Conceived by the French director Adrian Maben as "an anti-Woodstock film,"
Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii was shot in October 1971 in a vacant, 2,000-year-old amphitheater--a venue chosen to accentuate the grandeur and spaciousness of the band's
Meddle-era music. This disc contains a new, 90-minute director's cut as well as the original 60-minute concert film, whose production and effects feel inescapably dated. Maben's cut goes to great lengths to lend the film a more contemporary feel, but it's the earlier version that makes this disc such a gem, being more focused on the music and more wholistic in vision. The anamorphic, 16:9 director's cut interweaves the Pompeii performances with fascinating but distracting interviews and music snippets filmed later (mostly during the recording of
Dark Side of the Moon). The movie was originally prepared in a 4:3 aspect ratio, however, and the widescreen version crops perfectly framed images like the nine-square mosaic of drummer Nick Mason in "One of These Days." The original offers plenty of closeups of fingers on frets and keys, with shots that are often luxuriously long in duration. And the picture quality from Pompeii is revelatory: outstandingly sharp and clear, rich in subtle grades of light and color.
Generous extras include everything from original posters, reviews, bootleg album covers, and song lyrics to a 24-minute interview with Maben. But for all the director's talk of the glorious acoustics in Pompeii's amphitheater, there's little natural ambience to be heard. The Dolby Digital 2.0 sound is clear, dry, and two-dimensional, though notably better than any previous video release. --Michael Mikesell
1 Live with No Audience
Pink Floyd is one of the best rock bands during history. This DVD is special for there's no audience at all. It sounds funny at it is also. There's great instruments like gong which is played in the instrumental song "A Saucerful of Secrets". Pink Floyd plays well and most of the concert is instrumental but however this concert is very good. There's shown much of the environment of vulcanic Pompeii. The vocals that there is are well done and they sound strange. I guess this is what Pink Floyd is...or at least was during the beginning of 70's. It is kind of disturbing that there's document during the concert too...the songs "Us And Them" and "Brain Damage" are just background songs for the document. You can play just the concert...there's the choice in the extras which offers you to do that. Pink Floyd has made something special playing this kind of gig....I wish I had been there...or at least someone...
Set list:
Echoes part 1 - great song, quite long
Careful with that Axe Eugene - great, strange lyrics & vocals
A Saucerful of Secrets - quite intersting
One of These Days - instrumental but a great one
Mademoiselle Nobs - a dog is singing, that's funny
Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun - also a great song
Echoes part 2 - great song
2 Amazing
WOW. I just got my copy in the mail today.
I lit one up and sat down and watched this movie.
A Saucerful of secrets, Echoes, One of these Days....simply amazing.
the editing is flawless.
great picture quality.
studio footage is awesome.
the directors cut version is corny, original concert is much better (its on the menu).
i originally didnt care for Pink Floyds older stuff (pre dark side) and now i have a totally different view, the old stuff is amazing, and is what is on this DVD.
i highly suggest getting this.
*update: Ive watched this DVD 8 times in 3 days, i cant get enough of it
3 Outstanding!
This shows a different side to Pink Floyd during the Dark Side Era. This DVD is focused around Nick Mason (drummer) and David Gilmour (lead guitarist). This shows you how Pink Floyd was thinking while and before making Dark Side of the Moon. Overall, this was a very good DVD, which includes a bit of a Pompeii history lesson. Outstanding!
4 Save Your Money
This DVD is a real piece of crap. The director of this disaster is obsessed with exteme closeups,rocks and interviews that are completely lame. Do yourself a favor and buy something else or at least go straight to the song selections.
5 [][][][]Pompeii Floyd[][][][]
I dont really feel like writing alot...so im gunna list the important stuff.
1.Echoes part one-8/10 recorded version is better...but still great!
2.Set the controls-5/10 cool...yet...yawn.
3.A saucerful of secrets-10/10 Best track on the dvd. This live version is 1000000 times better than the studio version.
The ending is MIND BLOWING!!!!
4.Echoes part two-9/10 awsome. This live version shows how well they play their instruments in the middle of the actual song.(AKA the scary, loud, noisy part)
6 Great stuff!
This is a great DVD of a great performance. Good sound, good picture, and nice new additions in the Director's Cut. It all adds up to a very Floydian experience. Sit back and enjoy the trip.
I've seen the original on the big screen at the theater and owned the VHS. I'm very happy with the Director's Cut DVD on my Sony Wega, very clear picture given the concert is thirty years old. The intro, though not original to the film, is clean and clear and is nicely done. The extra footage is a bonus.
If you are a Floyd fan (I've seen them live three times and own every album and many, many bootlegs), this is a must-own DVD. There are really no lowpoints on this DVD. The music and footage are wonderful!
7 A Must Have for any True Floyd Fan
Im a huge Pink Floyd fan, and when i first got this DVD, I can honestly say it ruled my life. I would think about it all day, rush home from work to hear my favorite parts, and then keep the thing going for the rest of the day. Classic live versions of Echoes and One of These Days are great and the cinematography is outstanding. I never write reviews unless its for something Im extremely passionate about. If you are on the fence about buying this DVD, trust me, you will not be dissappointed.
8 Synergy and Symbolism amid the ruins...
First off, let me set something straight. Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii is "live" in the loosest sense of the word. What much of the running time of this film consists of is Pink Floyd playing to an empty relic of a coliseum, there is no audience (aside from the viewer and a few sound techs). The track selection is utterly amazing and the execution is flawless: Echoes Parts I and II open and close the film and are undoubtedly the highlights of Live at Pompeii. The remaining tracks are some of Floyd's most challenging material such as Careful With That Axe, Eugene, Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun and Saucerful of Secrets. All of these tracks are interspersed with gorgeous landscapes and computer animation. But the real treat is being able to watch Waters, Gilmour, Wright and Mason flow off of each other's energy during performance. One of these Days is pulled off flawlessly with Gilmour's guitar wailing over Wright's pulsating keyboards. What really fascinated me about Live at Pompeii was the look inside the studio as Floyd was recording The Dark Side of the Moon. Just being able to watch David Gilmour solo over an unfinished Brain Damage should be reason enough for you to own this DVD. The interviews throughout the film have caught the band usually while eating. Waters is still content to be a jerk most of the time by mocking the director or the interviewers questions. Nick Mason has some prophetic words concerning the inner relations of the band which would eventually erode to nothing. Overall, this is a must own for any Pink Floyd fan and a fine addition to any classic rock fan's DVD collection.
9 The best Pink Floyd recording I've ever heard
...is probably on "Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii" VHS videocassette (Dolby, Hi-Fi stereo, digitally mastered). I was stunned by the sound quality- the bass is tactile and warm through my large subwoofer. This is the only recording where the drums sound natural and uncompresed. One must assume that most videocassettes sound lousy because the engineers don't care about the sound; P.F.L.A.P. demonstrates that the potential for good sonics is certainly there. I am listening on my home theater today, using the "Dolby Pro Logic II-Music" setting. I think this will make a great copy on 2-channel audio CD, to play on my music systems (car, home & office)
The band is at their peak of intensity. The VHS version is worth the $5-6 it costs just to have the recording of 'Careful With That Axe Eugene.' The sleeve says the video was made during the same time the band was recording "Dark Side of the Moon," and the D.S.O.T.M. riffs woven in make you do an occasional double-take. Before you deride the cheezy 1972 special effects, know that they have a way of transporting the mentally susceptible back a few decades. Spectaular, a must-have for even the casual P.F. fan!
10 Worth buying for the Original Concert feature.
I tried to watch the Directors Cut with an open mind, setting my expectations low. The graphics didn't bother me the way that they appear to have bothered a lot of reviewers. I actually thought that they were kind of cool. However, the shots of Gilmour and Wright singing in the studio during Echoes Part 1 completely ruined the flow of the movie for me, especially when they were shown making mistakes. These shots would have made great special features or perhaps they would have fit in nicely between songs. However, I thought that Maben's decision to insert them during the song was inappropriate and I am unable to understand what prompted that decision. Fortunately, as many reviewers have pointed out, the Original Concert is still included as a feature. Another bonus is that the shots of Wright recording the piano for Us And Them and Gilmour recording guitar for Brain Damage are given their own tracks in the Directors Cut. Regardless of whether these were actual recording sessions or staged for the movie, they are very cool and I am glad that I can choose to go directly to them instead of having to rewind or fast forward to them. This allows me to treat the Original Concert as the main feature and the Us And Them and Brain Damage tracks from the Directors Cut as special features. If it were packaged this way, I wouldn't have any hesitation giving it five stars. Because it is packaged with the Directors Cut as the main feature and the Original Concert as a special feature, I am deducting one star. If you like Pink Floyd, this is definitely still worth buying. In addition to the Original Concert and the Us And Them and Brain Damage tracks from the Directors Cut, I think the Maben interview makes this a worthwhile investment for Pink Floyd fans. I found it very informative. However, reviewers that warn fans of The Wall are correct. If you are not familiar with the music that Pink Floyd did before Dark Side Of The Moon you are in for a bit of a surprise. Hopefully it will be a pleasant one. :)
11 Best Concert DVD Ever. (but be warned)
For those who are fans of Floyd - or rock and roll in general, this is a must see. The footage and sound is fantastic and the behind the scenes look at them recording "Dark Side of the Moon" is downright priceless.
