Rating: 
Summary: Good But Not Great
Review: The film of the Isle of Wight festival is a good film as far as looking at the dying days of hippiedom. However, the main flaw I see in the film is the fact that many of the performances have been heavilly edited. Among the songs that you do not hear full length versions of are "Rondo" by Emerson, Lake and Palmer, "I Can't Keep From Crying" by Ten Years After and a blistering live rendition of "Alright Now" by Free. If you don't mind the heavy editing of these songs then I do recommend that you purchase this film.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting social commentary
Review: The film seems to be about the film maker,rather than the music. If you are hoping to see and hear some of the great artists of our time you will be disappointed. Granted, there are great clips of Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, Jethro Tull, and a spine tingling rendition of "Let it Be" by Joan Baez, but this film is basicaly a documentary about the trials of putting on a music festival. Most of the music is used as a background to the concerts troubles, or as an artistic backdrop to the director's rather chaotic style. It's worth seeing more for it's social and historical perspective than it is for it's musical content.
Rating:
Summary: Good concert footage -- but its a rocumentary, first
Review: The Isle of Wight Festival of 1970 was an amazing gathering -- 600,000 people attended. I knew what I was ordering, based on the reviews listed on the site, so I wasn't quite suprised with what I received. I wish that more concert footage was shown, and the whole 'documentary' of the behind-the-scenes debacle was omitted. I understand the need to show this footage, but I suspect that the people that buy this video have much more of an interest in the concert performances. Several performances have been truncated, most notably Jimi Hendrix's set... which was the real reason I wanted to buy this video...This is supposed to be remedied with the November 12th release of "Blue Wild Angel", which should feature most of the songs from the actual show (in correct order, without between song edits). Anyway, the other performances by notables that I enjoyed were "Ten Years After". "Taste", "Jethro Tull", "The Who" and "The Doors". Buy this -- but don't expect it to be a full-blown concert -- it's a rockumentary with concert footage sprinkled about. Knowing that, you've been forewarned.
Rating: 
Summary: A haunting look at the end of an era in Rock history
Review: The Isle of Wight was an interesting festival because it had artists that represented the hippie era (Jimi, Joan Baez, John Sebastian)to artists that would dominate the 70s (ELP, Joni Mitchell, Jethro Tull). I always thought the 60s ideal and era ended at Altamont with the Stones "Gimme Shelter", but this festival was indeed the nail in the coffin to the Sixties.
Rating:
Summary: Great Festival, Bad Film
Review: There were many, many great acts who performed at this festival. Too bad the producers of the film decided not to include many of the performances. And the ones that are included have suffered major editing. C'mon, guys, this was Jim Morrison's last appearance with the Doors! Show the whole song! This is more a documentary on the times than it is a concert film. Such a pity.
Rating:
Summary: not the best
Review: This contains some good performances but was disappointing overall.
Rating: 
Summary: A document of an extraordinary event
Review: This DVD features so many of my heroes -- Miles Davis, Free, Jethro Tull, Joni Mitchell, Hendrix etc -- that I had to get it. It's a fascinating record of this historic concert. It also dispels any romantic illusions one might have about the hippy era.Money constantly rears its ugly head throughout the story. (Ironically, this DVD is probably the item that enables the promoters to finally break even.) Several of the artists are quoted saying the concert should be free, but then the promoters are caught admitting that the artists won't set a foot on stage until they are paid. Nearly every non-performer on this film comes across as eccentric or stoned. The English vox-pops (interviewed in pubs, country estates or by the dockside) are particularly unlikeable madcaps. But most of the concert-goers seem decent enough. The performances are largely enthralling. It's amazing what music these small bands could generate without backing or overdubs. The Who are a revelation. It's amazing to see an extended Miles Davis band featuring Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea -- they set up the best groove of the whole movie, but sadly this performance is severely cut. Hendrix was actually slightly disappointing to me (I hadn't seen him on video before) -- I guess I was expecting the sonic barrage of his studio albums. In concert, his bassman seems particularly crucial to the overall sound. Within a month of the concert, Hendrix was dead, perhaps the greatest loss the rock world has ever suffered. Paul Kossoff, Tiny Tim, Rory Gallagher and no doubt several other deceased artists I haven't mentioned also appear. If you're into this era (1968 to 1971), then this DVD is pretty well indispensable. If not, you'll probably be unmoved.
