Documentary filmmaker Murray Lerner died in 2017 at age 90. Just before passing, he readied this release capturing Joni Mitchell’s troubled set at the disastrous Isle of Wight Festival in 1970—the third and last folk-and-rock music festival there, which drew more than a half-million fans to a multi-day concert extravaganza. By 1970, residents of the Isle of Wight were no longer tolerant of the annual hippie invasion on rented farmland, and local government set out to make the producers, artists, and audience feel uncomfortable and unwanted. The result was growing discord within the pop-up city that arrived to camp out and hear a remarkable slate of top musicians and singer-songwriters. Almost 30 years later, Lerner began drawing from his extensive footage of the 1970 festival, releasing several DVD and Blu-ray discs featuring the live sets of individual artists, including Jimi Hendrix, the Who, the Doors, the Moody Blues, and Leonard Cohen. In this 11-song set from Joni Mitchell, viewers will witness the tension, caught in the distraught looks on Mitchell’s face and in her emotional plea to the audience to respect the performers (who had become convenient targets of the crowd’s noisy wrath). But of course what truly shines is the music of Mitchell, who was then in the early years of her brand of enchanted, romantic, and sometimes confessional folk songs. Fans will appreciate this set, which includes some of her greatest hits: "Chelsea Morning," "Big Yellow Taxi," "Woodstock," and the titular classic. Viewers have the option of watching the concert itself, or with clips of Mitchell from 2003 commenting on what happened during her appearance. Presented in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and LPCM stereo on Blu-ray, this is highly recommended. (T. Keogh)
Joni Mitchell: Both Sides Now—Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970
(2017) 132 min. DVD: $17.99, Blu-ray: $21.98. Eagle Rock Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). Volume 33, Issue 6
Joni Mitchell: Both Sides Now—Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970
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