Be warned however. After watching through the video I was really upset with the new additions that were made to it - with all the cheesy computer animations of space and Pompeii. Do yourself a favor and watch the "Original Theatrical Release" version of it. It's in the menu there somewhere, and it's MUCH much better.
By the way - for those unaware, the Beastie Boys riffed on this video in their "Gratitude" video. Check it out.
12 For want of 5.1 Dolby Digital Stereo
Ya know, if this disc were in 5.1 Stereo, I would give it a '5 Star' rating, easily. This is Pink Floyd at their finest. This is before they became the 'Rock Gods' they now are. Not that their 'Rock God' status is a bad thing.
I really love the interviews and everything they recorded at the studio. As much fun as they have there, it's really too bad they had to end in a feud with Roger Waters.
But the real feature can be found in the 'Bonus section.' The 'Original Concert Film' is the main reason to buy this disc. Amazing performances of terrific songs are all around. I really like the versions of all the songs here. "Echoes" would almost beat the studio version if they hadn't split it in half. The version of "Careful With That Axe, Eugene" is the best I've heard. Plus, "A Saucerful of Secrets" is really good here, and this is coming from a guy who is NOT a fan of the studio version.
Buy this disc. Even though it's only in 2.0 stereo, it's one of the best concert discs out there. If only they'd release PULSE or a concert from the ANIMALS tour on DVD.
13 best DVD i have
if you really think duran duran is better than Pink Floyd, go screw your gramma and then hang yourself. hermm, sorry had to get that out. anyways....this dvd is kickass footage. The songs are performed flawlessy, and matter of fact are even better than the ones on the original albums (the jam part in "echoes" for example). You are able to see the band close up, especially waters and gilmour (i figured out how to play the guitar solo is Echoes just by watching the movie). The best about this is that there is nothing from The Wall here. It's mostly from Meddle and some of their ealier stuff, before Waters got control of the band. Overall a must have for any music fan
And a note to all of you who like the original better: the directors cut comes with the original footage in the special feature section. look around for it!!
14 Five Stars for 1972 concert film
Pink Floyd, not Stink Floyd as The Cranky Reviewer alias Scissor Sisters Fan states, could possibly be the greatest group in existence. This DVD proves it as the band played live in Pompeii without an audience. Songs like Echoes, One of These Days and Set the Controls are worth purchasing the DVD! FYI SSF/Cranky, Floyd disbanded. Even more David Gilmour was called upon by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor of Duran Duran to help out on two songs during the recording sessions of Arcadia's pathetic lone album. The DVD plays fine in all players. The millions of music listeners out there deserve Pink Floyd and not those faux Roxy Music buffoons Duran Duran's Greatest DVD.
15 [...]Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii was a great concert film. Filmed in Pompeii, Italy in October of 1971. This DVD contains great songs like Echoes, Set the Controls, One of These Days and a few others. Contrary to what the foolish last reviewer said, David Gilmour did not quit Floyd, Floyd disbanded in 1983 and appeared with Arcadia(the poor Roxy Music facsimile Duran Duran spinoff) as a guest musician on only TWO songs so he didn't join as Floyd reunited in 1986. Anyhoo, this DVD is recommended!
16 Return to the 70's
Take a trip back to 1971 with this dvd. I love the look and feel of this early film by Pink Floyd.They know how to stand out and this dvd delivers.I like the original band members as they were in those days, still young and bright with ideas.This is a great dvd for most but if you only like P/F for their Wall album, you may not get it. I had this movie on vhs but it was sold in a yard sell by accident. So I ordered the dvd.If your a true Pink Floyd fan then buy this dvd.
17 a 100% floyd
i think this is an awesome dvd, specially for the fact that it's from an era when pink floyd were still that " elite" band in terms that they werent popular the way they became after dark side so that's make the dvd a great and really cool window to a very misterious and kinda unknown period of a great band.
The atmosfere created in songs like echoes ( part one must be one of the best stuff i ve' EVER heard in my life) careful with that axe, eugene and the rest of the stuff is just amazing, an undeniable display of good music from a band at his top!
18 Pink Floyd-Live in Pompeii
The origanal was great I couldn't wait to get it on DVD and than it came out I gave my original away I bought the Dvd the directors cut.
Well this brilliant director took the monolisa and cut her up through a bunch of modern crap threw it on top of it and made a real mess.I loved the original where you could watch Pink Floyd play and it was in order,before the Idiot director decided to cover all of the live playing with moon shots,sun spots and volcanoes erupting.The Directors cut is crap the Origanal was brilliant and I wish that I had my original VHS back.
19 Love the film, but what's with the animation??
I love this movie, because it shows the Floyd as a working band in a scenic location, even though it's dated, the overall influence of concert films has some roots in here (the focus on the band over audience)which you will see in "Last Waltz", "Big Time" and "Stop Making Sense".
The fans of the post Syd-era "Saucerful" to "Meddle" will absolutely love this film. It's basically the video version of "Ummagumma's" live songs, with some "Meddle"(Echoes, One of These Days, Seamus aka Mademoiselle Nobs).
In between the Pompeii footage, you see the band working on "Dark Side of the Moon" (On the Run, Us and Them, Time, and Brain Damage/Eclipse) in the Abbey Road studios (which is also great for the Beatles fans), and chit-chatting in the commissary. The interviews are okay, not all that informative, although people will chuckle at Dave's comment about PF being a "drug band". I think that as far as it being in the film now that the "making of" has been released with most of that footage, I don't know if it should stay in...
Wasn't impressed whatsoever with the "Director's Cut"...it didn't really add anything to it. It would also have been nice if one of PF took part in the commentary as well. Would rather have seen more ruins, or maybe some re-edits that would make the film look somewhat fresher and current.
Considering that there's so little of Floyd on video, they really could have put some things on here. The 1 hour "Atom Heart" concert they shot for PBS in 1970, the "Brain Damage/Eclipse" promo, and a "Set the Controls" filmed around this time would have been really nice.
But what is also sad when I watch this is that they didn't bother filming another live concert until "The Wall" which exists in bootlegs and has yet to be released as well as the post-Waters concert videos. What would be really great is if they did a video like Cure's "Trilogy", where they could do a full length concert of "Dark Side of the Moon", "Wish You Were Here" and "Animals" for posterity, which would be far more easier to pull off in 2004 than in 1977.
20 Dark and isolating
Live at Pompeii is the most recent version of the video released. The original version is interspersed with archive footage of the band (David, Roger, Nick, Richard, etc.etc.)working on the Darkside Of the Moon album at Abbey Road. These snippets are interesting and informative - particularly wehere you see Roger operting an anologue synth for On The Run - for the first time around, but start to really grate on repeated viewings when you realise what a bunch of pretentious g*ts they can be, apart from Richard who seems pretty much down to earth.
The video shot in pompeii is one of the most atmospheric and haunting videos I have seen becuase it has no special effects to create the atmosphere, just an empty ampitheatre and the band. There are stunning versions of late early stuff, echoes, One of theses days, carteful with that axe, and saucerful of secrets.
The most awesome segment for me is the instrumental section of echoes with Dave gilmours guitar screaming amidst the theatre, capturing the experimental and exciting yet alienating and isolated atmosphere of their early work, some of it a bit disturbing and strange.
The DVD is a good package, with the recut version and and the original version presented in widescreen and 4:3 normal ratio. There is adocumentary, slideshows of screening posters, and different packaging for the VHS versions, as well as other stuff and a button which selects an item at random, very strange- trying to install the weird nature of the band, no doubt some of Storm Thorgersons work.
21 one of the best conerts of all time
okei folks this dvd is must for everone.... even if you dont like floyd :).... the tracks are just amazing the footage is great sound quality is very rich.... Waters is a genius.... when i bought this dvd at first i got to watch it with my friend whos a floyd head like my self... we were toking on a pipe while watching it and i have to say Set the Controls for the heart of the sun just touched my inner soul... i was so excited i watched the dvd next day and i had every one of my friends watch it and ones that dont like floyd much also enjoyed it truly....
22 This is how Floyd should be
This is a great experiment with live concert recording and a movie where the only person at the show is you. A very good look at what floyd is about and how they did it. It is sort of like a bunch of music videos wraped into one until you look at the Directors Cut witch is all the good behind the sceenes stuf. A must have for any floyd fan!
