The Movies
Predating Woodstock, the preeminent music documentarian D.A. Pennebaker's Monterey Pop is a similar yet different beast, recorded over three days in California in June of 1967. We quickly note the parallel scenes of the hip young crowd gathering, the worried local law enforcement, and of course the building of the stage, with studio tracks laid over until the live music begins. But the size, West Coast vibe, and to an extent the talent lineup is different. Monterey is a wonderful collection of artists captured during an incredible time in music history.
As a movie, Monterey Pop often lacks the slickness of modern concert fare (the presence of Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick notwithstanding), with long blinding lens flares and not always the ideal angle on the action, but that's part of its nostalgic charm. Jimi Hendrix in particular was arguably the greatest guitarist of all time, and here we see him at his peak as a performer.
This Criterion Collection set is "Complete" in that it includes a second disc with two shorter companion films, Jimi Plays Monterey narrated by John Philips of The Mamas and the Papas, who produced the festival with Lou Adler, and Shake! Otis at Monterey. Both originally released in 1986, giving us more from two of the festival's most memorable stars. Otis passed before the movie opened, and Jimi would die about two years after, but their legacy burns as brightly as ever on this Blu-ray.
The Picture
The 16mm film origins yield warmth while simultaneously capturing the appropriate look and feel of the era, owing in part to the high levels of grain. Video noise per se is low, and the director-approved high-def restoration exhibits excellent colors. The short running time also affords a high bitrate, with minimal compression artifacts as a result.
The Sound
I'm happy to have the Original Uncompressed Stereo Soundtrack for archival purposes, but the Remixed Uncompressed Stereo is slightly more bass-heavy and in-our-face, and ultimately more listenable to my modern ears. Both are presented as Linear PCM, in addition to the remixed DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, designed to simulate sitting in the best seats at the festival. This immersion is achieved via a "back wall" of reverb and ambience, applause, chanting et. al. [Mary Jane is entirely optional - Ed.]
The reimagined soundfield imparts a distinct sense of front/rear perspective, an almost subconscious feeling of presence behind us as part of an embracing whole, with prudent declick/decrackle applied to the flaws. All of these tracks were prepared for the 2002 DVD but are presented here in higher-resolution Blu-ray audio formats. Brief text sections "About the Remix" and "About Eddie Kramer," the remix producer, are definitely worth a read.
The Extras
An astounding 112 minutes of outtakes are included, in HD although the audio is only a simple Dolby Digital 2.0 mix. Dropping some of these headliner performances (The Who, The Byrds, Simon and Garfunkel) must have been a tough call during the initial edit, while some (Tiny Tim) might have been best left on the cutting room floor. The 2002 audio commentary with producer Lou Adler and filmmaker Pennebaker is as relevant as ever, paired with their 2001 on-camera interviews (29 minutes, HD). Audio interviews with fellow festival producer John Philips, along with Cass Elliot and David Crosby, and festival publicist Derek Taylor, are preserved here as well. The HD photo essay by Elaine Mayes runs 12 minutes, with optional commentary, and the interactive reproduction of the festival program is fun if you have the time and the remote.
Jimi receives commentary from critic/historian Charles Shaar Murray, with additional audio clips plus a four-and-a-half-minute Jimi-specific Pete Townshend interview from 1987, in HD. Shake! includes two commentaries by expert Peter Guralnick, one track-by-track and the other a career overview, plus a 2002 interview with Redding's manager Phil Walden (19 minutes, HD).
Final Thoughts
The roster of musicians is second to none, the filmmaking is captivating and the sound quality is now a marvel. If you're a fan of great rock 'n' roll, pop in the Monterey Pop Blu-rays and party like it's 1967.
Product Details
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