Festival Express (2003) User Reviews

What a TRIP!!!!

[douglj · 7/10 · 7 August 2004]

I wasn't stoned, drunk or trippin' but I had a great time watching this flashback to 1970. The Dead, Janis, The Band all had very good performances. Buddy Guy and his band were probably the only black guys in Winnipeg!

If you like the music go see this movie. If you like history go see this movie. This was Woodstock plus one year! Janis died a few months later.

Peace Love and Rock & Roll!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Canada what a trip!

Toronto to Calgary I wonder if they remember any of it?

time capsule for rock lovers

[Buddy-51 · 7/10 · 4 July 2005]

In the summer of 1970, some of the world's premier rock musicians - prime among them The Grateful Dead, The Band and Janis Joplin - got together to perform a series of concerts across southern Canada. Rather than just flying to the various venues then afterwards going their separate ways, the performers boarded a train in Toronto and headed west to Calgary, stopping off at various places to "do their thing" for appreciative audiences. That train ride, which turned into a nonstop jam session among some of the top rock 'n roll talents of the time, became known as the Festival Express and this film is the chronicle of that experience.

"Festival Express" juxtaposes footage of the event with present-day interviews from some of the people who were on that train. We see the musicians jamming together in the cars then performing their sets in open-air stadiums. What the film doesn't show us is any real interpersonal connection or interaction beyond the music. Perhaps the cameras were turned off whenever the performers were talking to one another, or, perhaps, the performers were just too drunk or stoned to say anything of any real interest to one another on the trip. Either way, the film does not provide us with a very compelling behind-the-scenes glimpse into the lives and personalities of these people. That is the biggest disappointment of the movie.

Be that as it may, "Festival Express" is still a useful time capsule for reminding us about what the culture was like 35 years ago. The film does an interesting job capturing the strange moral paradox that has been an intricate part of rock 'n' roll from its earliest days. For although rock music has always derived its power and strength from its anti-establishment stance and attitude, it is also a highly competitive business built on corporate interests, involving record companies, producers, promoters and millionaire performers. So how does one reconcile these two seemingly antithetical positions? How justify high ticket prices or millionaire salaries in an art form that claims as its foundational principle that the corporate establishment is the source of all the evil in the world and the very thing that the music itself is dedicated to stamping out? And how genuine can this anti-establishment attitude really be when what looks on the surface to be spontaneous rebellion is actually the result of shrewdly calculated Madison Avenue exploitation? This conundrum comes to a head in the Toronto stopover where a group of protesters outside the concert are threatening to turn violent if they aren't provided free entrance into the arena (the tickets cost a whopping $14!). These youngsters feel that, because rock claims to be a statement against everything related to money and profits, the purveyors of the message - i.e, the concert promoters and the rock stars themselves - should be willing to forego being paid for their efforts. There's humorous irony in the fact that we see these "radical" anti-establishment musicians ultimately siding with the cops on the issue and against their youthful fans on the outside! The people who were on the train keep telling us what a life-changing and euphoric experience that trip turned out to be. That may well be the case, but due to the lack of intimacy we feel with the performers, that sense doesn't really come across very effectively in the film. What the film does provide is a rare opportunity to watch a collection of iconic rock legends performing at the peak of their youth and powers. That alone is what makes "Festival Express" a must-see for aficionados.

A tremendous time capsule in music history.

[BlackJack_B · 8/10 · 22 May 2005]

Festival Express is a documentary chronicling a week long rock festival going on in Canada with some of the biggest stars at the time, which was in 1970. Instead of taking them across Canada on planes, the musicians and their crew went on the VIA Rail (a.k.a. Canadian National Railway), which was a unique idea at the time. The tour visits three cities (Toronto, Winnipeg, and Calgary).

We learn about what went on in between travels and about the difficulty that this tour went through from those who experienced it. Whether it was the protests from fans who felt they should get to see these concerts for free as paying for them would be hypocritical, the stop over in Saskatoon to fill up on booze, or the party jamming that was done all day and night between stops the film discusses it at length.

Of course, the musical numbers are the big reason to check this out as we see some legendary talent perform. Bluesman Buddy Guy, a favorite of mine, delivers a blistering performance of "Money (That's What I Want)". The Grateful Dead, The Band, and The Flying Burrito Brothers deliver the popular country-rock that was big at the time, with The Band's "The Weight" being the showstopper here for me. Ian and Sylvia Tyson's Great Speckled Bird join up with The Dead for a superb cover of "See See Rider" as well as a few other fine performances.