23 What kind of Pink Floyd Fan are YOU?
Me? I'm a "Dark Side of the Moon" and afterwards kinda guy. There are some that are fans of everything from the beginning and there are some that just like the post-Roger Waters stuff?
This DVD is for fans of everything. Call me crazy, but I dont really like the track list except for ONE OF THESE DAYS and ECHOES (both from the MEDDLE album which preceeded DSotM) but as I said, being a fan of "Dark Side of the Moon" I did like the new footage of rehearsing for the album.
And they're so right about the new CG effects of the planets for the film. They're truely amatuer.
24 Worth it for the 1972 film version on DVD
Pink Floyd released their concert film Live at Pompeii in late 1972 in the UK.
The original film was filmed at the Pompeii Ampitheatre in Pompeii, Italy in October of 1971 with some footage filmed in early 1972 at a Paris film studio. That original version was 61 minutes long, and consisted only of performance footage from the Pompeii amphitheatre and a Paris studio, plus some extra footage of Pompeii. This was shot in full-screen 4:3 and is presented as such on the DVD. The band gave superb readings of Echoes(pt.1), Careful With That Axe Eugene, A Saucerful of Secrets, One of These Days, Set the Controls For the Heart of the Sun, Mademoiselle Nobs and Echoes(pt.2). This right here makes the purchase of the DVD justifiable.
In early 1973, director Adrian Maben went to Abbey Road Studios while the band was finishing their classic contribution to rock history, the 34 million selling and counting worldwide The Dark Side of the Moon shot some documentary footage of the band recording(or pretending to record according to guitarist/vocalist David Gilmour because the band were mixing by the time these sequences were filmed) and talking. The new footage was spliced in between some of the original performances for the film and the result was released in August, 1974 here in the US and was now 80 minutes long. Unfortunately, this edit is not on DVD.
Now, this new version uses the Abbey Road footage, plus some unearthed black and white footage of the band in a studio in Paris in March of 1972. Also, Maben filmed new shots of Pompeii, a whole bunch of archival footage of space exploration and new titles that look made for a straight-to-video release instead of the Godard-esque ones we had with the original. This is about 91 minutes long, and has been inexplicably matted to a 16:9 format. Gilmour was not responsible for this DVD and he is not happy with the Director's Cut.
Ironically, Roger Waters is and his manager Mark Fenwick was one of the DVD's executive producers and approved of this director's cut.
I say buy the DVD for the original film.
25 Brilliant, Important and Utterly Beautiful
This DVD is simply the best, WHY?
1/ Besides Dark Side and Wish You Were Here, I always thought that the Floyd flew a little too close to Spinal Tap territory but this DVD whilst nostalgically confirming that in parts they WERE Spinal Tap, it just doesn't matter, the rest is simply perfect.
2/ Corny visuals (revolving planets etc) and corny songs (Set the controls for the heart of the sun, purleez - Lotuses lean on each other in yearning, Under the eaves the swallow is resting??)
don't matter here, the overall effect is startling.
3/ Couple of genuinly beautiful and moving sequences (lump in the throat stuff) as follows:
(i) opening Echoes part one intercut with the two lads in their Paris studio fluffing the lyrics is really effective
(ii) laying the piano into Us and Them
(iii)Gilmour putting guitar solos into Brain Damage, fantastic
(iv) when the keyboards kick in on Saucerful of secrets, magic
(v) final Echoes P2 with corny visuals really work nicely at the end.
4/ Interviews are funny and seriously nostalgic, look at Waters and Gilmour as they were back then or the drummer bloke who IS the guitarist in Spinal Tap, a classic English foppish twit complete with THAT moustache!
5/ How brilliant was the timing, concert coincided with their recording of material for one of the greatest albums ever - The Dark Side of the Moon.
26 Pink Floyd.
Pink Floyd isn't known as a "Live Band" they have reached flawlessness in the studio but aren't the same live. You listen to the same songs, but they aren't the same. The DVD is incredible. The original concert is better than the director's cut in my opinion because it gives more of a chance to give a glimpse of the band live. The Dvd captures the band in the end of their "wandering" phase and shows them recording two songs of Dark Side Of The Moon which is considered by some to be the height of their golden period, but i believe it to be just the beginning. Animals was the height. The DVD is great.
27 Advice from a Pink Floyd fan
Want to know if this DVD is for you?
LONG ANSWER:
Well, it depends on what kind of person you are, even if you're a Pink Floyd fan. There are many kinds according to the type of music and/or mood they prefer.
1)There are the solitary, silent people who prefer to stare at something and find beauty even in the patterns of the floor tiles. These people prefer to look beyond what can be seen or heard and find "the spirit" of something, no matter how caothic it may seem. These are the fans of 1968-1972 Pink Floyd's looong, strange pieces. I know somebody like this, a painter, friend of mine, and he was immediately hypnotized by "Echoes", in spite that he wasn't a huge fan of Pink Floyd. These people will really enjoy the original concert film. I did. If you dream about being alone in the desert and watch the sunrise listening to "Echoes", this is just for you.
2)Others prefer the glamour and the coloured lights of traditional concerts; they like interviews with artists, special 3D-effects, and Star Wars. They enjoy jazz and prefer more "structured" music. These profile correspond to Pink Floyd fans from "Dark side" through "Wish You were here". These could love the Director's Cut; however, some of them might be dissapointed.
3)And there are those who don't really appreciate jazz, classical music, or staring at anything. Those of you who listen to pop music all day or who think "The Wall" is the best Pink Floyd music ever, this DVD is not for you.
There are many kinds of art... There is simple-structured art, like pop music or naif-style paintings, whose beauty can inmmediately seen, but when trying to find the soul of it... well, there isn't any. And there is the other kind of art, that present in desolate De Chirico paintings, in El Bosco's obscure visions, and in the desert. This can't be appreciated in a first sight; instead, it needs to be studied and re-visited many times, in order to love it. This is the type of art present in "Live at Pompeii". I saw Shrek and liked it a lot the first time, second time it wasn't that fun and the third time it didn't capture my attention anymore. But Live at Pompeii is a DVD I will wear out.
SHORT ANSWER:
If you really love the songlist, buy it. If you like Pink Floyd but don't like these particular songs, keep searching.
28 Wow.
Wow. Some may say Pink Floyd's albums were self indulgent. Some may say Pink Floyd's live shows were self indulgent. Look no further - here is one of the most self indulgent pieces of film/music you will ever see in your life. This is crazy! The band sitting around the ruins of Pompeii, twiddling with fuzz boxes.
But this is great cinema, great viewing. For all the acid munching wastrels that enjoy Pink Floyd so much, buy this.
29 VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
dont heed any of the one star reviews on this page.this dvd features a great live performance from this classic band.five stars.
30 GREAT DVD FROM A CLASSIC BAND
THIS DEFINATELY HAS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST DVD'S EVER MADE BY THIS BAND WHICH WAS ALL ABOUT HAVING LOADS OF TALENT AND SUBSTANCE.VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO ALL LOVERS OF GOOD ROCK MUSIC.ONLY A JERK COULD GIVE THIS GREAT DVD ONE STAR.A MUST HAVE
31 This is the most brilliantly enlightening dvd, ever
I don't usually write reviews for these things, but I'm doing it for this because I bought this DVD a little while ago and I have to say that the performances by the Floyd in Pompeii are simply mind-blowing. I can honestly say that it's the best thing that I own, and not just with DVD's. It's the best thing I own, period. I watch it pretty much every day. The abstract clips of the history of pompeii complements the session so much, but even if it weren't there, it would still be amazing. The four of them have never played so emotionally and thoughtfully, however drugged they may be. This music really does transcend all things and it's worth every penny to buy this DVD. Saucerful of Secrets... Careful with That Axe Eugene... Echoes... it's hard to pick my favorite out of the performances. Don't be turned off by the fact that there aren't any of the more famous "Wall" songs or "Dark Side of the Moon" songs played live. These earlier songs are just as good and better and it will NOT dissapoint you. I can't exagerate enough just how much the video touched me, and will surely touch all you Floyd fans.
32 Not the Best of the Floyd
This DVD was alrgiht, i like pink floyd in their later years more. The songs on this i will give a 7 of 10, but the comentary of the Floyd and the DVD feutres a 9. I think that the Wall is a better overall album and DVD.
