The Grateful Dead Movies
- 2007
Bickershaw Festival documents a 1972 concert held in England. Among the bands who performed over the course of the three day event were The Grateful Dead, The Kinks, Captain Beefheart, and Donovan. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Grateful Dead, Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, (more)
- 2005
- Add A Night at the Family Dog 1970: Santana, Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane to QueueAdd A Night at the Family Dog 1970: Santana, Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane to top of Queue
The concert film A Night at the Family Dog captures an evening of music performed in September of 1970 at the Family Dog Ballroom in San Francisco. Three of the leading bands of the era - Santana, The Grateful Dead, and Jefferson Airplane - perform both individually and in a jam sessions together at the end of the event. The seven song set list includes "Sour Sacrifice," "China Cat Sunflower," and "Eskimo Blue Day." ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
A teenage boy tries to hold his family together while the girl of his dreams drives him to distraction in this coming-of-age comedy drama. It's 1978, and Henry Nearing (Gregory Smith) and his family are in a state of flux. Henry's mother has died, and now his father, Shep (David Morse), is trying to find himself by quitting his job, buying a motorcycle, and growing out his hair. Henry's brother, Blair (David Moscow), is similarly trying to expand his boundaries by dating a free-spirited girl and experimenting with drugs. Henry, meanwhile, is just trying to get through high school, but a certain girl is making that difficult for him. Grace Chance (Jordana Brewster) is a pretty girl in Henry's class who enjoys wrapping boys around her little finger; it doesn't take long for her to notice he's smitten with her, and she begins flirting with him and getting him to do whatever she wants, even though she already has a boyfriend whom she has no intention of leaving. Meanwhile, Merna (Ashley Johnson), a cute girl who lives nearby, has a crush on Henry and is clearly a better match for him, but she can't get him to notice her, even after she starts dating an older boy to make him jealous. Nearing Grace received its world premiere at the 2005 Los Angeles Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gregory Smith, Jordana Brewster, (more)
In 1970, with seemingly every North American city of any size holding a rock festival after the success of Woodstock, Ken Walker and Thor Eaton, a pair of Canadian entrepreneurs and music buffs, had an idea: instead of setting up one massive show with a bunch of top-name acts, why not stage a series of them across the country? With this in mind, Walker (then only 22 years old) and Eaton (whose family owned one of Canada's most successful department store chains) signed up Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, the Band, Buddy Guy, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and several others and hired out a private train that would carry the musicians in high style for a string of five shows from Toronto to Calgary. The jaunt was called "The Festival Express," and a camera crew tagged along to capture the shows on film, as well as the constant party that took place en route. The tour proved to be a financial bust and, as a result, the footage sat on the shelf for over thirty years until director Bob Smeaton recut the material into Festival Express, which not only documents the glorious folly of the tour, but offers a hindsight look at the events from some of the surviving participants. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Band, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, (more)
Some of rock's greatest guitarists of the 1960s and '70s show off their chops in this video, which collects performances from the German pop music show Beat Club. Selections include "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix, "Johnny B. Goode" by Johnny Winter, "Peter Gunn" by Duane Eddy, "Definitely Maybe" by Jeff Beck, "Tribute to Robert Johnson" by Delaney & Bonnie & Friends (featuring Eric Clapton), "Happy Jack" by the Who, "Jingo" by Santana, "One More Saturday Night" by the Grateful Dead, "Heartbreaker" by B.B. King, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 2001
- Add Grateful Dead: A View From the Vault II to QueueAdd Grateful Dead: A View From the Vault II to top of Queue
While psychedelic rock pioneers the Grateful Dead had been making audio recordings of their shows since the 1960s, in the late '80s -- when their popularity had grown enough that they were regularly playing sports arenas and stadiums -- they started using video screens on-stage to provide a clear view of the band for everyone in attendance, and the group's staff began archiving the video feeds from their live shows, as well as the music. Grateful Dead: A View From the Vault, Vol. 2 presents the video from the band's June 14, 1991, show at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., along with the concert's original live audio mix. Selections include "Jack-A-Roe," "Big River," "The Music Never Stopped," "Dark Star," and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue," among others. As a bonus, this video also includes four songs from a July 12, 1990, performance at the same venue. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1996
