Relive 3 days of Woodstock, 'Shield' finale on DVD
New DVDs this week include a collector's edition of "Woodstock" and the final season of "The Shield."
"Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music: The Director's Cut: 40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition" (Warner, 1970; R for drugs, nudity, language; three discs, $59.98). This 1970 Oscar-winner, originally a three-hour film, has been in circulation with the 40-minutes-longer director's cut for 15 years now. But strangely, the 1994 VHS edition was vastly superior to the disappointing 1998 double-sided DVD.
So it's great to finally have "Woodstock" in a superior DVD release, much improved in both picture and sound. Of course, it always helps to watch this movie on a big screen, to better appreciate the split-screen effect of Michael Wadleigh's remarkable direction with his artistic team of photographers and editors (Martin Scorsese among the latter).
For baby boomers like myself, this film captures a fragment of an era we lived through that was unlike any other, for good or ill. The film itself retains its fascination, and the third disc's featurettes are fascinating in their commentary on the social aspects of the three-day event and the sheer mammoth undertaking that was the filmmaking effort.
But ultimately "Woodstock" rises and falls on all those fabulous bands and singers onstage performing live, captured in their unbridled, wildly talented youth (Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, The Who, Joan Baez, Grateful Dead, Country Joe & the Fish, Arlo Guthrie, Crosby, Stills & Nash and many more).
Actually, this write-up is based on the $24.98 two-disc "Special Edition," but Warner also provided critics with the third disc from the "Ultimate Edition" box set for review. (And if you buy it from Amazon.com, there's an exclusive fourth disc!)
The only "Special Edition" bonus features is a plug for the Woodstock Museum in Bethel, N.Y. But the "Ultimate Edition" third disc features more concert footage — 18 performances by Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Joan Baez, the Grateful Dead and others — plus featurettes with new interviews and a number of "collectible" doodads, including a 60-page Life magazine reprint.
Extras: widescreen, additional performances, documentary, featurettes, (the "Ultimate Edition" is also available in Blu-ray, $69.99)
Comments
- BYU eager for crack at Oregon State 3:40 p.m.
- Messy Monday commute 3:07 p.m.
- Zoo offers prizes for 1Mth visitor 3:02 p.m.
- Texas' McCoy a winner like no other 3:00 p.m.
- Senate confronts abortion in debate 2:51 p.m.
- Early stock gains evaporate 2:49 p.m.
- Online channel Vevo signs EMI Music 2:49 p.m.
- Pearl Harbor attack remembered 2:45 p.m.
- Al Pacino set to play Shylock 2:44 p.m.
- Weezer cancels tour after bus crash 2:44 p.m.
- Cougars going back to Vegas
- TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl
- Utah/BYU rivalry can be more civil
- BYU and Utah's bowl games
- BYU professor remembered
- Bring the true spirit of Christmas
- Utes excited to go to San Diego
- Y. profs: Beck not all-knowing
- Answers for the BCS
- Dr.: Mitchell controlled FBI interview
- Letters: Liberal because LDS
274 - Y. profs: Beck not all-knowing
253 - TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl
196 - Hate not limited to 1 in-state rivalry
190 - Aggies shoot past Cougars
179 - Cougars going back to Vegas
139 - N.Y. Senate rejects gay marriage
137 - George lost in rivalry hatefest
117 - Utah/BYU rivalry can be more civil
112 - Letters: Global warming a lie
106
I haven't yet played "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2," and honestly I...
If Sloan did not want to go with the young bigs fine. Then at least either...
I would be a jealous liberal woman too, look at Palin and her illegitimate...
NOT WEEZER!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ah, get better Riv-dog.
i say no SLoan will not play Fez he will use the excuse Spurs too much...
The Y has had a whole lot better QBs than this Texas QB - Young, McMahon,...
Listen to these BYU fans and their "almighty" attitude, @ how easy Utahs...
Wow dude, relax.
Glenn spreads his half-truths and lies mixed with a few videos and facts and...
Don't get invited to the Las Vegas Bowl.
I have climbed Kings Peak twice. Beautiful Henry's Fork Basin full of...




You can be the first to comment on this story.