33 Original Pompeii movie worth buying DVD alone
Pink Floyd released their concert film Live at Pompeii in late 1972 in the UK. The original film was filmed at the Pompeii Ampitheatre in Pompeii, Italy in October of 1971 with some footage filmed in early 1972 at a Paris film studio. That original version was 61 minutes long, and consisted only of performance footage from the Pompeii amphitheatre and a Paris studio, plus some extra footage of Pompeii. This was shot in full-screen 4:3 and is presented as such on the DVD. The band gave superb readings of Echoes(pt.1), Careful With That Axe Eugene, A Saucerful of Secrets, One of These Days, Set the Controls For the Heart of the Sun, Mademoiselle Nobs and Echoes(pt.2). This right here makes the purchase of the DVD justifiable. In early 1973, director Adrian Maben went to Abbey Road Studios while the band was finishing their classic contribution to rock history, the 34 million selling and counting worldwide The Dark Side of the Moon shot some documentary footage of the band recording(or pretending to record according to guitarist/vocalist David Gilmour because the band were mixing by the time these sequences were filmed) and talking. The new footage was spliced in between some of the original performances for the film and the result was released in August, 1974 here in the US and was now 80 minutes long. Unfortunately, this edit is not on DVD. Now, this new version uses the Abbey Road footage, plus some unearthed black and white footage of the band in a studio in Paris in March of 1972. Also, Maben filmed new shots of Pompeii, a whole bunch of archival footage of space exploration and new titles that look made for a straight-to-video release instead of the Godard-esque ones we had with the original. This is about 91 minutes long, and has been inexplicably matted to a 16:9 format. Gilmour was not responsible for this DVD and he is not happy with the Director's Cut. Ironically, Roger Waters is and his manager Mark Fenwick was one of the DVD's executive producers and approved of this director's cut. I say buy the DVD for the original film.
34 Pink Floyd Rules
Enjoyable? Yes. Visualy attractive? Yes. A great Pink Floyd Movie? Definately.
This is one of the best live performances I own. (I have 2 Led Zeppelins and a Jimi Hendrix.) The visual effects of david Gilmour and roger Waters playing in front of the guitar is awsome, so is the fire in front of Waters singing. The pictures of the statues between shots are an extra treat. I only wish that the directers cut was better, but the lack of headings before songs is better, and the swimming letters are cool. The extra footage is good, and them making DSOTM is great. The others ods and ends like Pompeii map and history are just filler but makes for good entertainment.
Very enjoyable DVD and I recamend it to any PF fan.
35 Absolutely horrible
The thing about Pink Floyd is that when they are good they are brilliant but when they are bad (as with this movie) they are horrible. They have made classic albums that have stood the test of time such as Meddle, Dark Side and Wish you were here. But they have also made garbage. This usually happens when they let Roger Waters get carried away with his sound effects fetish. This movie displays the worst of Pink Floyd. How anyone can give this 4 or 5 stars is beyond me. I guess dropping acid before you watch it may be the trick. But for the sober crowd it is a big waste of time and money. One of the more annoying aspects of this movie: watching one of the best rock guitarists of the 70's, David Gilmour, sit on the ground and run a steel slide up and down his fretboard while Roger Waters bangs a gong (Gee-wiz I think I could do that). For some unforseen reason the interviewer/director badgers them about whether or not they fight with each other. He seems obsessed with that topic and whether or not they think Rock is dead. (It would be if Director Adrian was in charge). Bottom line - if you like sound effects and juvenile chatter then by all means blow your money on this "movie". If you want to listen to the Floyd play great music and speak intelligently about their recordings then buy the Dark Side DVD.
36 An overall great floyd buy
The film (the original I mean) is excellent and if you are a floyd fan and have not seen it, the DVD is worth buying. The reason that some people rated this dvd low is, i suppose, because of the director's cut version. To set things straight, if the dvd had not included the original version of the film, it would not be worth buying. The director's cut version is quite lame (to say the least). Anyway, as far as the original film is conserned, the video quality is superior to the VHS version and the sound quality is great though it could have been better.
Overall, this dvd is definitely worth owning if your are a floyd fan and you have not seen the film before. Great shots of the band just fooling around!
37 Disappointing at BEST 2.0 Stereo??
Ok, I am biased but since this is a DVD of an audio artist shouldn't the sound be REMASTERED and in 5.1 at the very least?? Yes, I will take what I can get but I, or some of my audio engineering friends would have done this FREE of charge just to get better audio on this thing. I've waited so long for this. Why do they release DVDs like this? Please REMASTER to 5.1 or BETTER and RE-RELEASE! Thanks!
38 Geez, this guy's just not a very good filmmaker...
Well first off, if your a Floyd fan that hasn't seen this, GET IT GET IT GET IT, cuz it features some great performances of early Floyd classics from the group in an intimate and historically interesting setting. You'll love it. It contains versions of "Echoes" and "Careful With That Axe, Eugene" that i personally think are superior to the original studio versions.
My beef is with the directing of the film. For one thing, the editing is awful. Usually with concert films like this, you try to at least roughly time all the scene changes on the downbeats within the music. This was done (for the most part) very well and effectively in the original film, but on this directors cut he obviously wasnt even trying. The scene changes are almost always either too frequent, akward, or just don't fit the mood.
The sound is certainly better than the VHS copy i have of the original film, but no amount of remastering can fix the low quality audio of the original tapes. It's hardly distracting enough to make you want to turn it off, but it's a little dissapointing, especially after you hear Adrian Maben talk about how they went to great lengths to try and make it sound good... cuz it just doesnt.
Now, heres the obvious thing that other reviewers have pointed out... WHATS WITH THIS COMPUTER ANIMATION GARBAGE?? Its so cheezy and lame! So is the whole concept he threw together of 'people from another planet coming to earth to watch the Floyd concert'. Another sign that Mr. Maben just isnt a good filmmaker: the opening scenes of "Echoes", which is a whole computer animation sequence of planets, satellites, ect. , the objects orbit at WAY too fast of a speed. It makes the music suddenly seem rushed, when its supposed to be the opposite.
Bottom line... most of the added scenes are very out of place and should not have been added.
But, that said, there are some PLEASANT surprises as well. Like all the never-before-seen b&w interview sessions, intercut into the original scenes that show them recording "Dark Side Of The Moon".
Again, if your a Floyd fan, not very familar with much of their pre-Dark Side material, its a MUST.
39 Live concert without audience
Although the director's effort is fairly allright the DVD does not have certain features of a live show.
1.No crowd at all (most important)
2.Few tracks (dissapointing)
Much appreciate if Amazon.com could add "Pink Floyd - Live in Venice" DVD into the store.
40 If you're just a concert style fan, blow it!!
This is the first rock video I had seen when I was 9. "Echoes" is amazing, still banging in my head until now. The expression of Rick Wright when sang it still visualized. When I visit Pompeii two years ago, this location was the first I look for.
Definitelly not for CONCERT STYLE / VIDEOCLIP fan. If you are, you'd better blow it and find Westlife video. Don't buy it.
It's a story, it needs emotion. It bring you 70 atmosphere perception of clips. If you open mind with this, BUY IT!!
41 Great for the time, but by todays standards, not good.
You have to appreciate that it was 1970. No surround sound 5.1 no big light show. The concert is actually filmed live in an empty old roman empire stadium. The highlight was echos. THe rest is just OK. The dog, singing the blues is cool. Most of the interviews are very difficult to hear. I have an old tape copy, maybe the new DVD release has address this.
In conclusion, its just OK, and probably only for serious floyd collectors. Pulse is the best. They need to release Delicate sound of thunder on DVD.
42 Awful
I am a Pink Floyd fan. There are at least three phases to PF's evolution. This DVD focuses mostly on the earliest phase and my least favorite. I enjoy the latter two phases and the tail-end of the first phase. This DVD is not "live" in the sense of live music -- some of it is recorded outdoors and "live", but a real stretch of the term. If you are used to productions like PULSE, you will be sorely disappointed. However, if you are used to watching some poor VHS transfers of concerts, this is an improvement. To make it look better, though, many "modern day" items are mixed in. Having listened to PF albums hundreds of times, I was really disappointed with this.
43 Uh, wot's the deal?
Beware. This release is a double edged sword. Yes the extra interviews that are added and bonus features are great (Especially the original release). The problem is what we are missing by having the new footage added into the excellent original cut. And what is that? The band playing in Pompeii! The thing that the whole movie was originally about. The shots of dave and Nick doing their vocals in the studio could have been extra features. Or maybe, include the original cut as a bonus. Also, what's up with those 3rd rate computer graphics? Did the director do those at home? It's great to finally get this on DVD, but it's not what we've all been waiting for.
44 Good...But not the Vhs version!
Forgive me a brief, but possibly helpful personal history...
