Jimi Hendrix: Deluxe Edition

Filmmaker (i.e., “assembled by”) Joe Boyd's 1973 rockumentary Jimi Hendrix, a mostly skin-deep and rather pedestrian profile (especially by contemporary standards) of the legendary axe-man, boasts one very strong calling card: a generous sampling of live performances (many full-length) by the teeth-playing, amp-humping, guitar-burning wunderkind who was arguably the greatest rock guitarist of all time. Digitally remastered and fitted out with a brand new Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, the film features the usual encomiums from musicians (Eric Clapton, Little Richard, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend), anecdotes from bandmates and girlfriends, and comments from Hendrix's late father, Al. Despite his flamboyant stage appearance, Hendrix was a shy and self-conscious black man playing what was considered white man's rock, and while this profile touches on various high- and lowlights in his life, from his upbringing (although there's actually more biographical information on Hendrix's early life in the 62 minutes of bonus footage featured on this "deluxe edition" DVD) through his tragic death from an overdose at the age of 27 in 1970, this is not a measured, from-a-distance, tell-all biography such as Charles R. Cross's new book Room Full of Mirrors. But the music is--no pun intended--electrifying, and includes "Wild Thing," "Hey Joe," "Purple Haze," "Like a Rolling Stone" (Hendrix idolized Bob Dylan), and the infamous, inspired reworking of "The Star-Spangled Banner," performed in a wide range of venues, from London clubs to the Monterey, Woodstock, and Isle of Wight music festivals. The DVD also includes a bonus performance of "Stone Free" at the July 4, 1970 Atlanta Pop Festival--filmed 10 weeks before Hendrix died. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (R. Pitman)