Of course, the final paragraph must be about Janis Joplin. Even 35 years after her death, no woman has come close to matching her stage presence. Janis didn't need to spend millions like Madonna or Britney Spears on slam dancers or extra entertainment to mask their weaknesses. Janis would get on that stage alone and her singing and sharp wit would be all that was needed. Despite being near the end, she was performing at her peak as we hear her belt out "Cry Baby" and "Tell Mama".

All in all, a fine documentary; if you are a fan of the music of this era you should get this DVD.

See the film and take an amazing ride back to the 60's.

[ctade · 14 September 2004]

I recommend this film not only because I am a fan of most of the people that gave performances, but the creator of the film captured footage of the performers that was exceptionally good. The "young" Grateful Dead gave a tighter performance than I had ever seen them perform live. "The Band" also surprised me. They performed very well and they too seemed tighter than when I saw them live 30-plus years ago. However, Janis stole the show. She was wonderful! You must see the movie just for her performances alone. What a trip! The in between shots of all the musicians riding on the train was fun and full of energy and a real bonus to the film (the concert footage was enough to bring me in to see the movie). If you are a fan of the 60's and you enjoy Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead, you must see this film. The only time I felt disappointed was when the movie ended. I could easily have watched two or three more hours of concert footage.

People of the world, join the love train!

[jdgratz · 10/10 · 30 August 2004]

What a terrific bit of insight into an event that until recently, was relatively unknown. In the wake of Woodstock, it was time for the players to have their fun. Some of the most tremendous artists of the 60's all join together to have a mobile party that ran across Canada. The movie includes some amazing footage of Janis Joplin, members of The Band, and a lot of Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir. I was curious where the remainder of the Grateful Dead spent much of their train time, but the footage shown was enlightening enough. From a night with LSD laden whiskey where spirits and the music was VERY high, to onstage performances by many of the groups from the actual concerts, and promoters and band members discussing the concerns about unruly fans and city managers. There was at least one huge aspect to note. For those of you who may appreciate Joplin for who she was and the influence she had but, maybe, aren't huge aficionados of her music, you may gain a new respect. Her onstage presence was clearly electrifying. You could tell that whenever she was belting out her bluesy tones, she had every bit of her heart bleeding out of her entire being. It would be a wondrous day to find that this, plus more and more hours of the footage could be released. I would waste away for an entire day watching and enjoying every tidbit of what was collected.

Opinion from a complete non-fan of the music....

[radioanagrama · 9/10 · 10 May 2005]

Before seeing this film, I was a completely novice to The Band, Grateful Dead, Janis. I'm 22, I didn't grow up with this stuff, my only knowledge of The Band is that Scorcese directed a film on their last concert. I have a few hippie friends that endless blathered about the brilliance of Janis, which fell upon my deaf ears. I was expecting Festival Express to be this dull, venture into 70's nostalgia crap and tedious jam band boredom.

Oh...how my opinion has changed. I mean, its nothing like the music I love (90's alternative stuff and electronic stuff) but the performances are so absolutely incredible and passionate. In reality, its a film for musicians more than fans, people that who have, even for a moment, felt the sheer exhilaration of collaborating musically with people and it being perfect! Festival Express feels exactly like that. You see it in their eyes in these performances. Janis may have been.....kind of crazy, but in the track in the film ("cry baby"?) I can completely see her absolute passion for music and her amazing showmanship (or show-womanship). Festival Express is the best example of a completely non-contrived and purely candid look into these bands. Even if they are brief glimmers of their natural selves.

I think the die-hard fans who are criticizing the film are asking too much. If I can wait 30 years after the demise of my favorite bands (Radiohead, Tool, Nine Inch Nails)...to see an amazingly honest and brilliantly shot look into their touring lives, I would be very very grateful, not critical because the damned filmmakers didn't get everything I wanted. The interviews with the performers and particularly the promoter, are fantastic. Not only are they a good dose of humour, but...its so easy to see WHY they are saying this tour was absolutely special and unique and memorable. It's right there on film, this was the pinnacle of that era and that place and that mentality and musicianship that was going on. You have to appreciate what Festival Express showcases. You might not like every bit of music (I didn't) but I can appreciate the total intensity and passion of the performances.

Musical masterpiece

[mcgoo37 · 7/10 · 17 September 2003]

Just caught this movie by the off chance at the Toronto film festival, it was a masterpiece. The era was so well captured throughout this film. The movie evokes emotion and although the film is about sheer indulgence in the rock star lifestyle, partying on a train for a few weeks , it seriously made me want to be there to experience the summer of 1970 across Canada. The live festival appearances by the grateful Dead, Janis Joplin and The Band are a joy to watch and spliced with the footage from the journey across Canada it makes you feel like you want to jump straight on to the festival express and start the party all over again!

