- Actors: Arthur Allen, Albert Allen, Stella Benabon, Eric Barrett, Paul Caruso
- Directors: Gary Weis, Joe Boyd, John Head
- Producers: Gary Weis, Joe Boyd, John Head, Leo Branton, Peter Pilafian
- Language English
- Classification: 15
- Studio: Warner
- VHS Release Date: 1 Oct 1999
- Run Time: 98 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00004CJBI
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
19,963 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
- #78 in Film & TV > Music DVDs > Artists & Bands > Hendrix, Jimi
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
If any artist deserved a hagiography it was Hendrix, and Joe Boyd's 1973 "authorised" tribute The Jimi Hendrix Story adequately sanctifies the legend. Perversely for a documentary, it achieves this simply by well-chosen concert footage rather than through the insights of the various talking heads. Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Lou Reed and Germaine Greer are all wheeled out to wax lyrical about their days with Jimi--but nothing is more eloquent than watching and listening to him play. From "Hey Joe" in grainy black and white on Ready Steady Go, classic footage of Monterey, Woodstock (yes, "The Star-Spangled Banner") and the Isle of White festivals, to an acoustic 12-string rendition of "Hear My Train a' Comin'", Hendrix the musician speaks for himself.
But if Hendrix the musician shines through, this is not the most insightful profile of Hendrix the man: the circumstances surrounding his death, for example, are hardly touched upon (girlfriend at the time Monika Dannemann gets only a few seconds screen time). Interview footage with Hendrix himself plus some occasionally rambling and incoherent comments from such intimates as his father, army buddies, ex-girlfriends (including Linda Keith, who "discovered" him in New York and brought him to England) and fellow musicians all take second place to the music itself. The most sensible quote comes from Little Richard, who proves once and for all that he's utterly bonkers, when he says of Jimi's music: "At times he made my big toes shoot up into my boot."
On the DVD: This is a dual-layer disc, with a widescreen (1.85:1) print on one side and a standard (4:3) ratio version on the other--although watching in widescreen is redundant, as the film is shot in 4:3 anyway. There are no extras other than a theatrical trailer (despite being advertised as such a menu and scene access surely don't count as "special features": what use is a disc without them?) --Mark Walker
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I like the original film, although it's not as good as it could be, but it's the only real documentary of THE guitarist. This remastered version would have been nice upgrade for the original, but fake wide screen (thank you again WB) spoils it totally. I have the original 4:3 and it is 1/3 "bigger" than this fake wide screen versio, which cuts the picture. It makes me really mad why they have to do things like this, because the picture quality otherwise is much better than in the original! Only reason I'm keeping this version is the bonus disc.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The life of Jimi Hendrix cannot be covered in one dvd. His songs can't be, neither can his idiosyncrasies. Therein lies the "fault" of this dvd. It's more like a dictionary entry than a full length feature, because there is so much to say and presumably so much to show. In other words, once your'e through watching the dvd, your'e just warming up to the subject. Scratching the surface.
So don't look at this dvd as authorative. But if you look at it as a snapshot, a brief moment in the life of, this dvd succeeds.
The image quality isn't great. It seems as if everything was filmed on home movie cameras. But that's okay, because this all did happen in the sixties, remember? But what does bother, is the sound quality. One underestimates the importance of sound quality when half a dvd consists of interviews, but what's the point of an interview if you can hardly hear what the "cats" are saying anyway. (Am I supposed to READ all those subtitles?)
And yet: this is a good dvd. It has entertainment value, but is not half as informative as I hoped it to be. This is probably not a good starting point for a Hendrix noob, but could be required viewing for fans. If you're a noob, check out "Jimi Hendrix plays Monterey" (and weep). Now 'Scuse me
28 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Shot in 1973, this film captures the effect that Jimi Hendrix really had on the world. From the interviews with a young Pete Townsend, Eric Clapton, Lou Reed, Mick Jagger it is easy to see how Jimi changed their perception of the guitar and of music as he is still so fresh in their minds. They can be nothing but humbled by the fact that they were around to experience such originality in the flesh. There are no bloated egos on display here. The film also contains rare inteviews with Al Hendrix (Jimi's dad) as well as bandmates, friends and ex-girlfriends which give a great insight into what jimi was like off stage.
The film is completed by some mind-blowing footage of Jimi onstage, which is after all what it's all about. Highlights include the Monterey footage where we see the legendary 'Wild Thing' flaming guitar massacre. However as Jimi himself explains, it's not about the gimicks and my favorite perfomance is the acoustic version of Hear my train a comin' where there's just Jimi and his 12-string sat in a white room, shy and funny, but at the same time sure of his ability, Jimi shows us all how it's really done. This man is a pure genius.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Good Seller
Great DVD for a Jimi fan, good price, well packaged and quick delivery. Would use this seller again. Many Thanks
Published 9 months ago by marpal
Jimi Hendrix dvd
I bought this to replace one I had some years ago. Absolutely fabulous to watch Jimi doing his stuff. No-one like him since or likely to be again. He was unique.
Published 14 months ago by Procyon
buy it
If you're into Hendrix or still finding your way then this is essential. Why? It was made fairly shortly after Hendrix's death and not only does it have some of the best Hendrix... Read more
Published 20 months ago by I Like Stuff
Contains some memorable material
I originally owned the VHS video of the above so later bought the DVD version to prevent forwarding / rewinding to my favourite tracks. Read more
Published on 9 April 2010 by Mr. DJ KING
All There Was
In September 1966, when myself and everyone else alive at the time aged 15 to 18 tuned in and just happened to see Jimi Hendrix very first UK TV appearance on Top of the Pops (in... Read more
Published on 8 Sep 2009 by Alan Burridge
...An Essential Piece Of Modern History
Jimi Hendrix Story [DVD] [1973]......What Can I Say???.....A Mind Blowing History Lesson For Myself, ( I Was Born A Year After The Great Man's Death)...... Read more
Published on 20 Aug 2009 by Tommo 18/7 ©
Entertaining and a good light introduction to Hendrix, but not...
I believe that this documentary is likely to appeal to two kinds of people. First, those that don't know a thing about Jimi Hendrix, and that will be able to watch an engaging... Read more
Published on 11 Dec 2006 by M. B. Alcat
At his absolute best!
There's a DVD of this along with Otis Reading's performance also from the same festival. Yet a friend of mine mentioned he'd bought the DVD of this video (just with Jimi on it -... Read more
Published on 24 Sep 2006 by Alan Burridge
Great Rockumentary, Average Film
This is a re-mastered, expanded version of the original DVD release, which has been unavailable for some time. Read more
Published on 11 April 2006 by Geoffrey Millar
MIND BLOWING! HOW DID HE HAVE ALL THAT ENERGY?!
i think that hendrix live at monterey will be my most favourite performance ive seen yet!, he had the crowds eyes startled and confused wondering how he made that guitar come out... Read more
Published on 6 Feb 2004 by M. Snell
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