- Add Rockin' at the Red Dog: The Dawn of Psychedelic Rock to QueueAdd Rockin' at the Red Dog: The Dawn of Psychedelic Rock to top of Queue
This documentary pays tribute to the contributions and importance of the title watering hole in the creation of the psychedelic dancehalls that littered the West during the late '60s and helped launch such super groups as The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane and The Quicksilver Messenger Service. The Red Dog Saloon had its genesis in 1964 when a group of free-thinking, LSD-enhanced Northern California students and young folks had a party and began thinking about starting up a saloon that would evoke the old West. They decided to build their saloon in Virginia City, Nevada, a once prosperous town that was by then nearly empty. The ambience of the saloon blended Old West sensibilities with modern psychedelia, go-go girls and plenty of illegal drugs. The film is comprised of interviews with surviving founders, actual archival footage, and even a performance of some of the musicians who appeared there. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Produced by Time Life Video & Television, History of Rock 'n' Roll: My Generation is part 6 in a 10-tape documentary series that depicts the history of rock from its inception to punk and beyond. The music of The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Santana are featured in this segment. Other tapes in the set include: History of Rock 'n' Roll: Rock 'n' Roll Explodes, History of Rock 'n' Roll: Good Rockin' Tonight, History of Rock 'n' Roll: Britain Invades, America Fights Back, History of Rock 'n' Roll: Plugging In, History of Rock 'n' Roll: The Sounds of Soul, History of Rock 'n' Roll: Guitar Heroes, History of Rock 'n' Roll: The 70's, History of Rock 'n' Roll: Punk, and History of Rock 'n' Roll: Up from the Underground. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, All Movie Guide
- 1993
For those of us who didn't make it to the West Coast during the summer of love to hear the groovy tunes, Rhino has collected some classic video snippets of the great psychedelic rockers of the Aquarian age. Take a little trip with Canned Heat, Poco, Santana, The Byrds, The Grateful Dead, and several others. Grab your tie-dyes and Birkenstocks and dance like a fool till the sun falls from the sky -- 'cause it's just One More Saturday Night. ~ Ed Atkinson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
This Grateful Dead video is a collection of clips from various performances, home videos and tours. Titles included are "Hard to Handle," "Fearless Groove" and "Easy to Love You." ~ All Movie Guide
- 1990
- Add Grateful Dead: A View From the Vault III to QueueAdd Grateful Dead: A View From the Vault III to top of Queue
The Grateful Dead had been archiving audio recordings of their concerts for years when, in the 1980s, they also began keeping a library of video recordings of their shows, often from large-venue performances where a multi-camera video setup would be used to provide a better view for those in the back of the hall. Grateful Dead: A View From the Vault, Vol. 3 is the third home video release from the Dead's concert video archive; this preserves the June 16, 1990 performance at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA. Selections include "Touch of Gray," "Friend of the Devil," "Estimated Prophet," "China Cat Sunflower," and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1990
- Add Grateful Dead: A View From the Vault to QueueAdd Grateful Dead: A View From the Vault to top of Queue
On July 8, 1990, the Grateful Dead played one of their legendary three-hour-plus shows for a sold-out crowd at Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium. To augment their famous light show (and to give folks in the back a better view of the band), the group employed a multi-camera video setup that allowed everyone in the arena to have a close look at the Dead in action. Given the Grateful Dead's habit of obsessively documenting their performances, it's no great surprise that they held on to a copy of the video feed used that evening, and Grateful Dead: View From the Vault is a home-video release of this performance, mastered from the Dead's own archive copies of the evening's video display and the original two-track soundboard audio mix. The video also features three additional songs from a performance in St. Louis two days earlier. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1989
This is a look at the making of the Grateful Dead's first music video, "Touch of Grey." ~ All Movie Guide
- 1989
- Add Grateful Dead: Truckin' Up to Buffalo to QueueAdd Grateful Dead: Truckin' Up to Buffalo to top of Queue
The Grateful Dead were in the midst of one of the best-received tours of the latter stage of their career when they rolled into Rich Stadium in Buffalo, NY, for a concert on July 4, 1989. A four-camera video crew was on hand for the occasion, and Grateful Dead: Truckin' Up to Buffalo finally makes this show available to fans. Transferred from the original one-inch video master and remixed from multi-track tapes, Grateful Dead: Truckin' Up to Buffalo features nearly three hours of music from the original jam band; selections include "Bertha," "U.S. Blues," "Touch of Grey," "Ship of Fools," "Terrapin Station," and many more. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Grateful Dead