Channeling the Big Guy under Big Sky

[karmacoupe · 10/10 · 16 September 2003]

Oh . . . My . . . God!

Yer gonna die! 33 years from filming to the screen. But here it is!

If you like The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band, and/or that era, A) you're gonna Love this, and B) as a documentary of the time this is rivaled only by Woodstock.

In fact, there's a quote by some musician in the film about: "Woodstock was a treat for the audience; the Festival Express was a treat for the performers." Apparently it was a non-stop jam session & party from beginning to end. Buddy Guy jokes, "I couldn't go to sleep cuz I thought I'd miss something!" The Grateful Dead's lyricist Robert Hunter later wrote a song about it -- "Never had such a good time in my life before / I'd like to have it one time more." And Janis says at the last show, "Next time you throw a train, man, call me."

This was a rock festival "tour" across Canada in the summer of 1970. The idea was to create Multiple mini-Woodstocks by having a train take all the bands to the next site. They ended up pulling off three of them - in Toronto, Winnipeg, and Calgary. But this being Canada in the last century, there's only like 5 or 10,000 people in the Peg and Cowtown!

The guy who was in charge of filming it back then told me they had 5 cameramen and a total crew of about 20. There was apparently a dispute over who owned the film, resulting in all this great footage never being seen, and reminding me of the similar squabbles over that other great cinema verite classic Pull My Daisy by Robert Frank. Both Daisy and this Express really document their respective peaks in creative history vibrantly & honestly, showing both the crazy drunken joyride and the brilliant peaks of pure channeled genius.

Other films in this chapter would include Monterey Pop, The Last Days of The Fillmore, Big Sur, then The Last Waltz a few years later. They sometimes use split-screens to show both the audience and the performers, and apparently the director who finally turned the footage into a film also did the Beatles Anthology, so it's kind of like that - all this historic footage interspersed with new interview snippets by the various participants, like Bob Weir remembering, "Most all of us were new to drinking at that point. We'd all been taking LSD or smoking pot or whatever, but this was a whole new experience for us!" Ah, Canada!

And talk about Big Railroad Booze -- there's a hilarious part where they run out in Saskatchewan: CN Conductor: They drank us dry! Promoter: When's the next stop? Conductor: We're not scheduled for a stop. Promoter: You are now.

Then Eric Andersen looking back, shakin his head, "I dunno, they just stopped in Saskatoon, the whole damn train stopped, like, In Front of a liquor store!"

It's one of those movies where you're laughing so hard you miss stuff, or you're so busy watching Rick Danko you forget Janis and Jerry are beside him. It's filled with so many glistening gold treasures you're gonna come away richer just watching it. Masters channeling some force beyond . . . makes me think of people I've met who don't believe there's a God of any kind, no larger spiritual anything. This movie sure reinforced for me that there's Some spirit force out there, and Rick Danko and Janis and Richard Manuel are channeling it right before your eyes!

And Deadheads are gonna freak! There are 3 songs by the original 6-member band, but more importantly, Jerry Garcia is really shown in his prime. Not only is he central to seemingly every train-car jam, but when there's trouble with the crowds in Toronto, it's Garcia who comes to the microphone to plead for "coolness". I believe it's the new Dennis McNally book on the Dead that says Garcia learned their eventual staple Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad from Delaney & Bonnie on this trip, and you actually see Delaney playing it on the train at one point.

Janis is so possessed & clearly channeling The Big Guy to close the final show of the tour and the film, it's so sad this lifeforce died accidentally just 2 months later. People were literally crying in the theater at her performance. I mean, the audience was so captivated, they broke out in applause Mid-song when she came back from her spontaneous stage rap to nail Cry Baby at the Winnipeg show.

And this is by far the loosest and rockingest original Band I've ever seen or heard. The Last Waltz is of course white hot, but they're polished to perfection. This is The Band of the Basement Tapes, except playing in their home country and even more electrified - they're hanging with the Dead on the road, not Dylan in a basement :-) It's the kind of stuff you always wished you saw or were there for. Now, Bing!

I caught it at the Toronto Film Festival (Sept. '03) and sure hope for everyone's sake this finds wide distribution, then an excellent DVD avec outtakes comes out!

Some great concert footage of the Band, Janis & Buddy Guy et al.

[uncleseany · 7/10 · 29 June 2004]

1970. 3 concerts across Canada. The bands travel to them in a train partying and jamming. Great concert footage of The Band , Flying Burrito Brothers, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Buddy Guy, Delaney and Bonnie and a few lesser lights. The footage is augmented by recent interviews with some of the survivors. The promoter is an especially interesting subject with some great stories. the whole deal was basically running at a big loss but his attitude was party on and the bands obviously had a blast. If like me you never had a chance to see any of these bands live then this gives some idea of how dynamic some of these acts were. (I've seen Buddy Guy and he has obviously been turning it on live since the day).

