Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

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Tom Hagen
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2008 12:35 pm
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Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#26 Post by Tom Hagen » Tue Jun 09, 2009 5:06 pm

I received my set today. All I can say about the packaging is that it is really something to behold in person. The faux leather fringe deserves some sort of anti-award for the level of effort that was put into something so unnecessary and ugly.

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fdm
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:25 pm

Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#27 Post by fdm » Tue Jun 09, 2009 11:49 pm

Thought it kind of funny (fishy?) that the advertisement at the bottom of this thread was a link to WB's Woodstock site.

so lightly here
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:38 am

Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#28 Post by so lightly here » Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:25 pm

That ad for the "Woodstock" DVD is still running trip-ly along the bottom of this thread. However, it is still not as obnoxious as the box set that came in my mail today. I can see how I could make a some leather fringed moccasins to wear with my bell bottoms but am not quite sure what to do with the lucite Woodstock photo display (I don't think lucite photo holders were around during the summer of love). Would appreciate any suggestions.

charal
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Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#29 Post by charal » Fri Jun 12, 2009 6:33 pm

The packaging is not user friendly IMO. A Brackly case would have been fine. It could have been housed in a cardboard cover with the Time Life book added [a la some Criterion releases]. [I recently bought a 6-disc set of Herzog's films [all R1 sourced] and the width of tha case is the same as for single DVDs.]

As to the Woostock content. I'm almost completely happy. The extras look better than ever. Congrats for putting the complete Dead performance of 'Lovelight' (despite it being shot in smi-blackout conditions). The extended cut of Johnny Winter's 'Mean Town Blues' was a surprise to me. It only proves what a great blues guitarist he his.

The Amazon extra disc puzzles me. All three extra performances [Dead, Airplane & The Fish] are essential and should be on the regular edition. How Amazon got exclusive rights to them is a mystery to me. Missing footage [not included due to copyright? or space?] includes The Incredible String Band's complete set [see Youtube], Blood Sweat & Tears doing 'Spinning Wheel' & 'Something Coming On' and various unissued clips by Havens and McDonald. (An unedited rendition of Butterfield's 'Everything's Gonna Alright' would have been welcome too.)

The inclusion of a remastered 1990 film THE LOST PERFORMANCES would have also been a logical bonus. This film contains many wonderful tracks including Butterfields 'Driting Blues' and Blood Swear & Tears 'More and More.'

Despite what I have written I am very pleased to see the care taken to present outtakes as complete as originally performed (despite some audio tinkering no doubt). Now we can hope for a similar job to done to the Isle of Wight set next year.

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fdm
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:25 pm

Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#30 Post by fdm » Fri Jun 12, 2009 7:29 pm

Looks like Target's exclusives are different than Amazon's exclusives... Wonder if other stores have still other different sets of exclusives...

Watched the film a couple of days ago (blu-ray). Certainly lost something in the transition from the huge screen that I saw it on (2-4 times when it first came out 39 years ago), and I think this is really the first time I've sat through much of it since. (Nearly 39 years later...) Interesting to finally see what made it into the director's cut. Was this the same content as on the DVD from years ago?

One thing that I noticed that was different was at the very end, before the credits, I recall the film just cutting off the sound at the end of the applause crescendo, resulting in an echo of silence in the theater I saw it in; on this release they kind of faded it out a little bit after it peaked. No echo.

For the blu-rays, looks like they're just 2-disc sets, part of the content of the second disc varying depending on who got what exclusives. Hope to get to disc 2 this weekend.

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MoonlitKnight
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:44 pm

Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#31 Post by MoonlitKnight » Sun Jun 14, 2009 7:34 am

I was going to get this on Blu-ray so I'd finally (presumably) have this film all one 1 disc, as opposed to spread over both sides of a disc...but, alas, the cumbersome packaging is giving me second thoughts. :-k

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fdm
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:25 pm

Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#32 Post by fdm » Sun Jun 14, 2009 3:31 pm

MoonlitKnight wrote:I was going to get this on Blu-ray so I'd finally (presumably) have this film all one 1 disc, as opposed to spread over both sides of a disc...but, alas, the cumbersome packaging is giving me second thoughts.
The box says limited edition of 140,000 copies... Perhaps if you are patient enough, it will be released in a reasonable/cheaper format. Or, there may be some overseas options somewhere along the line. Not sure how long it will take to sell that many copies. In reality, simple enough to toss all that junk, since buried inside the junk is a 2-disc blu-ray keepcase that you can easily put with your other blu-rays.

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Dylan
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 9:28 pm

Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#33 Post by Dylan » Sun Jun 14, 2009 5:39 pm

Does anybody know if the theatrical cut has made it onto DVD in another country?