I was born in 1971, to a mother who enjoyed all things saccharine and banal artistically. I am a Christian, so I've forgiven this flaw long ago. My father, on the other hand, was a true appreciater of good art, and was an artist himself. One of my earliest memories was my Dad bombed out on hallucinagens, and playing Dark side..., I being 3, did not know what a "Pink Floyd" was. But that did'nt stop me from running for cover when the chimes blared out with a hellish zeal , signalling the beginning of "Time". My father, unable to speak, but quite happy nontheless would look at me quizzically, not understanding how I could not fully appreciate the "beauty" of what was taking place. Perhaps all I would have needed to do to affirm how grand this all was, would have been to look him soberly in the eyes and say..."WOW! Dad... I totally capiche!". But alas, I was only 3.
Anyway, my parents divorced when I was 9, and my father went with all his good music...and I was stuck with my mother and Barry Manilow.I do like the song "Mandy".
I rediscovered Pink Floyd one night when I was 16, and fell asleep listening to the radio. I was shaken awake by the chimes of "Time"...and I was subsequently drawn in love with floyd. From there on I got my greedy mitts on everything Floyd, and "Live at Pompeii", was my most cherished artifact. I was gleeful when I saw that it was finally being released on DVD. As the other reviews indicate, it's not quite the same as the vhs, a bit cheesy at the beginning as a matter of fact. This is not the band's fault. But it is worth every penny, if for nothing else, the joy and humor one gets watching Nick Mason beating the bloody stuffing out of his drums on "One of these days". Take careful note, how he keeps looking over at his high-hats and nods his head up and down, as if to say, "If all else fails...I'll know that I had kept good time!".
45 Best Live Pink Floyd Available
This is the best representation of Pink Floyd live you can buy. It isn't Pink Floyd's best live material ever. There are no official releases of the best Pink Floyd live music. But this DVD gives you an idea of how good they would be in following years.
This was originally a concert movie shown in theaters in 1972. The original movie consisted of Pink Floyd playing in ruins of Pompeii plus other sites in Rome. In was 60 minutes of music and featured the standard Pink Floyd "hits" of the time, like Careful With That Axe Eugene, and Set the Controls For the Heart of the Sun. It also included the new song from the album Meddle called Echoes.
In 1974, the movie was re-issued with about 20 minutes of extra footage. The new footage consisted of interviews and showed some studio scenes of the group recording Dark Side of the Moon. The new scenes were added between the music tracks. I don't know if I liked the additional scenes. They broke up the flow of the music. Plus, when you went to see this at a midnight show, torched out of your mind, it was hard to keep awake through the extra footage.
This DVD contains the original 60 minute movie and the director's cut which includes the extra footage plus a few more extras. There is also a extra interviews with the band, and with the director. There is a history on Pompeii and footage of the band eating. Video and sound quality are both very good.
The nice thing about this DVD is that it really gives you a sense of the power of Pink Floyd in concert. You get a feel for the atmosphere of the concert, with the music blasting out of the wonderful surround sound system they used. And all the music is excellent. I saw Echoes being played on a big outdoor screen at Universal City's downtown and it was very impressive.
There are some hokey, dated parts to the way the concert was filmed and the special effects. Even in 1974, some of the effects seemed dated and cheap, like something you would see on your local TV station's dance party. The direct even admits that some of the scenes didn't really work. He wished he had the original film so he could redo them, but all the original tapes have been lost.
But, for the most part, the camera work and editing are excellent. The correct member of the group is shown at the right time (except during One Of These Days). It is certainly better than the filming and editing of many of the new DVD's like the ones from Gov't Mule or Roxie Music. Those DVD's just jump all over the place and you never get the feel that you are at the concert.
Pink Floyd was a very exciting band to see in concert in the seventies. They were always experimenting with the music. They would try out songs before they recorded them in the studio. Atom Heart Mother and Echoes were once combined. Dark Side of the Moon originally started out as a piece called Eclipsed. Sheep and Dogs were originally called Raving and Drooling and You've Got to Be Crazy and they were quite a bit different than what ended up on Animals.
In concert, Pink Floyd would also continually modify old material to keep it interesting. When they went on tour to promote Dark Side of the Moon, they stretched it out to 60 minutes with wonderful solos. They were so much more interesting in the seventies when compared to their reunion tours from 1987 and 1994. In 1994, they played all of Dark Side of the Moon in concert, but is was pretty close to the studio version and had none of the energy or sponteniety of when they played in the seventies.
This is the best of Pink Floyd's live albums because it is the only one from the seventies. The second best is the live version of the Wall called Is There Anybody Out There. I think the live version of the wall is even better than the studio version (it works better as a live show). Next comes Ummagumma from 1969 (which has many of the same songs as this DVD) and Roger Water's live release In The Flesh. The live releases from the 1987 and 1994 tours, Delicate Sound of Thunder and Pulse are merely good. There was also a TV show
done by San Francisco's KQED that is rarely shown. But the video of that is not great and I think it was recorded in mono.
46 Pink Floyd the masters of Psychedelics
Pink Floyd created a new stly of music that we can all thank for creation of bands like Tool, and Nine Inch Nails. Thank You Pink Floyd
47 Perspective from an average fan
As someone fast approaching his fourth decade on this planet, I'm familiar with Pink Floyd and consider myself a fan, but not a big one. I'm relatively familiar with the bands history from beginning to end, but much of my familiarity with their music centers around their middle period. I hadn't ever seen this film prior to it's release on dvd, and I was only somewhat familiar with the music period featured on it.
So, from this perspective, I want to tell you that I think the Directors Cut is the better film to see for someone like myself, or especially someone new to Pink Floyd. I watched the straight concert film (non-directors cut) first, and while I did enjoy it, there wasn't always a whole lot going on to hold my attention throughout. When I watched the Directors Cut later on, I found that I enjoyed it more as there was more to see.
For the average person, seeing the unadulterated opening pan shot from the beginning isn't absolutely necessary. Maybe if you're stoned, as some reviewers seem to suggest here, slower passages where not much is going on such as this could be fascinating for you. I, on the other hand, drugless and with most faculties intact, found the "punched up" Directors Cut more involving with the inclusion of the space graphics & footage. Even with that, we still get a decent amount of the pan shot anyway.
I, contrary to some here, really liked the shots of artwork throughout the film too. These were some GREAT images to contemplate as the music was playing in the backround. I feel more connected to our shared human history when I see such great works of art and it was an enhancement to see them featured here on film. A wonderful marriage of sound and image, I thought. I also enjoyed the computer graphical representation of how Pompeii looked prior to the cities destruction. (I just wish there was a little more direct, one-to-one matching of graphics to actual scenic shots).
For those who have complained about the Directors Cut, I think the point to remember is that this film wouldn't have been made without his original idea and his drive to get it accomplished. If you think his new version is less compelling or isn't as well executed, fine. But,he deserves some slack here. I say we owe him some leeway to indulge in any way he sees fit, especially with the inclusion of the original film to salve any offended sensibilities.
48 'Original concert film' misleading, but it's still great!
I saw a pristine print of this movie with a full house at the George Eastman House here in Rochester several years ago. With its glorious opening zoom shot, great music (mostly from Meddle), insightful (albeit brief and scattered) interviews with the band members, and fleeting glimpses of them at work crafting Dark Side of the Moon, it instantly became a must-have. But all that was available was a VHS copy, and I knew that this format couldn't do justice to the material.
I was elated when it was finally released on DVD, but also a bit hesitant when I saw that it was a "director's cut" - the original cut that I'd seen was just fine, thank you. However, seeing that one of the extras was the "original concert film," I figured that I couldn't lose, and went ahead and ordered it.
The bad news: Neither copy is the same one that I saw at the Eastman - the "original" cut does not include any of the interview or recording session material ... just the music. And the "director's" cut adds a lot of unnecessary outer space F/X and Pompeii art frills that sometimes distract from more than they enhance the core material. (The continuity of the aforementioned opening zoom shot is destroyed, for instance.)
The good news: At the very least, everything I saw previously IS on the DVD, even if I can't watch the movie in exactly the same way that I did originally. And hey ... this IS Pink Floyd! I've watched the film in its entirety five times since acquiring it and my fascination shows no signs of abating. This is no self-congratulatory vanity 70's "rockumentary" (e.g., Led Zeppelin's "The Song Remains the Same") -- it's a true time capsule that yields innumerable insights (some unintentional) into a landmark rock group on the cusp of superstardom. It captures the members at what would seem in hindsight to have been the apex of their camaraderie and collaborative music realization, and this makes it a must-see for any true Floyd fan.
49 Great to just listen to, but watching it is mind blowing!!!
I usually just put this DVD in as background music to a party or when I have friends over...the music is sooo good, groovy and jams...I am listening to it right now!!! Definitely a must, especially for those who like to kick back and smoke!!!
Especially when you think about the concept of it...A band thinking one day "lets go set up and jam in an ancient arena in Pompeii and play to no one, just for ourselves and lets get a good director to film it" unreal!!!
Get this one and the Led Zeppelin DVD!
Enjoy...