From someone who was there

[davidg-46 · 9/10 · 15 November 2005]

I was there at the Toronto performance(s). I was inside the venue all the time and never got to see any of the hassle with the cops and the gate crashers. The first time I saw it was in this film. I must say, Altamont it was not.

I was fairly well connected from working on the fringe of the music business in Toronto at the time and I knew some of the people who were on the tour. I would have given my left arm to have been on that train but it wasn't to be.

Let me tell you... this film just comes close - but no cigar - to how it REALLY was like to be there as it happened. The performances were, for the most part, electrifying and I can confidently assure you that the audience(s) had about as good a time as the performers!

I had been exposed to the "California contingent" which was on the tour years earlier in 1967 when I was living in Berkely and hanging out at the Avalon and the Filmore. I got to see the Dead and Janice before anyone had heard of them outside of California. This tour and this film caught them at their best as far as I'm concerned. Janice and the band were KILLER! Her set alone is worth the price of the DVD.

Watching this film was, for me, like going through a time-warp and being transported back to a more carefree time when I was minus wife, kids, mortgage,etc.

Although the production values aren't up to today's Hollywood snuff, considering what the producers had to work with, that they got it this polished is miraculous. I especially liked that the producers rounded up a number of the participants to interview them and get their take on it from over thirty years later.

The only significant down-side from my point of view is that some of the performers who appeared on the tour were not in the film and, in my opinion, their performances were no less worthy of inclusion. Some of the "travelogue" shots in the film could have been dumped to make more room for the music. I suppose that certain rights issues and technical quality issues were a barrier.

Anybody who has a warm spot in their heart for the music, the bands and the ethos of that era MUST add this DVD to their collection.

"Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar"

[trvolk · 6/10 · 27 October 2005]

Why do producers have to ruin movies like this with after-the-fact interviews? At 89 minutes, that time would have been better spent showing more performances. So many great bands, and each deserves more than one song. The on-train documentary was all right but even that could have been abbreviated to make room for more jam sessions.

The DVD includes the bonus material:

Grateful Dead "Hard to Handle" Grateful Dead "Easy Wind" Janis Joplin "Move Over" Janis Joplin "Kozmic Blues" Buddy Guy "Hoochie Coochie Man" Mashmakhan "As Years Go By" Eric Anderson "Thirsty Boots" Ian & Sylvia "Tears of Rage" Tom Rush "Child's Song" Seatrain "Thirteen Questions"

Better, but not nearly enough.

More..more..PLEASE!!

[vdg · 9/10 · 31 July 2004]

There is nothing more to add to the other commentaries: all you want at this end of the almost perfect documentary is MORE MUSIC!! Indeed I could see the same technique used by Pennebaker, and the same groove as in "Woodstock", but this is the closest you'll ever get in these modern times to a recreation of the flower-power atmosphere!! Today we have no more Janis, no more Jerry, and the whole world just feels empty without them, now even more than before, thanks to this movie. JANIS just steals the show every time she appears in the film, but there are many other people with memorable lines and comments, so in the whole it's an amazing feast for the eyes and ears! GO AND SEE IT

Wonderful concert footage, but nothing special as a document

[OldAle1 · 7/10 · 20 September 2007]

This is a document of the abortive 1970 trans-Canadian railroad tour featuring Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, Buddy Guy, The Band, Sha Na Na, etc. Obviously inspired by Woodstock, the idea was to travel to several major Canadian cities, play a big day-long show at each, and collect a tidy sum. As with Woodstock, though, the dark side of hippiedom surfaced and there was a big hue and cry about the "outrageous" ($16 I think?) sums charged for the shows, so many people got in free and the promoters nearly lost their shirts.

Contemporary interviews with survivors (Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Phil Lesh of the Dead; Buddy Guy and the principal promoter) are interspersed with archival (16 mm?) on-the-train footage and concert footage. The interviews are disappointingly pedestrian and similar, "oh it was so cool man we hung out and partied on the train and drank our asses off and took all these psyechedelics and then we got to play a lot and bummer that these kids were so ungrateful and bashed the police and bashed us because we didn't want to give it away free"...other than the promoter guy whose name I forget, they were all fairly dispensible. The train ride stuff was pretty cool, particularly a shot of Garcia doing a mostly-solo old gospel tune, and a nice vignette of The Band's Rick Danko, Joplin and Garcia doing a stoner improvisation...but there wasn't enough of this stuff overall, which is certainly rare and unique material.