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MoonlitKnight
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Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#34 Post by MoonlitKnight » Sun Jun 14, 2009 7:37 pm

Why do want the theatrical cut? I mean, the director's cut makes it irrelevant. Is that TOO MUCH music for you? :?

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fdm
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:25 pm

Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#35 Post by fdm » Sun Jun 14, 2009 7:58 pm

Actually, after watching the director's cut, I wouldn't mind seeing the original cut again. Some of the extra footage seemed a bit awkward at times. (But... it was nice to see some of the stuff I'd only heard on the record albums.)

charal
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Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#36 Post by charal » Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:52 am

A 4-disc DVD & Blue Ray is up on Ezy DVDs site. Its due out in July. If the specs are right then should we assume the 4th disc is the so-called Amazon bonus disc? I Believe this set is also out in the UK a little earlier.

The outtakes are presented in 16:9 but with black bars on either end preserving the original 1.33:1 ratio. The Creedence footage is my favourite at the moment. What a rockin' band they were back then.

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Gregor Samsa
Joined: Sun Aug 06, 2006 4:41 am

Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#37 Post by Gregor Samsa » Thu Jun 25, 2009 1:08 am

I don't think its been mentioned yet, but the UK blu-ray version (on top of the normal special features) not only has all the 'exclusive' bonus songs from both the Target and Amazon versions, it also loses the supplemental crap and is about half the price. 8-)

charal
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Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#38 Post by charal » Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:10 pm

I believe this is the same for the R4 release due out next month.

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denti alligator
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Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#39 Post by denti alligator » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:52 pm

Gregor Samsa wrote:I don't think its been mentioned yet, but the UK blu-ray version (on top of the normal special features) not only has all the 'exclusive' bonus songs from both the Target and Amazon versions, it also loses the supplemental crap and is about half the price. 8-)
Do you know if it's region B locked?

And what's on the Target exclusive that's not on the amazon exclusive?

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fdm
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:25 pm

Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#40 Post by fdm » Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:58 pm

denti alligator wrote: And what's on the Target exclusive that's not on the amazon exclusive?
comparison at dvdtalk

charal
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Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#41 Post by charal » Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:48 am

Does anyone know if the non R1 versions of the UCE has all 6 extra outtakes on its 4th disc as well as all the extra docos?
In other words will the versions outside the US have:
Canned Heat: Woodstock Boogie [30 minute version?]
Grateful Dead: Mama Tried
The Who: Sparks
Jefferson Airplane: Volunteers
CJ & Fish: Martha Lorraine
Hendrix: Spanish Castle Magic [uncut version?]

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manicsounds
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
Location: Tokyo, Japan

Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#42 Post by manicsounds » Sun Jun 28, 2009 11:21 pm

I know that the limited set on Amazon.com is the only one to have the 4-disc version. The UK didn't get one. Japan will have the 4-disc but it's not out yet.

charal
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Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#43 Post by charal » Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:16 pm

Both the 'Fringe' version and a normal - user friendly - version of the ultimate collections were released in Australia today. The DVD set has 4 discs with the outtakes [including all 3 Amazon 'exclusives' and all 3 Target 'exclusives'] on disc 3 and the documentaries [once again with all 7 extra 'exclusives'] on disc 4. The same 16:9 transfer is utilised and there is one stereo track. The transfer is listed online as PAL but not on the box. My TV shows it as PAL which means the audio will be sped up slightly.

charal
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Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#44 Post by charal » Wed Jul 29, 2009 2:37 am

You may be right since the R2 UNE FEMME MARIEE was corrected in this way.

By the way for those interested in such matters Canned Heat's WOODSTOCK BOOGIE is edited down from 30 minutes to 8 minutes. SPARKS is longer than the version on THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT [and its not cropped to 16:9] and the Hendrix track SPANISH CASTLE MAGIC is not unedited as reported elsewhere on the net. It is a different edit to the LIVE AT WOODSTOCK version with more shots of Hendrix and some newer audience shots. It does not contain Lee's guitar solo or the trading solos between him & Hendrix. [To hear this version you need to go to bootleg audio or get the unofficial European disc PURPLE HAZE IN WOODSTOCK - if its still available].

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Ovader
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:56 am
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Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#45 Post by Ovader » Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:08 pm

charal wrote:... and the Hendrix track SPANISH CASTLE MAGIC is not unedited as reported elsewhere on the net. It is a different edit to the LIVE AT WOODSTOCK version with more shots of Hendrix and some newer audience shots. It does not contain Lee's guitar solo or the trading solos between him & Hendrix. [To hear this version you need to go to bootleg audio or get the unofficial European disc PURPLE HAZE IN WOODSTOCK - if its still available].
SCM does include Lee's guitar solo (mixed low) and the trading solos (simple hammer ons actually) on Jimi Hendrix: Live At Woodstock [The Deluxe Edition].