Rating:
Summary: The True End to an Era of Peace and Rock Fests
Review: This DVD is a must have for both young and old who want to see what pretty much caused the end of the "Peace and Love" era. If your looking for a movie that features only the artist, then you might be disappointed, but is an excellent source of seeing both the artist and the people (good or bad) during the end run of the era. As the festival organizer said at the end of the festival, 'It's really sad. Because of what took place here, we'll never see the likes of this again." He was so right, even Woodstock II could never recapture the flavor of the '60's. There however were some exceptional performances by many artists, many who are no longer with us and need to be seen. Some performances were edited and cut short, but then again, how do you as a filmaker try to fit a weekend into a presentable time contraint for viewing. Taking this into consideration, they did a good balance between the performers and the 'gate crashers' and the audience. This is a documentary more than a rock show. In August of 1970 - the same time as the Isle of Wight festival, I was at the Sky-River Rock Festival outside the little town of Washougal, Washington. This festival was much different than the Isle of Wight in that there were only 30-40 thousand people and there was still the presence of peace and love and everyone shared whatever they had with their neigbors next to them. The only fatality during the whole weekend was an elderly man who was leaning over a bridge with binoculars trying to get a look at some hippy chicks skinny dipping in the river, fell over and hit his head on a rock and drowned. I don't remember any gate crashers and if there was, I think most of the people would have looked down on them. Yes, bands need to eat, the carpenters who build the stage, the permits etc., etc. all cost money, so why shouldn't people pay to go?? This is deffinately worth buying, but I'd HIGHLY recomend starting out with the Complete Monterey Pop Festival DVD, when and where 'it' all begin. Sure wish I had been there...!!
Rating:
Summary: The True End to an Era of Peace and Rock Fests
Review: This DVD is a must have for both young and old who want to see what pretty much caused the end of the "Peace and Love" era. If your looking for a movie that features only the artist, then you might be disappointed, but is an excellent source of seeing both the artist and the people (good or bad) during the end run of the era. As the festival organizer said at the end of the festival, 'It's really sad. Because of what took place here, we'll never see the likes of this again." He was so right, even Woodstock II could never recapture the flavor of the '60's. There however were some exceptional performances by many artists, many who are no longer with us and need to be seen. Some performances were edited and cut short, but then again, how do you as a filmaker try to fit a weekend into a presentable time contraint for viewing. Taking this into consideration, they did a good balance between the performers and the 'gate crashers' and the audience. This is a documentary more than a rock show. In August of 1970 - the same time as the Isle of Wight festival, I was at the Sky-River Rock Festival outside the little town of Washougal, Washington. This festival was much different than the Isle of Wight in that there were only 30-40 thousand people and there was still the presence of peace and love and everyone shared whatever they had with their neigbors next to them. The only fatality during the whole weekend was an elderly man who was leaning over a bridge with binoculars trying to get a look at some hippy chicks skinny dipping in the river, fell over and hit his head on a rock and drowned. I don't remember any gate crashers and if there was, I think most of the people would have looked down on them. Yes, bands need to eat, the carpenters who build the stage, the permits etc., etc. all cost money, so why shouldn't people pay to go?? This is deffinately worth buying, but I'd HIGHLY recomend starting out with the Complete Monterey Pop Festival DVD, when and where 'it' all begin. Sure wish I had been there...!!
Rating:
Summary: What happens when hippydom clashes with capitalism?
Review: This DVD should be required viewing for any sociologist interested in the 1960s/70s. Here we get a fascinating clash between dopeheads, anarchists and hippies demanding a free concert, whereas their pop music heroes are demanding to be paid before they perform. Tiny Tim comes off particularly badly, saying to camera that he thinks a free concert is a great idea. But then the concert organiser admits that Tiny Tim won't pick up his ukulele until he gets paid. Joan Baez is more honest and less two-faced about it, but she has no solution to the financial problem. She does expect to get paid. Eventually the rabble wins and, after clashes with police dogs etc, tears down the corrugated metal fences. Even the concert promoter's spokesman finally admits defeat and says everyone can come in, now that they know they'll never break even. Sociologists may well wince along with most viewers when one dopehead admits that he gives his young son (who looks about five) marijuana and LSD. But what a fantastic concert it was. Quite apart from this providing the last ever appearances by Hendrix and Jim Morrison, there were also some superb performances, particularly by the Who. (The interplay between drummer Keith Moon and guitarist Pete Townshend is telepathic.) Free are OK, but they are not well-miked. There is also the humdrum: Rory Gallagher with a very mediocre song, an extended Miles Davis band (which included Chick Corea and possibly Keith Jarrett) providing an excerpt which was all too brief. Joni Mitchell deserved gets two songs on this DVD, after telling the crowd that they are behaving like tourists. There is the nudity and unscripted on-stage behaviour that you might expect from crowds of the period. But what this film does so well is focus not just on the dirtiness of attending an outdoor concert for several days, but also on the problems of managing the event. Great stuff!
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