The concert footage was pretty awesome, though, and is the reason to see the film. Buddy Guy is incandescent in the one song we get to see complete("Baby Here I Come), Janis amazing on "Cry Baby" and almost as great on "Tell Mama" (though obviously messed up, on this song and everywhere else in the film...on the road to death), The Band impressive on "The Weight" and even more powerfully emotive doing "I Shall Be Released". The Dead's three songs are fine, but nothing really special from them; I wish they'd showcased Pigpen just a bit, as he was still singing in 1970...what, no "Hard to Handle"? Well worth seeing if you're a fan of any of the principle musicians...not much as a documentary. I'm a fan, so I liked it, but it's not for a general audience, really. Ya gots ta be a hippie, dude.

Bargain-bin 'Woodstock' on the Purgatory Express

[wadechurton · 3/10 · 29 January 2011]

That this mid-1970 Canadian 'rolling festival' (basically a one-off, financially catastrophic Triassic 'Lollopolooza') was a blatant attempt to woo the same success as the previous year's Woodstock is betrayed by headline acts the Band, Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin . There's even a remarkably gone-to-seed Sha-Na-Na at one point. Buddy Guy stands in as a poor man's Hendrix. With such a boring pack of has-beens as the main attractions it's no wonder the thing was such a disaster. There are no boundary-pushers; no Who, Hendrix, Sly Stone etcetera, and consequently no real 'showstopper' acts to spice up the movie. On the relationships side, it's all very respectful and musicianly and as deadly dull as ditch-water. The movie is reasonably well made, but there's just nothing much going on, either back-stage or on-stage. There are those who will enjoy this movie for one reason or another, but to many of us hell is being trapped in Canada, July 1970 on a train full of inebriated hippy hold-overs jamming 24 hours a day.

See the DVD!

[gleng1 · 22 November 2004]

I'm a little baffled by some of the comments here regarding the film making style or skill in this film. I watched the film to see Janis and the Grateful Dead and The Band -- happy, young, and exuberant, and that's exactly what I got. I even liked the footage of the promoter talking about the festival and the issues with the crowds.

ANYWAY... I recommend the DVD over the theatrical release, since everyone here seems to mention that they want to see more musical performances, and the DVD delivers. There are two DVD disks -- the movie disk and the extras disk. On the MOVIE disk, go to the menu and select "extras" and there are a dozen additional music performances from Janis, the Grateful Dead, Flying Burrito Brothers, and others. (I hear that the extras disk contains interviews with the director, but I haven't seen it). Enjoy!

Bob Weir, sweet cop defender

[jfulbright · 10/10 · 18 August 2005]

Great film! "Never had such a good time in my life before".

The highlight for me was a baby Bob Weir (rhythm guitarist for the Dead) chewing out a hippie for condoning violence against the Canadian police:

"I talked to some of those guys, and those cops were BOSS!"

He then went on to explain that one policeman had been injured so badly that he was in the hospital with a metal plate in his head because his skull had been fractured. Weir said the policeman didn't deserve that because he was only doing his job, and that the people who wanted the festival to be free were wrong because the musicians needed to make a living.

People never understood that real hippies were not violent/political, and they didn't hate the police. The Haight Ashbury freaks got on well with the police, and there really weren't any problems until (get this) the "hippies" without jobs moved into the neighborhood.

This film was a real joy, and it proves to the general public a couple of things:

1. Hippie folk were not lazy. They were capable of extremely hard work. 2. Janis Joplin was a lot of fun, regardless of what the people in my hometown in Texas say. 3. Jerry Garcia simply wasn't built for EVER drinking alcohol. 4. That was one helluva train trip!

A singularly unique experience in the annals of rock n'roll!

[tarryrob · 9/10 · 30 August 2004]

I live in Winnipeg and unfortunately missed FESTIVAL EXPRESS when it rolled through back in 1970. I opted instead to go to Winnipeg's other huge ticket that summer - Manpop - which featured Led Zeppelin, Iron Butterfly and the Youngbloods as headliners. I've always remembered Festival Express as a golden opportunity missed - but being only sixteen years old with limited funds - I was forced to live with the consequences of a tough choice.

