Jimi Hendrix (1973)

• Year: 1973
• Released: 16 Aug 1973
• Country: United States
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070242/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/jimi_hendrix
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English
• MPA Rating: R
• Genre: Documentary, Biography, Music
• Runtime: 98 min
• Writer: N/A
• Director: Joe Boyd, John Head, Gary Weis
• Cast: Arthur Allen, Albert Allen, Stella Benabon

	7.7/10
	85% – Audience

Jimi Hendrix Storyline

This documentary was made three years after Jimi Hendrix’s untimely death. At the time it was an example of how a visual biography should be done, but some of the information in it needs revising in the light of new information uncovered over the years. The film contains concert footage spanning the Marquee in 1967 to his last UK performance at the third Isle of Wight festival in 1970; along the way we see classic performances at Monterey (1967), Woodstock (1969), Fillmore East (1969/70), and Berkeley (1970). A double album was released to tie-in with the film, containing the complete performances in the film, along with interviews with people in the film (not necessarily the same interviews). The film is worth seeing for Jimi’s performances, and to hear what his contemporaries have to say about him (Eric Clapton, Mitch Mitchell, Lou Reed, Mick Jagger, Pete Townsend, and others).

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Real Talent

When I worked backstage at the Fillmore East almost half a century ago, I thought a lot of the musicians were jerks. Oh, Virgil Fox would show up with his ministry occasionally — “Johann Sebastian Bach loves you and you should love him or you will be be eternally damned” — but I witnessed far too much of Jim Morrison to accept any of the idiotic sungod movie.

Jimi Hendrix was another matter. A man of such ability that….. I don’t know. Everyone was young, everyone thought we were immortal and were going to be A-bombed anyway. All I know is I wish I knew what became of that reel-to-reel my brother made of that set, must be almost fifty years ago.

great music energy

This rock documentary was released almost three years after his death. It contains footage of several of his performances including Monterey and Woodstock. It contains testimonies from many of his fellow contemporary rock icons as well as personal family and friends.

There is great energy from his concert footage. His guitar playing is beyond. The most iconic is certainly his national anthem in Woodstock. As for the testimonies, the most compelling is his military mate for me. His difference with that part of his history is interesting. The family and friends don’t really add that much other than a bit about his decline. It’s interesting to see who his people are but they aren’t dishing much more than music and drugs. The famous people are interesting for being famous. All in all, this is a good obituary for the music legend.

“‘Scuse me while I kiss the sky.”

The channel surfing gods must have been watching over me last night, as I came across this documentary on VH1 Classics under their ‘RockDocs’ format. As I tuned in, Hendrix was into his amazing “Wild Thing” version from 1967’s Monterey Pop Festival and it had me hooked for the entire run. Jimi Hendrix was always a favorite of mine back in the Sixties, and when he died in 1970, I became fixated on his ‘Electric Ladyland’ album, seeming to find comfort in the ethereal strains of ‘Moon, Turn The Tides…Gently, Gently’, as if he were floating away to a far off better place.

Besides the awesome live footage, the blast in watching this biopic has to be seeing rock gods speaking in reverenced tones of the guitar master. Were Mick Jagger, Lou Reed, Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton and Little Richard ever really that young? It was revealing to hear Townshend describe how he and Clapton talked about Hendrix and his music, and how they ‘decided’ that they liked him – as if it had to be a conscious choice. Other revealing insights came from some of the women in Hendrix’ life who I didn’t know about at the time, like Fayne Pridgon and Pat Hartley. Even feminist Germaine Greer got into the act, with observations on how his music impacted male audiences of the era.

An interesting element that worked for the documentary was interspersing scenes of live music and interviews with televised segments from a Dick Cavett TV appearance, where Hendrix’ low key manner seemed to belie his vulnerability. I never realized how insecure he felt about himself, and how malleable he was to the pressures of agents and hangers on, eventually leading to his tragic end. One of the Allen Brothers had an interesting twist on Hendrix’ passing, stating that the singer might have been experiencing an alpha state in which he consciously decided to experience death, resulting in an ‘alpha jerk’.

A curious aside to the Dick Cavett appearance – sitting next to Hendrix on the guest couch was Robert Young. I wonder if Hendrix ever watched “Father Knows Best”?

Above all though, it’s the man and the music that make this rockumentary special. My personal favorites – “Wild Thing” and the amazing Dylan tribute “Like a Rolling Stone”. Of course the Woodstock “Star Spangled Banner” version is on display in it’s entirety, as are all of the song performances presented, making this picture a unique tribute to the rock legend. Had he lived, Hendrix would be sixty years old today, and oh, what music might have been.