I've had the DVD for probably a couple of years, but never watched it because, as hinted earlier, the whole thing's kind of intense. So, finally watched it yesterday, with liberal use of the fine capabilities of freeze frame.
Personally, I think it does better on the small screen, just because (as I recall) it was shot on essentially Super 8, and therefore the big screen really taxes its resolution. I was lucky enough to attend what I think was the first screening in SF, and the basketball-size grain of the film was sometimes an issue. On a TV screen, no problem.
But the other thing--even though we're all here because we're Deadheads, as it were--so many of the other artists are just stunning. E.g. The Band. I'm here to say that at the aforementioned screening,it took about a verse and a half of "Slippin' and Sliding'" to get the mellow crowd on its feet screaming.
On our way home from said screening, my friend Bennett and I got to talking about how much one's sense of The Band is formed by The Last Waltz (and rightly so; Martin Scorsese, what's not to like...), when, as Robbie Robertson so accurately said, they were at the point where they had to get off the road before it killed them. Here you see 'em eight years earlier, not so far removed from being the baddest-ass bar band in Canada, taking no prisoners. Every one of those guys just tears your heart out.
Hiphistorian (or Hip historian) was my nick name "back in the day", when we were hippies.
I've always been a stickler for collecting social artifacts and memorabilia, and the Hippie era is one of my favorites. Back around late 1967, I started to collect and save every bit if hippienalia that I could find, including posters, local underground newspapers, flyers, etc. I still have them all today. My friends were aware of this habit and gave me that moniker. I am also aware of historical continuity, and like to keep a historical order in things, particularly momentous occasions and performances.
This is why I'm such a stickler for dates of artifacts. I'm quirky that way.
Man, am I dumb!
So I go and examine the first disk of the Festival Express DVD and what do I find but a "Special Features" segment. I click on that and what do you know, but "Bonus Performances" shows up! I've had this DVD for about 8 months and never looked past the main feature.
OK - so "Hard to Handle" and "Easy Wind" are there after all (but just not in the "official movie").
Just to correct a previous error - in the pic of the band on stage, that is from Toronto, 6/27/70. The "Hard to Handle" vid is from Calgary, 7/03/70, and the "Easy Wind" vid description is correct.
The pic of the group on the train is most likely from the evening of 7/02/70, just before they arrive at Calgary.
All I can say, is that the whole DVD is priceless!
Some of my dates may be off. I'm going by what Deadbase tells me, and what I see on the DVD, and what the setlist off of the Festival Express website says.
Oh, it's soooo confusing! :-P
I like the tie-dye speakers, purple shirts, cowboy hats and acoustic guitars from the Calgary, 7-03-70 photo. Nice visual. Jerry, Bob and Billy look good. Thanks Ed.
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
Walt Whitman-Song of Myself
Here' another rare goody from the Wiinipeg concert. This one is also missing from the official DVD.
John "Marmaduke" Dawson of the New Riders next to Janis above.
Never had such a good time....
I was always happy these guys got to do this.
As Bob said, "That train was buzzin down the tracks".
“The Omnipotent Grateful Dead!”
Love the pics and trivia...
Locations
I'm quite certain that the film was shot in 16mm. Super-8 would have had grain the size of medicine balls. 16mm film typically has larger grain per frame than 35mm. But, if you want portability and ease of camera-work, you shoot 16mm. Woodstock was also shot in 16mm. Lot's of Arri's and Eclair's used there, especially Eclair NPR's.
The problem with grain is that grain is increased when you dupe the film. Shooting an internegative increases grain. Unless you shoot 16mm Kodachrome (impossible for a commercial release), you going to have grain. That's the nature of 16mm film.
Doesn't matter - gives the film that gritty, documentary look, which is exceedingly fitting for this film.