Easygoer10
This is without a doubt the best film about Jimi Hendrix ever made. I loved it when it was released in 1973 (3 years after he died in September, 1970). I should note my (now deceased) older brother went to almost every Pop Festival from 1967 to 1970. Almost everything was word of mouth. No internet, No cell phones, No cable TV, No MTV, no FM radio, etc. Therefore, what my brother (& in turn, I) did was a key fact. We spread the word. I heard "Are You Experienced", his debut album, when it was released in 1967. I was 13 years old. It (honestly) changed my life. I lived in Louisiana, in a city with a population of 200k. My family didn't have much money. However, my mother always saved a little cash; she bought me a cheap electric guitar & paid for me to see a guitar teacher. I saw him twice, then quit because I couldn't stand what he was playing. I taught myself, but didn't get serious until I was 19. I saw a girl who I had a big (& my very 1st) crush on in middle school. She was dating a guitar player I knew of who played in a local band & also tutored a few students. We met, & he said I had a lot of potential; he also told me he would teach me anything for free & I didn't even own a guitar. He taught me scales, chords, etc. I would practice on my fingertips; even when I went to bed, before falling asleep. BTW, I never learned to read or write music. In 1974, we went to Dallas & I bought a brand new black Ibanez "Custom Agent" for $300 from Larry Morgan; he even gave me a Gibson Les Paul hard shell case (not like the plastic ones now). It is now over 40 years old. It has the fastest neck, plays & sounds better than any electric guitar I have ever played. Not too long after, he opened a big guitar store. It was named "The Guitar Shop", & he offered me a job as a salesman. I agreed. I was in heaven. Prior to this, there was really only 1 music store where in town. If you were very lucky, they might offer you a 5-10% discount on an instrument. We killed them. As the authorized dealer for Gibson guitars, Marshall amps, Pearl drums, Moog synthesizers (a new thing then), etc. we would give anyone a 30% discount off a brand new Les Paul, or any other guitar or amp; some we sold for 40% off. We also bought & sold many used guitars, & I saw & played them all. More than a few were old and some were very old: Les Pauls, Stratocasters & Telecasters from the 1950s! Some are very valuable today; a few extremely valuable: The best was a mint condition 1960 Les Paul 3 (gold) pickups "Black Beauty" (we bought it for $400!). It is now worth $100K. I bought the mate amplifier to it for $40; a 1960 Gibson "Ranger". So, this is all way too much about me. I apologize. For me, Jimi Hendrix is the greatest and most original rock guitar player of the electric era. "Rolling Stone" magazine ranked Hendrix #1 in their top 100 Rock & Blues guitar players. Although I disagree with their top 10 order, I totally agree with this rank. They have Eric Clapton 2nd, Jimmy Page 3rd with Jeff Beck 4th. I would reverse 2, 3, & 4. Ironically, all 3 were in the Yardbirds. I have seen them all play in person; some several times, especially Jeff Beck. I think he is the greatest living player. I have seen him play 3 times; twice in small clubs in NYC. Again, I apologize for digressing. As far as this film, I own ALL of his documentary, live playing or interview documentary films. I own no docudrama films, for the simple reason that no one could play or imitate him in a film. This film is only 98 minutes long; however, it has hours of interviews, photos, etc. They have a lot of time with his father, along with other musicians & friends. It has a photo of him when he was 13, with a guitar his dad bought from a pawnshop for $5. It is a very linear film, well spaced, well done. I should mention Eddie Kramer, a (genius in his own right) recording engineer and a permanent one for Hendrix. He recorded all 4 Jimi Hendrix albums he made while he was still alive: "Are You Experienced", Axis: Bold as Love", "Electric Ladyland" and "The Cry of Love". He also recorded all of the posthumous albums. In addition to all of this, he was the recording engineer for countless top shelf Rock & Blues bands (shortly afterwards Jazz & Pop) of this era. I don't have room for all, so I will name only 10: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Traffic, Santana, The Kinks, Dionne Warwick, Bowie, Small Faces, & Carly Simon. He was the audio recording Engineer for "Woodstock" in 1969. In 1970 he oversaw (with help) the construction of Jimi Hendrix's state of the art studio "Electric Lady Studios" on West 8th Street in Manhattan (I have walked by it dozens of times). It cost $1 million; an unbelievable sum then. Kramer has been the recording engineer and producer of countless Rock, Blues, Jazz, etc. documentaries to this very day. So the bottom line is this: Of all Jimi Hendrix films, whether authorized or not, this one is the very best. I love the ending of the film. Peace.
