It's no bulletin that people will do anything for a buck, but the bottom-feeders responsible for this tawdry bit of "journalism" really should be ashamed of themselves. Nearly a quarter of a century after the fact, Jimi Hendrix: The Last 24 Hours claims that the guitar great's death in September 1970 was not the result of a self-inflicted drugs-and-drink overdose (as generally accepted), but rather a case of (gasp!) murder. We're talking conspiracy here, not quite on the level of the JFK assassination, but close. The culprits? None other than the United States government and organized crime (with the complicity of Hendrix's manager, Michael Jeffrey), a “sinister coalition…set up specifically to murder prominent members of the new youth movement, including rock musicians.” The “evidence,” such as it is, seems to consist primarily of a tabloid-style litany of hearsay, rumor, and gossip, much of it provided by small-timers and unknowns (some of whom, it must be admitted, actually knew and worked with Hendrix). There's some material tracing the musician's early life and career, and plenty of cheesy re-enactment footage, but precious little Hendrix music beyond a couple of brief performance clips (the Jimi Hendrix Experience playing Cream's “Sunshine of Your Love” is actually pretty cool). Granted, then-President Richard Nixon and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover were pretty nasty, paranoid fellows (and they did, after all, try to deport John Lennon). But murder? Sorry, but that's a little hard to swallow. DVD extras include a picture gallery, discography, and color booklet. Not recommended. [Note: Elvis Presley: The Last 24 Hours--which does not advance a murder theory--is also newly available.] Aud: P. (S. Graham)
Jimi Hendrix: The Last 24 Hours
(2004) 58 min. DVD: $16.95. Music Video Distributors (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. Volume 20, Issue 1
Jimi Hendrix: The Last 24 Hours
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