
Heynow,<br/> <br/> IthinkIhavewatchedthismovieabout200times.Really.Butit'snotjustbecauseI'maDeadhead.It'snotjustbecausethetimefilmedisduringoneofmyfavoriteGDyears,1974.Andit'snotjustbecausetheyhavefullversionsofMorningDewandGDTRFBonit.<br/> <br/> ThereasonIhavewatchedthismoviesomanytimesisbecauseitisfoodforyourmindandsoul.(Youcanaddbodyifyouliketoboogieduringthefilm.)ItweavesthemanylayersthatmakeupaDeadshowintoacohesivewhole.Ratherthanjustshowconcertfootage,themoviedivesintotheheartsandlivesofboththeaudienceandthebandmembers.Wegettoseepre,during,andpost-showactivities,aswellasinterestinginsightsfromthebandmembers.<br/> <br/> ThefilmalsodoesthebestattemptofallreleasedDeadvideosofcapturing"it"--thatunexplainable,naturalforceatworkwhichcanmaketheexperiencetranscedentforthoseinattendance.Themixtureoffivedifferentcamerasandhowclosetheygettothebandhelpaidintheirattemptto"explaintheunexplainable."<br/> <br/> Thehighlightofthefilmisdefinitelythe"MorningDew",from10-18-74,rightoutofabeautifulDarkStar.JerrymadeawonderfuldecisiontohaveMorningDewbeshowninitsentirety.Tothisday,Istillgetchillswhenlisteningtotheclimaxofthatpiece.<br/> <br/> ForDeadheads,thisfilmisessential...butwhatmakesitsorespectedisthatthe"uninformed"consumercanjustaseasilyaccessthismovieandseewhatlifewaslikeforabunchofbeatniksfromSanFrancisco.<br/> <br/> MikeHanley