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hearthesilence
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Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#47 Post by hearthesilence » Thu Sep 10, 2020 9:37 pm

Dylan wrote:
Mon Jun 08, 2009 4:49 pm
My question is: when will we get the original theatrical cut?
Apparently never, and it's too bad because it really is a better cut. I re-visited the four-hour 1994 cut or "director's cut," and it was tough to get through. While it was nice to see Janis Joplin, the added music is pretty uneven and does nothing to improve the film. The theatrical cut felt long too, but not as bloated as the 1994 cut.

There's actually a lot I like about the theatrical cut as a film, but the music just fails to live up to its legend. It's frustrating because there are bands that could have improved the movie - CCR, The Grateful Dead, The Band - but they didn't want to be included and instead we're left with some mediocre acts and even subpar performances from the great ones. I'm not even a Crosby, Stills & Nash fan and that may have been the one act that delivered their best and got it preserved on film. Hendrix originally had two songs in the theatrical cut: one is rightfully iconic, not only a career highlight but the greatest performance of the entire festival and film, and it's followed by a forgettable one that sounds pretty desultory by the time he takes his solo.

EDIT: Stumbled on to these posts from now-Library of Congress video engineer Bill Rush who worked on the 1994 cut:

I worked on the Director's Cut, found all of the footage. As I remember the differences are:

1. Tim Hardin walking around backstage trying to Sober up, with girls pulling daisies saying "He Loves Me....."
2. Canned Heat "Leaving This Town"
3. Jefferson Airplane: "Won't You Try" and "Uncle Sam's Blues"
4. Janis Joplin "Work Me Lord"
5. Jimi Hendrix: "Voodoo Child"
6. Original Ending w/Jimi Hendrix: "Villanova Junction" and Improvisation
Plus some annimated sections: "Rating Card", "Intermission", and "Dead Rock Stars Tombstone w/"Find the Cost of Freedom"

I also prefer the Original Cut of the film. I think it plays better. The Director's Cut was done in 1994, just before the advent of DVD. It was the only way to include additional material. The Tim Hardin/Daisy Girls, the 2 Airplane songs, and the Jimi Hendrix ending were all part of the original film and were blown up to 35mm w/panels. Mountain's "Southbound Train" and Johnny Winter "Meantown Blues" were also suppose to be part of the original film. The Canned Heat, Janis, and "Voodoo Child" were never part of the original film, but were new additions for the directors cut. CCR's "I Put A Spell On You" was also going to be added, but we couldn't get an agreement.

I wanted to issues the Original version this time, but we would have had to re-license the additional songs, and if we had left them out, we would have gotten lots of complaints.

----

The original 1970 version is only available on VHS. I was involved in putting together the Director’s Cut. It was only supposed to be a special limited 25th Anniversary Release and not replace the Original version. Unfortunately it did well for WB and is now the official version. They were trying to re-release the 1970 version for the 50th, but the ATT merger put the stop to it

----

Jimi’s improv at Woodstock was supposed to be part of the original end credits. It was the last thing cut from the film. I found release prints containing the improv at Warner Bros.

The studio made Michael Wadleigh cut it down because it was going to force the film to be shipped to theaters in 3 Goldbergs, which are the suitcases used to ship prints. WB was on the verge of bankruptcy and couldn’t afford the extra Goldberg

Adam
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Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#48 Post by Adam » Tue Feb 28, 2023 3:28 am

I just watched the version of "Woodstock" that has been on the Criterion Channel for the past couple of months (and leaves in a day). It appears to be the director's cut, as it is 224 minutes, includes Janis Joplin, etc. However, over the end credits is NOT CSNY performing "Woodstock" and "Find the Cost of Freedom" but some dreadful song called "Someday Soon" by Michael Spriggs. You can see this ending on YouTube currently, posted in 2018 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUp6bd8u450
This song is not listed in the credits, nor anywhere online that lists the songs in the film. Everything still lists CSNY, and there is even a credit for the song "Woodstock" in the end credits.
So in short, WTF? Does anyone know anything about this song swap? What music is over the end credits on the 2009 and 2014 Blu-Rays of the Directors Cut?
A new license couldn't be worked out?
Did someone at WB just send Criterion a version of the film where some joker swapped the song?
hearthesilence, do you know anything?

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fdm
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:25 pm

Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#49 Post by fdm » Tue Feb 28, 2023 6:25 am

Must be a streaming thing. Not on the dvd, nor any of the blu-rays I've seen (just checked the 2019 one, part of that really big cd box set); can't imagine I'd forget something like that.

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aox
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Re: Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music

#50 Post by aox » Tue Feb 28, 2023 1:08 pm

Yeah, that is something new. It has been "Woodstock" performed by CSNY on both the TC and DC since I have seen them for 30 years.

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