Seeing the film "Festival Express" isn't quite like being there in person, but it's the next best thing! For young folks who weren't even born in 1970, it's a chance to see Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, the Band, the Fly Burrito Bros, Buddy Guy, Ian & Sylvia, et al... in their prime and find out what the buzz was all about. Janis and Jerry Garcia are in particularly great voice. Janis gives a gut wrenchingly poignant performance, particularly during "Cry Baby". I'm not sure what brought the tears to my eyes, her greatness or the knowledge that she would leave us just a few short months after that performance (followed later by the tragic death's of the Dead's drummer "Pigpen" & guitarist/singer Jerry Garcia and the Band's piano player Richard Manuel & bassist Rick Danko)

The concert footage of Janis and the Dead alone justify the film's admission price. My biggest gripe was that there should have been far more concert footage included. However, a local newspaper writeup mentioned that much of the concert footage was non-usable (bad sound, out of focus cameras, sound/no pix, pix/no sound....). It was so bad apparently - the fact that anything remotely resembling a cohesive film was wrought from the mounds of botched footage was nothing short of minor miracle! Don't get me wrong - the behind the scenes footage of the band partying and jamming stand on their own merit. Jerry Garcia pops up jamming on stage and off with everyone from Ian & Sylvia and the Great Speckled Bird (on stage in Calgary) to the Band's Rick Danko (on the train along with Janis - quite schwacked - hilarious!) Shots of protesters bitching about "the pigs" and high admissions prices (Fourteen dollars - how outrageous!)are also good for a chuckle and help capture the flavour of the period.

"Festival Express'" split screen camera techniques, the documentary style narrative and band lineups are bound to invite comparisons to the movie "Woodstock." I believe the camera techniques and documentary style are intended to help recapture the time period and mood rather than to ripoff "Woodstock." Further, neither Janis', the Dead's nor the Band's Woodstock performances made it into the original "Woodstock" movie. The experience of trucking a load of monstrously talented - notoriously hard partying rock n'rollers across Canada in a train with a well stocked bar, guitar amps, and a drum kit while the cameras rolled is singularly unique in the annals of rock n'roll - so is this film! Check it out!!

Some great parts others ??

[richard_shaw · 6/10 · 15 November 2004]

I enjoyed most of it. The whole idea of a railroad trip is some what romantic.But I was hoping that maybe at the next stop the Rolling Stones may board the train. I was a little disappointed in the music. Janis was great - Grateful Dead second rate act and always have been. Not a train ride of rock gods by any stretch of the imagination. I suspect there were other acts we did not see. The views of Canada were cool - For one concert only 6500 people showed up. I bet the Rolling Stones would have had 65,000. Or maybe the Who one the the real big rock acts of the era. A lot of hype for good bar bands except for Janis. I grew up in the 70's and the Grateful Dead were a joke act. We listened to the Stones , The who , Led Zep and don't forget Pink Floyd!!!

Just like I pictured it!

[shobuz99 · 10/10 · 26 October 2005]

I saw this on ShowTime last week (10/18/05). I'm embarrassed to say that I had never seen this film; even though I was singing in a band and was totally part of that scene in those times(I was 20 years old in 1970). The movie is outstanding. Despite the excessive drugs and drink; these musicians were at the TOP of their game for that time. The camera work was very tuned in to the artists and their intimate personalities while being filmed. The part where Janis, Jerry, and Rick Danko are drunk on their ass just jammin' was simply a 'fly on the wall' moment. A real view of what that train ride was all about. If anyone too young to have been there likes the music from that era, they should buy this film just for the education. There's even controversy regarding the people that wanted a "free" concert. This film is a collector's item, let alone a historical record. What a gas! Shobuz99

one of the greatest music films ever made

[stratfranks · 10/10 · 15 June 2004]

Rock and Rail! A fabulously entertaining train ride with some of the best concert footage ever recorded. Janis Joplin at her very finest (being too young to have seen her perform live, I now finally understand what all the fuss was about!), the Grateful Dead rock the house down, and The Band show us why they, the best band in the world, made the cover of Time Magazine that summer. But the most special stuff on show here is on the train itself, as we're privileged to witness an intimate portrait of some of rock music's most important legends partying and singing their way across America (Canada, in this case, but along the US border nonetheless), almost unaware of the camera (and when can you ever see that nowadays!). Picture and sound which has to be seen and heard to be believed, and best of all, the wonderfully detached humour the director brings to the forefront, this film, more than any other I've seen, lets us see for ourselves what the sixties were really like...

One of the last great rockumentaries indeed!

[js_koster · 9/10 · 24 January 2004]

Making a rockumentary crammed with concert registrations is tricky business. To really 'make it work', you will somehow have to give the (film)audience the feeling that they're actually there, right in the middle of the crowd (or even closer to the performers!) at the time of the concert. And Festival Express manages to do just that.

At the screening at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam (2003), the audience often couldn't resist applauding enthusiastically in between truly breathtaking performances by such brilliant dead people as Janis Joplin, Jerry Garcia and many others. As a bonus, we get to see unique material of wonderful jam sessions inside the train, as it is moving from one Canadian festival location to the next.