50 Live at Without Audience!
Pink Floyd was a very strange, intelligent and awesome band.
I don't have any of them record but I have listened the classic albums The Dark Side Of The Moon and The Wall. I have also seen The Wall-movie, which was just great. Live at Pompeii was so intresting ans pleasure experience that I will buy some Pink Floyd albums.
There are original consert and director's cut consert with interviews. The original consert works just great because there are no interviews that cuts concert intensivity and feeling.
In my opinion, you can't find no filler tracks in the original consert. My favourites are Echoes part 1 and Saucerful of Secrects, which shows perfectly how creative, skillful and intresting band Pink Floyd was.
Mademoiselle Nobs is a song in which you can hear dog's singing.
Why I don't give this dvd five stars? Because interviews are stupidly put between songs in director's cut consert. If interwiews would have put on their option, I have maybe given this dvd five stars...
There are also some extras for exemple pictures and history of Pompeii. If you like Pink Floyd's early songs, you should buy this dvd immediately.
51 Finally on dvd
Being a huge Pink Floyd fan, I was psyched when I heard that "Live in Pompeii" was being released on dvd. I, like any loyal fan, already have it on video, but my copy was becoming run down. Now with the dvd, I have the original and the new directors cut. The directors cut has extra footage and is in animorphic widescreen, which I just love. One of the great things about Floyd is watching them perform. So, to see Waters and Gilmore together is cool. I have the "Pulse" dvd, which is great, but is missing Roger Waters. The scenic shots of old Pompeii and the ampetheater they play at are beautiful. The whole movie is a trip, and any Floyd fan should enjoy this dvd.
52 A must have in any collection.
If you're a Floyd fan, then you know that the best way to experience their music is with both audio and visual. That's why this new dvd, "Live in Pompeii" is a must have. If you already own and love the video version like I do, you'll be blown away by the dvd. It has both the original version (in pan scan, minus the interviews) and a new director's cut (widescreen, with added interviews) as well. The visuals in this video are just amazing. The ancient amphitheater among the ruins of Old Pompeii is awesome and a great place for the band to play. There is a great mosaic shot of Nick Mason that is pretty trippy. The director's cut has footage from the band's recording of Dark Side, and some great interviews with the guys. This is definitely a must have for anyone's Floyd collection.
53 Director cut too much
The music is great - I love the set list and their renditions. However, this director's cut is not your typical "director's cut." Typically a director's cut implies that there is more film footage, and that is true here with the extended interviews. However, a lot of the original footage is deleted and replaced by cheesy (to me) computer animation. And although the film as originally released is available on the DVD as an option, you can't watch it with the added interviews. So that's why I've given it 3 stars - the movie's fluidity is lost with all these abrasive cuts to modern computer animation. The coolest part of this movie, the slow pan toward the band in the amphitheater at the beginning, is completely lost by these edits.
54 Amazing footage of early Pink Floyd
I hadn't seen this since 1991. Back then, as an 18 year old, I was big on Pink Floyd, and was starting to dig in to their pre-Dark Side of the Moon catalog, and was rather surprised how great a lot of this was. I also figured out why their early stuff don't get radio airplay, because it was often too far "out there" for mainstream radio. Now here's a wonderful video worth looking in to. While entitled "Live at Pompeii", you don't see an audience, but you get to see the band perform at the infamous ruins. Given this filmed late in 1971, no surprise that they only perform material as late as Meddle. While the band performed, you get scenes aternating between the band performing and of the ruins. Songs featured here include "Echoes", "Set the Controls For the Heart of the Sun", "Mademoiselle Knobs" (which is basically "Seamus" without vocals, but with the dog still included), "One of These Days" and "Careful With That Axe, Eugene". I have always been fond of "Careful With That Axe, Eugene", by the time Roger Waters does his infamous screams, I was really tripping out over the scene of the volcano erupting. It was just totally appropriate, because it was right as the song reaches its most intense climax. The part where they played "A Saucerful of Secrets" bothered me a bit, because David Gilmour had his hair in his eyes and didn't do anything to keep it out of his eyes. In fact, watching this video was the big reason why I bought albums like A Saucerful of Secrets, Ummagumma, and Meddle. One wished some material from Atom Heart Mother and The Piper at the Gates of Dawn got played. Still, a wonderful video to have, especially because it demonstrated what Pink Floyd was like way before they became the bloated arena rock band in the 1980s with the laser light shows (I'm referring to the Momentary Lapse of Reason/Delicate Sound of Thunder-era). Those who think Pink Floyd begins and ends with The Wall (I met my share of people like that in my lifetime) will be disappointed that Live At Pompeii don't have any of the hits they're familiar with (like "Comfortably Numb" and "Another Brick in the Wall Part 2"). But for the serious Pink Floyd fan, this is truly an essential video.
55 Fortunately the Original Version Is Also Included
If you're reading this, you probably have already seen "Pink Floyd at Pompeii" at one time or other. The good thing about this DVD is that it includes the orginal cut. The image and sound are perfect. The main feature, though is not, in my view, as interesting and innovative as the original release once was. The diurector has chosen to add some scenes to the original cut, as well as some film from when he visited the band recording Dark Side Of The Moon. Ironically, an excelent DVD about the recording of The Dark Side Of The Moon has come out separately, but that is another story. In my opinion, this is better left untouched. It's still worth it, but always watching the original cut. The quality of the images in the Director's Cut looks inferior to me as well. Anyway: If you like "The Floyd" i guess my recommendation is buy this one, and watch the original (you' ll probably watch both and agree) and buy the Making of Dark Side Of The Moon DVD separately, which brings OWESOME footage and brand new parformances by Waters and Gilmour not included on this DVD.
56 Caveat emptor--Make sure to get the VHS first!!!
I begin with an important warning to anyone contemplating purchasing the DVD, especially if you think you're going to get rid of the VHS version, or you plan to get only the DVD for the very first time--the VHS is still the definitive version, and you will regret not having it around. The reason is that the DVD was done by producer Adrian Maben with no input from the band, and therefore will be a grave disappointment. Aside from some additional interview material, including the keyboardist Richard Wright (sorely neglected on the VHS), there is very little to recommend the DVD above the VHS--in fact, some will strongly argue that the DVD is worth nothing and this is really the ONLY good version. The DVD ruins the ambience with terrible computer animation--Maben seems not to have matured over the years in his technique. His style makes for an interesting period piece on the VHS, but when he thinks he can carry over the exact same techniques on new technology, it's really quite sad. Furthermore, no attempt was ever made to correct the tape speed, and thus the pitch remains nearly a semitone sharp...not even a *full* semitone, so don't expect to be able to jam with either version.
My advice is, if you ARE going to get the DVD for the extra interview material, get the VHS with it, or make sure to hang on to your original copy. And make sure to purchase the DVD with gift money, not out of pocket. The VHS is worth a LOT more trouble than the DVD. Yes, the video cassette is an inferior format in the 21st century, and Pink Floyd *does* deserve better...but as Adrian Maben did not see fit to provide anything truly better, this is the best you can do for yourself. Make sure to order a VHS now, in case they go out of print!
Yes, there are some noticeable flaws in the original, but we need to remember, Pink Floyd was not yet the financial powerhouse that it is now...nor were technology or filming technique up to today's standards, by a long shot. This means you will have to put up with some oddities, including a filming technique that makes it look very much like a period piece. But perhaps the most notable flaw is the fact that the film runs at a slightly high speed. Those observing closely may notice that the band's movements seem unnaturally fast. But more noticeable is the fact that everything is pitched significantly sharp, so you will not be able to jam along with this without retuning. And finally, as I mentioned before, Richard Wright fans will be very disappointed to note that he is only included once in the interviews, and is not even seen as he speaks (one of the few deficits you might wish to also pick up a DVD to correct). HOWEVER--even as an ardent Richard Wright fan I can't take more than half a point away, as this video will still blow your mind.
His keyboard playing, for instance, goes a long way towards making up for the lack of interview material from him, particularly at the end of "A Saucerful of Secrets" and during "Echoes, Part II" (the latter of which reduced me to tears!). And who can forget the delightfully funny performance of "Mademoiselle Nobs", a remake of "Seamus" where his instrument is...the dog? Truly a great piece of Floydian humor to watch (Although is it me, or does Roger Waters not get the joke? Watch and find out...). Another set of fans will be greatly appreciative of the VHS--here, Nick Mason's more exotic, pre-Dark Side drumming style is showcased fantastically. Notice that he continues without a pause even when a drumstick flies out of his hand. David Gilmour is also in fine form, although to me his most notable moments are in the creation of Dark Side, and Roger Waters delivers almost mad-seeming vocal and percussion performances, in addition to his bass work.
