AboveDeepBuggy Some things I liked some I did not.

Borgarkeri A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Catangro After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

J Besser Wow, what a movie. Not only is it filled with great music but it always is a great time capsule of the late '70s Dead scene. It's a movie that non-Dead fans will enjoy because it truly a movie that brings you to another place and time but it never feels dated in it's presentation. A timeless classic.

atlasmb In 1970, while a freshman in college, I purchased "Workingman's Dead", a studio album that was a snapshot of The Dead in that moment. Only recently did I learn that the album's sound was heavily influenced by CS&N. It's a great album, but it does little to help one understand the phenomenon that was The Grateful Dead.If we go back to "the garden", Woodstock in 1969--their live performance that was uninspired but natural--it is a good starting point for understanding the Experience that became the band's trademark. Woodstock had a freewheelin' energy and it reflected the anarchistic vibe of the counterculture. Unfortunately, that performance was also a portent of the consequences that befall those who abandon reason for the sake of experimentation or pleasure; and the LSD-inspired sloppiness of their Woodstock set was indicative of the drug-fueled illnesses that would end Jerry Garcia's life in his fifties."The Grateful Dead" does a good job of making this a documentary by showing backstage scenes, the group interacting with fans inside and outside the venue (Winterland), the crews setting up and tearing down, etc. But this film is about the legacy of a countercultural institution. And the live performances that were edited for this film shot in 1974 feel unself-conscious, organic and true to The Dead's oeuvre and style.Their music is a blend of folk country and psychedelia, reflecting Garcia's many musical influences, his personal style, and perhaps even his early use of the banjo. As is to be expected in their concerts, extended solos and jams are de rigueur.The film would get average marks if that was all it showed. But the fans, the Deadheads, were as much a part of the experience as the group they followed, so it is in showing the audiences that the film rises to more than a concert documentary. Shots of their lyrically dancing fans, and those possessed by frenetic intensity, are an integral part of the film. And they demonstrate how their performances were like a moveable Woodstock that continued for decades.Each performance was a celebration of the Deadicated for whom concertgoing was a way of life, a calling. Other bands had their groupies, but The Dead inspired legions of faithful attendees. Fortunately, this film does a fairly solid job of depicting the obsessive and transformational commitment of their followers, the Deadheads. We see the nearly religious devotion that was a gift, not deserved, in exchange for the gift of the band's preservation of an eclectic ideal.The photography is average, though comprehensive, but the sound is-- fortunately--quite good. Near the end, we see a banner proclaiming "Dead Don't Die". It's a prayer, perhaps, that flies in the face of reality, but it somehow helps quantify the spirit of the group and this film.

dwade-5 I saw the Grateful Dead twice in my life, so I'm not a true Deadhead by Deadhead standards (ie: I didn't follow them around the USA) although I fell in love with "Morning Dew" at 15 years of age (I'm now 53) and listened to "Live In Europe" endlessly in my college years. The first time I saw them was in 1969 in a free concert and then several years later in a paid concert. This DVD represents in my mind, the free concert years. The free concert was totally free in mind and body. It lasted over four hours. Little children and mama's were on stage along with the musicians. The atmosphere was extremely laid back. I have attempted to describe the experience to friends and youth who never experienced a free concert of that magnitude. Thankfully, "The Movie" came along. Now I can only direct those who are inquisitive enough and wise enough to understand the ramifications of such a period in time to this DVD. One more comment: Garcia was an artist in more than musical terms as illustrated by his graphical and fine art and film sense of the movie. He produced this masterpiece. Enough said. You decide for yourself after viewing. One thing that I will state is this: You will never see anything similar in your entire lifetime. This is a totally unique experience of awesome creative magnitude. -Big Wave Dave

harpua-3 Hey now,I think I have watched this movie about 200 times. Really. But it's not just because I'm a Deadhead. It's not just because the time filmed is during one of my favorite GD years, 1974. And it's not just because they have full versions of Morning Dew and GDTRFB on it.The reason I have watched this movie so many times is because it is food for your mind and soul. ( You can add body if you like to boogie during the film.) It weaves the many layers that make up a Dead show into a cohesive whole. Rather than just show concert footage, the movie dives into the hearts and lives of both the audience and the band members. We get to see pre, during, and post-show activities, as well as interesting insights from the band members.The film also does the best attempt of all released Dead videos of capturing "it" -- that unexplainable, natural force at work which can make the experience transcedent for those in attendance. The mixture of five different cameras and how close they get to the band help aid in their attempt to "explain the unexplainable."The highlight of the film is definitely the "Morning Dew", from 10-18-74, right out of a beautiful Dark Star. Jerry made a wonderful decision to have Morning Dew be shown in its entirety. To this day, I still get chills when listening to the climax of that piece.For Deadheads, this film is essential...but what makes it so respected is that the "uninformed" consumer can just as easily access this movie and see what life was like for a bunch of beatniks from San Francisco.Mike Hanley