREAT music and footage. This proved to be as good as advertised.

I just had to have this. It is history. Everybody knows that. Buy it. You will never regret it. It's a totally realistic view of the hippie generation. A glimpse that future generations will get a true sense of what the era was like.

This DVD is hard to tell if it's a bootleg or a real release,mainly due to the package an the fact it's been recorded on both sides of the disc.Either way I liked the DVD,it plays just fine and the movie is a clasic

An excellent, very well made overview of 3 days compacted into just under 4 hours, presents not just some very good and some not so good performances on the stage; it gives the viewer a good look at how well the people involved at every level dealt with the unexpected number of attendees, resulting in a lack of many basic comforts and necessities, coupled with some rather unpleasant weather, and still had memorable weekend. If you were there and want to relive a small segment of it, wish you had been there, or just want to see some of what those of us who were there experienced; this Director's Cut is a must see.

This dvd is not as expected.It won't play on one of our dvd players.When we play it on another ,there is no way to choose a particular chapter as other dvd's do.Not sure if this is a legitimate product. No response from seller after I sent a message.Will not purchase from this person again.

I reallyt enjoyed this film. I bought it for someone that was there and they loved it. Good price and quick delivery. My computer was down and I missed the bid award and the seller worked it out with me.

At the time of this film's release, Peace and Music was still a clarion call of a generation, and the music, the film's verite, its judicious editing, made it one of the best portrayals of the Sixties and its music. But from the distance of nearly forty years, the documentary's story seems naive, fey, even dangerous in its adolescent demonstrations of personal freedom. Hardly a signpost to relish of Americ'as future.
Still, its unblinking portrayal is the reality of that time, and its music scenes demonstrate a true love for the meld of black R'n'B, blues, gospel, country and folk music that was rock music at its finest.

The movie is in really good condistion, shipping came real fast, and the movie is real cool. thank-you