The peek into the production process for Dark Side is truly fascinating, and most notable is a wicked version of the On the Run synth loop that will make your hair stand on end. There are also some interesting practice takes by David Gilmour and Richard Wright, including parts from "Brain Damage" and "Us and Them". Finally, you'll at last discover the source of some of the great Floyd-fan inside jokes (pie without the crust, and so on). Overall, I think this video is a solid 4.5 and a must-have for any Pink Floyd fan. The lowered rating refers to the combination of the highly rated VHS and the disappointing DVD. Don't settle for less--make sure to have a copy of the VHS around, even with the new DVD version!
57 A terrific relic for Pink Floyd enthusiasts
Footage of classic period Pink Floyd is so rare and few, that Live in Pompeii is a real treat. It was filmed in 1971, at the peak of their musical genius and creativity (not to devalue the musical and conceptual brilliance of the masterworks Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall, but musically they reached their peak in the period between Meddle and Dark Side Of The Moon), and shows the classic line-up - Roger Waters (bass), David Gilmour (guitar), Richard Wright (keyboards) and Nick Mason (drums) - young, energetic, creative and unpretentious. At this point in time, pre-Dark Side Of The Moon, they weren't yet settled in a niche; they haven't yet made it into the consensus, and they kept experimenting and trying new things, messing about with synthesizers and recording techniques. In this DVD we see them both in the studio and in performance, as they keep exchanging instruments and experimenting, and that's what makes it much more interesting and alive than the Dark Side and The Wall concerts, let alone anything made after the split from Waters in 1983, in which point they were just bleating out their old hits again and again in the same way. Only just managing to break free from the influence of their originator, Syd Barrett, the Pink Floyd are still, in Live In Pompeii, in a transition and struggling to find their voice, yet at the same time not certain of the relevance of their music. Nick comments in one of the many interviews thrown in between the songs - `We might have become a relic of the past... to many we represent that childhood of '67, the underground scene...' - and at this point, there's little in their music that signals of their great break into the mainstream in 1973. In between the performances, we get to see little bits of the Floyd in the studio, in the first stages of creating their masterpiece, Dark Side Of The Moon. It's a fascinating historic relic and an engrossing look at history in the making.
The musical parts of the video concentrate on Pink Floyd's most experimental instrumental numbers - in fact, only two vocal numbers were included, excluding old stage favorites like Fat Old Sun, Remember A Day and Astronomy Domine and recent numbers like Fearless and San Tropez - which allows it to give us a real look at how they were experimenting with their sound at the time, and to see them live, undubbed, is priceless. Take the epic instrumental A Saucerful Of Secrets from 1968; as Mason keeps the savage and steady beat, Gilmour is sitting on the ground with his Fender in his lap, gently running a slide up and down it, barely touching the strings. Wright pounds chaotic and nearly random notes on his piano, while Mr. Waters, his bass laid aside, plays percussionist and strikes the cymbals fierce and hard. He then walks off to the gong, and starts beating the hell out of it. Wright moves over to his organ and Waters picks up his bass, and they pick up the rhythm. Not synths involved. On Roger's own Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun, he doesn't play bass at all; he just barely struggles with the lead vocals, and occasionally beats the gong.
The instrumental classics Careful With That Axe Eugene and One Of These Days we get to see the full ability of the Floyds' instrumental prowess, as they settle into hard and driving grooves with persistent drums and deep, powerful basslines. Careful With That Axe Eugene is shot by night, with images of bursting volcanoes juxtaposed with an ecstatic Roger Waters shrieking out the song's only vocals. The effects and editing may be dated, but the atmosphere is still mesmerizing. Synthesizers, whatever Floyd's criticizers may have been saying at the time, are used subtly and tastefully. In one of the interviews David and Roger discuss the suggestion that the synthesizers may have taken over their music, claiming rightfully that they're in total control of their music, and that electronic devices can ever only be means and equipment and never a replacement for the artist's creativity. Furthermore, they say, it's immensely important for a musician who wants to be in control of his music, to know all about the equipment, recording and editing. The film really does show Floyd to be a group of very conscious creators, who need to know and understand the final outcome of their efforts - it especially shows in the studio segments. This is and important trait that contributed a lot to Floyd's greatness.
A surprising and wonderful touch is the short number Mademoiselle Nobbs, a classic 12-bar blues. As Roger strums an acoustic guitar and David plays a soulful harmonica, Richard helps by holding the microphone for the lead vocalist - a lovely dog, who sings her bit in the finest blues tradition, in a soulful and heartfelt duet with Dave's harmonica. It sounds to me like the talented mutt is the same one who contributed her voice to the number Seamus from the 1971 Meddle album, and if you thought the dog's voice on that track was overdubbed, seeing Mademoiselle Nobbs live will change your mind. The concert is bracketed by the epic classic Echoes, which was split in half - a technique adapted on record only in 1975 on Wish You Were Here. Echoes remain, whether on record or live, one of Floyd's most wonderful and impressive numbers, and show their instrumental skill and creativity to the fullest. Strangely enough, this is the only song in the films that allows Dave and Rick to have their voices heard, while on their albums at the time they sang on most of the tracks.
Incredibly rewarding for Floyd fans, even those who are not as enthusiastic about the early material, is the extra footage added in 1973, which shows Floyd working on their upcoming masterpiece Dark Side Of The Moon. We get a chance to see David laying down the final layer of Brain Damage, dubbing the lead guitar part over the nearly complete song; we also get a glimpse of Waters messing about with the synthesizers while working on the classic electronic piece of musical paranoia On The Run, as well as Richard recording the vocals for Us And Them.
One final question - what's the matter with Rick's beard, and why is it fading in and out of existence throughout the movie? Because other than that, the illusion of a live concert is maintained most of the time, albeit one where the crowd is either centuries dead or carved in stone. The conception of the video, as well as the music, shows Floyd as what they were - one of the most original and creative (some might say pretentious, maybe) bands of their time, just one step before entering the pantheon of timeless music forever.
58 In this day and age...
There was no reason that this wasnt released in 5.1 channel sound. The picture quality is very crisp compared to the VHS tape Ive watched a million times...However directors cut or no I would strong recommend that you save your money boys and girls as I am sure that this will be Re-released in 5.1 as a " super special" platinum edition..yada yada yada version. Now keep in mind I have nothing but respect for the Floyd but Ive been waiting a Long time since I first heard that Pompeii was coming out and after the teasers of 5.1 classic Floyd on the Wall DVD I was really dissappointed to see the Plain and dull dolby stereo on the case, which was covered by the price sticker so I didnt know until I got it home. At least Pulse is coming soon :)
59 Essential for any Pink Floyd fan
I have seen the VHS version of this concert a couple of times in the past, and have always enjoyed it- I tell myself to be grateful that they have a live concert film from before Dark Side of the Moon. I have recently viewed the Director's Cut DVD and was delighted to find it had even more footage of the band "behind the scenes". Not only did it show them in the recording studio working on Dark Side of the Moon, but it also showed black and white film shots of just them talking- I think it's fascinating to see them doing something besides music, even if it's eating oysters. The sound of this film is perfect, and although the shots taken of the band while playing were kind of outdated (I'm thinking of the 32 shots of Nick Mason playing drums at the same screen), getting to see them play was awesome. I especially like seeing Roger Waters bang on their gong violently during Saucerful of Secrets. The only reason I declined to give this DVD 5 stars is the graphics that the director has added, supposedly to add to the ambiance and mood of the overall film. The shots from space and the shuttle taking off were actually on the distracting side, and I did not feel it played to the mood at all.
If you like Pink Floyd and the music they played before Dark Side of the Moon, you will definitely enjoy this- there are not too many opportunities for Floyd fans to see these guys actually play live- whether it be on a telivision screen or even on a CD. Enjoy!
60 why ruin a good thing? NO MORE DIRECTOR'S CUTS!!!
i got this as a gift and i was extremely excited, as Floyd has always been one of my favorite bands and i hadn't seen this movie in a few years (and not ever on DVD). The original film is amazing - clips of the band performing some of their best songs from the pre-"Dark Side" era (Echoes, Saucerful of Secrets, Careful With That Axe Eugene, etc) at the ruins on Pompeii, interspersed with clips of the ruins and lava; there are also some good interviews and studio footage.
So I popped it in, thinking that "director's cut" meant maybe a little added footage in the studio, an extra interview. But NO!! The Director's Cut has all this ridiculous computer-animated outer space footage and slow motion clips of the band members in the studio spliced in over parts of the original movie - giving it a decidely modern feel (read: MTV/VH1 editing style) that, in my opinion, completely ruins the film. This could be forgiven if the original film was also on the DVD in its intact form, but the "Original Concert" in the special features is the performances only, with none of the interviews or studio footage from the original film. To get to those, you have to go back to the "director's cut" and scan backwards from the beginning of whatever chapter is after the interview - you can't directly access the interview at all.