Two things struck me as this film's most outstanding qualities:

1. The quality of the sound recording & mixing is nothing short of AMAZING! This really helps to get the concerts and jam sessions across. We have Jimi Hendrix' and Led Zeppelin's sound producer to thank for that. So when viewing, make sure you're in a place (preferably a theater, of course...) with a decent sound system.

2. Thankfully, the director focuses more on the music, the artists and the fun they were having than on the drama of the whole project. For drama there surely was! Not just at the festival locations, but also (and mainly) at the end of the Express' journey, when the whole project went bankrupt and juridical problems kept this film's footage on the shelf for decades.

Thankfully, the subjects of rioting Canadians who want to get into the concerts for free and the bizarre financial kamikaze mission of organizer Ken Walker (which it definitely was!!), are touched upon/left for the viewer to contemplate further, but do not dominate the movie. This is what sets it apart, I think, from that other great rockumentary, Gimme Shelter by the Maysles brothers, where the death of an audience member determines (and should determine) the atmosphere of the entire film, leaving a bitter aftertaste.

I'm no great fan of rockumentaries/concert registrations, but in its genre, this is as good as it gets.

09/10

This is hardly a documentary...

[truedis · 3/10 · 29 January 2005]

I watched this expecting all sorts of interesting stories and anecdotes about life on the road from all of these artists, but instead it is a lot of concert footage with a few rare interviews that basically consist of "being on the train with everyone was fun, we got drunk and made music". There are a few interesting stories involving rioting hippies, but aside from that I was surprised how little everyone had to say (or perhaps the filmmaker just chose to only put the most superficial comments everyone made into the actual film). The concert footage is pretty good, but if you're expecting a quality documentary, stay away from this. Seriously, you've been warned.

This Is A Ten Star Historical Document Of the End of The 1960s!

[Zoophyte-2 · 10/10 · 23 August 2022]

I'm going to make this simple.

I can't believe the lower than 5 star reviews I've seen here. I respect others' have a right to their opinions ; but the events were filmed as they were and the bands were who they were. I don't see what the problem is here.

It can't be changed, so I don't see how complaining is going to help.

I agree Ten Years After and Traffic would have been a plus, but that's their managemnt's fault.

Many of these acts, yes, were not well known but what's great is that they 'were' captured on film for posterity. We even have a snippet of momentary acapella sining from Janis, for "Me and Bobby McGee", which she never got to perform 'live'.

Over 50 years ago and we should be thanksul someone thought enough of this to save this film and get it cleaned up to be out on DVD.

Who the groups are, with maybe exception to the most famous, it doesn;t really matter. Many of these folks are gone or up into their 70s and 80s now. Their performances are great and again, saved for future generations.

That's what is the MOST important here. Above anything.

Ten Stars and here's a complete list of what we can see here.

__________________________

Performed in the film :

"Don't Ease Me In", Grateful Dead

"Friend of the Devil", Grateful Dead

"Slippin' and Slidin'", The Band

"Comin' Home Baby", Mashmakhan

"Money (That's What I Want)", Buddy Guy Blues Band

"Lazy Days", The Flying Burrito Brothers

"The Weight", The Band

"Cry Baby", Janis Joplin

"Ain't No More Cane", jam session on train including Rick Danko, John Dawson, Janis Joplin, Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir

"Rock & Roll Is Here to Stay", performed by Sha Na Na

"New Speedway Boogie", Grateful Dead

"C. C. Rider", Ian & Sylvia and the Great Speckled Bird (with Jerry Garcia and Delaney Bramlett)

"I Shall Be Released", The Band

"Tell Mama", Janis Joplin

"Me and Bobby McGee", Janis Joplin

"Cold Jordan", Jerry Garcia

"Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad", Delaney & Bonnie & Friends _____________________________________

Additional songs on DVD :

"Casey Jones", Grateful Dead (opening credits)

"13 Questions", Seatrain

"Child's Song", Tom Rush

"Thirsty Boots", Eric Andersen

"As the Years Go By", Mashmakhan

"Tears of Rage", Ian & Sylvia and Great Speckled Bird

"Hoochie Coochie Man", Buddy Guy Blues Band

"Hard to Handle", Grateful Dead

"Easy Wind", Grateful Dead

"Move Over", Janis Joplin

"Kozmic Blues", Janis Joplin

Other Festival Express performances

Audio recordings of Janis Joplin's performances from all three shows have surfaced on various posthumus releases. Starting with the 1972 double live album, Joplin In Concert, which consisted of Festival Express recordings on its second disc, and culminating with Live From The Festival Express Tour, Canada, released as a bonus disc for the 2005 deluxe reissue of her 1971 album, Pearl.

The 13 track disc collected many of the previously released recordings, along with 6 which were previously unreleased. Five filmed performances ("Tell Mama", "Kozmic Blues", "Cry Baby", "Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)" and "Move Over") were featured in the 1974 film, Janis.