LeonLouisRicci
The Strength of this Documentary is that it was Made Only a Few Years After Jimi Passed On. But of course, the Filmed Performances, Mostly Shown in Near Entirety, are a Goldmine for Newbies and a Welcome Flashback for Die-Hard Fans.Many Headliners and Friends are Interviewed and Offer then Recent Recollections of Their Initial Introduction to Hendrix's Guitar Playing and Style and the Word is "Blew my mind." Nothing Like it Before, and as Pete Townsend of "The Who" says..."Jimi made the guitar an instrument". Seems Simplistic and Obvious but Before Hendrix the Guitar was Mostly an Ensemble Part with an Occasional "Lead" Spotlight.But, Jimi Hendrix Made it THE Spotlight, THE Instrument, THE Focus, Taking it to Unexplored Heights and Boldly Went Where No Guitarist had Gone Before. This is a Near Perfect Introduction and Reflection to a Humble, Insecure, Musical Genius, that was and is a Sign Post to that "Twilight Zone" Counter Culture Explosion of the Late Sixties.A Must Have Visual and Audio Timecapsule for Anyone Interested in Rock, Heavy Metal, Pop, Blues, Soul, and Psychedelic Music (Acid Rock). An Incredibly Insightful and Delightful Look at a Time and Place, and a Musician and Man, that will Never be Forgotten.
Michael_Elliott
Jimi Hendrix (1973)*** (out of 4)This documentary was made and released three years after the death of Jimi Hendrix and it really shows what a masterful talent he was. When viewing this today people might not get its full impact because it features clips from various concerts that have since been released complete and on their own. With that said, it's important to remember that for a time this here was the only way to see much of this footage. Eric Clapton, Paul Caruso, Billy Cox, Pete Townsend, Mick Jagger, Little Richard and Lou Reed are just some of the people who talk about who Hendrix was and what he was able to do with his guitar. Through the interviews you really get a great sense of what other artists thought of his talent and it's interesting hearing them talk so shortly after his death. Many of the stories are very entertaining and especially the reactions from them in regards to the first time they saw Hendrix and his talent. We also get an interview with Hendrix's own father who discusses his sons early days and how he got to playing guitar to begin with. Overall this is a very entertaining documentary that tells you some good stories about the legend but the majority of the running time come from various concert and television performances. No matter how many times you watch him perform you really can't believe that he was actually human and pulling off all of this music. Fans of Hendrix will probably own many of these shows in a complete form but this documentary is still very good for those unfamiliar with the work of Hendrix or those who just want to kick back and enjoy the music.
Barry Comer
... a nice sentiment about Hendrix.http://cchronicle.com/2010/07/jimi-hendrix-was-not-godJimi closes his eyes with raised eyebrows that arch with heaven and steeples. His left arm reaching for breath and guidance from the angel; a purpled wing. My eyes now close with the aromas of someplace, of exploration and eruptions. From sleepy dreams and wisps of smoke that curl my hands, Purple Haze finds its way back. A piece of life in my corner of memories and favorites; my mantra of home to my heart.By the time of his Band of Gypsys, the sound that exhaled my Star Spangled Banner disappeared. Anthem maker and Bold as Love warrior, Jimi slipped under. He died September 18, 1970 from massive amounts of wine, vomit and suspicion. James Marshall Hendrix lay in London deceased and I accepted another, just like the ones before and the ones in line... and so on.