- 1988
This musical extravaganza features the sights and sounds of the sixties and archival footage of some of the most brilliant musical performers, like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, CSNY, The Dead and many others - raw and uncensored. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1987
This 55-minute "trip" into the music of the The Grateful Dead is unlike any other celluloid project the group has attempted. Most Dead movies involve an effort to capture the live experience of Dead culture and energy, but they fall considerably short for obvious reasons. Grateful Dead: So Far, is an attempt to make a more personal vision for the fan. Using advanced computer animation and other psychedelic tricks, you will hear and see interesting versions of Dead classics and some rare relics such as Rhythm Devils, Lady with a Fan, Throwing Stones (Ashes, Ashes), and Uncle John's Band. Directed by Papa Deadhead himself, Jerry Garcia, this film is of great interest to all devout followers of the band, but should also help the neophyte Deadhead to understand the allure of the music. ~ Ed Atkinson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
- Add Grateful Dead: A View From the Vault, Vol. 4 to QueueAdd Grateful Dead: A View From the Vault, Vol. 4 to top of Queue
This release documents a pair of performances from the beloved band the Grateful Dead. Over the course of the concerts, the band performs more than two dozen songs, including such classics and covers as "Uncle John's Band," "Not Fade Away," and "Dear Mr. Fantasy." ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 1986
This tape presents 15 videos from the age before MTV ruled the airwaves -- before, in fact, the video was an accepted method of promoting music. Groups performing include Yes, the Beach Boys, the Who, and many others. Each video is a priceless look at a band in its prime, the only such evidence for those not lucky, or old, enough to be there when it happened. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
Even though the long, strange trip engineered by the The Grateful Dead finally reached the end of the line in 1995, there still remains extensive documentation of the journey. Dead Ahead is two hours of live concert psychedelia from the band's legendary string of shows at Radio City Music Hall. With Dead classics such as Ripple, Mexicali Blues, Franklin's Tower, the mid-set extended jam of Drums & Space, and the Buddy Holly classic Not Fade Away, even those that missed the live experience will catch a glimmer of why the Dead kept trucking for over 30 years. ~ Ed Atkinson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
This 1980 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss and features musical guest the Grateful Dead. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Benjamin, Paula Prentiss, (more)
- 1978
This 1978 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Buck Henry and features musical guest the Grateful Dead. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Buck Henry, The Grateful Dead, (more)
- 1978
- Add Grateful Dead: The Closing of Winterland to QueueAdd Grateful Dead: The Closing of Winterland to top of Queue
Shot December 31, 1978, The Grateful Dead: The Closing of Winterland is a concert film featuring the seminal jam band performing a six-plus hour show to mark the last night of San Francisco's legendary Winterland Arena. In front of an audience that included such celebrity guests as Dan Aykroyd, John Cippolina and Ken Kesey, the Grateful Dead performed 27 songs, including "Fire on the Mountain," "Thank You, Uncle Bobo," "From the Heart of Me," "Playing in the Band," "Dark Star," "Good Lovin'," and "The Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band There Ever Was." ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia, (more)
Even if you're not a "Deadhead," you'll find much to enjoy in The Grateful Dead Movie. This grandiosely labelled "Movie" is a free-form documentary of the Frisco-based rock group, replete with animation sequences and precious concert clips. Jerry Garcia, the head Dead, is credited as co-director. Given Mr. Garcia's legendary preoccupation with controlled substances, it's more than likely that some of the trippier passages can be attributed to him. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Grateful Dead, Susan R. Crutcher, (more)
Petulia is Richard Lester's ode to the Swinging Sixties: a time of psychedelic instability when neither those who were square, nor those who were hip, really had it right. George C. Scott is Archie Bollen, a divorced San Francisco doctor in the midst of "discovering himself." Julie Christie is Petulia Danner, a peculiar young beauty recently married into an established family. Archie's sterile apartment and detached, bemused manner exemplify his inability to emote. Petulia's forward nature and desperate tenderness betray her fear of her sullen, abusive, pretty-boy husband (Richard Chamberlain). The physician and the newlywed embark on a schizophrenic love affair amid Pepsi references, automated motels, roller derbies, and a cameo by Big Brother and the Holding Company -- but they never achieve the daring to truly change their lives. ~ Aubry Anne D'Arminio, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Julie Christie, George C. Scott, (more)