Filmed performances of "Long Black Veil" and "Rockin' Chair", from July 5, 1970 in Calgary appear on The Band's anthology album, A Musical History.

Take A Free Ride On The "Festival Express".

[happipuppi13 · 10/10 · 27 August 2008]

Let's see,I was 2 when all the events in this film went down. My older brother was 3 and oldest was almost 6. ....but! That in no way depletes how much we love this music & the time that it came from. In fact we've listened to the biggest of these acts since we were younger.

As in most cases,I discovered this DVD gem at my local library and all I had to read on the back was Janis Joplin,Grateful Dead & The Band "live" and I had to see this. Last night (08/26/08) was the third time aboard for viewing.

The performances by the headliners,as expected,are top notch and the lesser known Canadian acts here (from the DVD outtakes & extras)are interesting in their own way. Right now I have one their songs "Thirsty Boots" running in my head,a beautiful acoustic guitar ballad representative of the times.

It's great to see The Band perform "The Wieght" after years of only hearing the studio version on the radio,as well as their version of Little Richard's " Slippin' & Slidin' ".

The Grateful Dead are always good and for those of us not old enough then,it's kind of wild to see Jerry Garcia before the gray hair.

Most incredible elements here are the cross country (Canada) train ride with these and other acts ,filmed for posterity & fun as well. The original "Party Train/Love Train". Seeing these folks jamming together (and other "activities" of the day) makes for a great window into the era. Present is Buddy Guy,Flying Burrito Brothers,Delany & Bonnie and others.

The second and most significant element is Joplin herself. Her performances of "Tell Mama" & "Cry Baby" in the main movie are testament to her talent. She also has two more songs in the outtakes which are no less amazing.

This was filmed exactly 3 months before her untimely passing at the age of 27. She performs last here on July 4th,1970 and in August she guested on The Dick Cavett Show....then was gone,on October 4th of a heroin overdose.

In the ending credits,we hear the only "live" performance of "Me and Bobby McGee" before Joplin recorded it. We don't see her but it was recorded aboard the train while partying with the others. Otherwise,she never did get to perform it live in concert. The song hit #1 in early 1971,her second and only other top 40 hit.

Overall,the fact that this entire collection sat on a shelf for 30 years makes it extra important that all this footage was finally "re-discovered" and given the royal treatment it deserves. Renewed through re-colorization and film cleaning techniques for DVD,it's great to see these former young dynamic artists looking so lively and fresh.

Without any doubt,Ten stars! (END) Peace.

A simply spectacular early 70's rock concert documentary treat

[Woodyanders · 10/10 · 19 January 2009]

A five day roving rock concert travels across the country via train and performs live wherever they stop. This fantastic documentary covers the festival's Canadian leg of the tour, with the train making stops at Toronto, Winnipeg and Calgery. You can't beat the stellar line-up of first-rate musicians: the one and only Janis Joplin (her fiery performances of both "Cry Baby" and "Tell Mama" are absolutely electrifying show-stoppers), The Band (they hit it out of the ballpark with the rousing "Slippin' & Slidin'" and a potent rendition of "The Weight"), The Grateful Dead (in fine bluesy form with "Don't Ease Me In" and "New Speedway Boogie"), Sha Na Na (they do a spirited performance of "Rock and Roll is Here to Stay"), The Flying Burrito Brothers (their smooth-rolling rendition of "Lazy Day" really hits the soulful spot), and the Buddy Guy Blues Band (who burn it up with an incendiary cover of "Money"). Director Bob Smeaton keeps the pace hurtling along at the same constant speedy clip as the train and astutely nails a certain infectiously lowdown cool, breezy and mellow groovy vibe. All the musicians on the train put their individual egos aside, completely pour their hearts and souls into the giving the audiences their money's worth (the on-stage performances all seriously smoke, with Joplin in particular displaying a positively magnetic stage presence), and jam like crazy to the point where hardly anybody got any sleep and all the booze was drunk (the train had to make a special pit stop in Saskatoon to get more hooch). The cinematography by Peter Biziou, Bob Fiore and Clacke Mackey gives the film an appropriately rough'n'grainy look and makes neat frequent use of split screen. Best of all, there's a wonderfully warm and open communal spirit evident throughout which in turn makes this picture a true joy to watch. This spirit shines brightest when various musicians from different groups get together on stage to perform a marvelously sexy rendition of "C.C. Rider." While the concert itself had its fair share of problems (for example, people protested about having to buy tickets and demanded that they see the concert for free), the movie itself rates highly as one of the greatest rock documentaries to ever grace celluloid.