Basically, this seems like director Adrien Maben's attempt to make some $$$ - he knows that hardcore Floyd fans will buy this absurd regurgitation of what was once a great concert film. My recommendation, buy the VHS on E-bay. This DVD strips the charm right out of Pompeii.
61 For the Pink Floyd Purists Only
The title is misleading since this is not a live concert with an audience. The band playing in an empty outdoor stadium in the Pompei ampitheater. There are weird video snipits of lava bubbling and band members running thru wierd landscapes.(one intresting interview with the band)
In terms of the music on this DVD, you'll hear the band's experimentation with trance-like sound scapes but very little structured songs or dicernible meolodies. I suppose this DVD would be a must have for the Pink Floyd purist, but it' not my thing.
62 The original gets 6 stars
Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii is one of the greatest concert films of all time, perhaps even the single best live performance ever put to film. While I could appreciate the director's intent with this new version, his creative vision has past its prime and we're left with a rather uninspired spinoff of the original.
The director's cut features a few extra bits of footage thrown in, but they don't add anything special to the film. What disappoints me is not so much that this footage was included, as it is used to "cover" bits of the original the director wasn't totally proud of. For example, one of my favorite sequences in the original is the arrival and setup of all the equipment in the ampitheater. That's been replaced by shots of cheap computer animations of planets with rough, geometric edges, obviously digital and saturated colors seeming to drift through space much too quickly. Other additions include stock footage of the Saturn V rocket launch and the first moon landing.
I find it hard not to enjoy the film anyway, but that's strictly because of the music. Fortunately, none of the music itself has been altered and the original cut of the concert footage is included as special feature, so I don't feel like I've been ripped off. The other extras on the disc are satisfying, but not entirely up to the standard of quality I've come to expect from Pink Floyd releases.
If you're a fan of Pink Floyd, I'd highly recommend checking this out if you haven't already in spite of the changes. If you're a purist though, you may be a little bit disappointed.
63 Whoa......... Dude.......... That is amazing
This is an insane DVD..... The concert portion is amazing- great music and wonderful direction make this alone worth it. I love th jam on 'Echoes' and the wonderful camera work which shows just how they create those wonderful sounds. This is also a movie about the making of the Floyd masterpiece (and greatest album ever made), 'Dark Side of the Moon'. This section gives you good insight into the making of an album and the interviews with the band gives you a good idea of what they are about. The amazing soundtrack, great visuals, and sweet in-stuido footage make this a must for any music fan.
64 Disgrace
Being a large Pink Floyd fan, I went out and bought this dvd before renting it, that is the biggest mistake I ever made.
I own all their other dvds, but this has hit in all time low in my whole dvd collection.
First of all it is not even a concert (lame), it is a all day live recording in the ampitheater. The cut away images are realy stupid. There is no good guitar playing, just alot of noisey slide work. Mostly drums. Way to much high pitched noise. Most of the time it seemed as though were just trying to make as much noise as possible. In one song they even have a dog singing. This dvd does not sound anything like the Pink Floyd I love (including Syd). It is just a disgrace, echoes is the only half way decent thing.
65 Not really a Director's Cut
I give this DVD three stars only because despite the edit here, it is still Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii and as such is an excellent film, artistically and musically. No Floyd collector should go without it. But ordinarily I would give it 5 stars. What's the difference? This particular edition is crass commericialism at its worst, trying to milk the consumer for a product that he or she has probably already purchased in at least two formats. If a director's cut is an unabridged, "complete" version of a film as the director originally intended it before, say, the ratings commission got their hands on it, then this is anything but a director's cut. Instead, the original film has been spliced with rocket launches, computerized planets, and the cool original typefaces that once introduced the songs have been replaced with a more new-agey font with a very low budget computer video-editing type effect overlayed. On the upside, the original version is also included on this as well as some press on the film, a breif director's commentary, and some album covers. However, bewilderingly, the first menu the viewer encounters is the language menu. Most DVDs I know bury that feature someplace less obtrusive. In any case, yes, it's nice to have this on DVD. But to advertise this as a "director's cut" is nothing short of false advertisement.
66 Floyd at their best (imho as a concert band!)
I first watched the movie in Chelmsford, Essex (74) and it stunned me then how well it captured the essence of Floyd in concert. How 4 guys can produce master pieces, last time I saw them in Denver I think their was 12 or 12 musicians/singers on stage. In many respects they lost the raw energy they used to have prior to 'DSotM'. This DVD is a must have for new Floyd followers. It shows the masterpiece of 4 musicians. (And for once Mason is highlighted and you can see how well he really plays those drums!). It was during a concert at the Rainbow in London that all the power went out half way through Saucerful and he never missed a beat. Brought the tempo down, power came back on (they had their own generator! oil shortage and all) he brought it right back to where he was and on they went. Professionalism at it's best!
The video is ruined a bit by too many modern day images (it was 74! and actually shows how bad the original footage was.). Why use the space shuttle when a Saturn 4 blasting of the pad would have been perfect and it tune with the times. Graphics are great but again the computer-generated scenes of Pompeii took away from that 1974 look. But, it's a keeper.
67 Worth every last cent
Does it matter that the effects are dated? Does it matter when the music is this good? No, of course not! The main thing is seeing these songs in a live(ish) context. The visuals are lovely if you discard the special effects. Hey it was the 70s - don't expect anything wildly new. If you didn't buy it for the music you didn't buy it at all.
There are some snippets of interviews with the band and the making of Dark Side of The Moon. You can practically forget the interviews - they're not something special. While Dave and Nick talk more about the music and being " slaves to technology " in the past with the music, Roger is on more of a political frame of mind ( surprise surprise ). A bit surpising that Richard wasn't asked for his opinion on things ( seems like a little flavour of things to come doesn't it? ). The making of Dark Side is a little interesting - some nice touches and an early glimpse of those Synthi AKS synthesizers or as Richard H Kirk of Cabaret Voltaire once said that they looked like " suitcases."
You really have to have this is your collection if you are a fan of Pink Floyd - no two ways about it
68 The video before the videos
This band is the greatest of all time. the videos are very good and show Waters, Gilmour, Mason and Wright in perfect harmony. The director's interview and the bonus material are the things that show how music was before the great electronic advance. But I've never heard something like it. MUST BUY.
69 Very Good Must have for the big Pink Floyd Fan
This is a very good performance of early Pink Floyd the New directors cut is very cool to watch. I was hopping the Sound quality would be better then it is being redone in Dolby Digital Surround it's good but not great for sound.
Over all this is a Great DVD for the Pink Floyd Fan
If you don't know anything about this DVD it's not a live concert in Pompeii at all
It's a live performance done in Pompeii with no Audience. At the time they thought a live concert show would not be in style
Now days it would be nice to see early Pink Floyd Live in concert but that is not what this is at all. So if that's what you're looking for. This is not it.
70 Big Disappointment
Firstly, given the scope and breadth of the Floyd's highly touted aural experience, why even bother to rerelease this without doing in 5.1. It's the industry standard, particularly among the classic-rock behemoth bands that are still actively making tons of money. Take the time and care and get it done. There's only one audio option and it sounds flat and bassy..The director's interview only scratches the surface of the process of filmmaking and how this shoot came to be. A commentary track would have been nice. And the subtitles only cover the interview banter and not the song lyrics, And I wasn't blown away by Maben's added footage. They are visually inconsistent, out of context and wholly detractory from the original atmosphere set by the original version.
71 Pink Floyd in their Prime!
I must say that I have this directors cut on VHS, but I am sure the quality is better on DVD. I saw Pink Floyd's Dark Side tour in 1973 and they performed all of the songs included here, except the take off on Seamus with the dog ( it is a treat). To me, this documents Pink Floyd's moment of ascension into their musical glory. I actually saw this underrated film on PBS back in 1975! The editorial reviewer hit the nail on the head with his cultural discription- completely in synch with seeing themself as "relics" from the 1967 scene in London and San Francsico and wanted to break free of that stigma. A fate which the band managed to cheat!
Truely, what is astounding to me is just what exceptional musicains these guys are! As when I saw them live, I was astounded that they could put on such an effective live show without studio manipulation.This movie also shows us that. The playing is what it is about. The dress is dated but WHO CARES! People are dressing that way again (gag)! Ignore the cheese and really HEAR the music! Excellent, EXCELLENT film!
72 Pink Floyd at their Best
This DVD is everything I expected and more. I never had a chance to watch the VHS but my friend told me that the picture is much crisper and the sound is a lot better on the DVD. The original concert film in the special features section lets you watch them perform all the songs continuously (the best part of the DVD, in my opinion). I've watch this almost everyday after a hard day at work and it just helps me wind down and zone out. I love the fact that the band is performing to an empty amphitheater that is old and weathered. It set the perfect atmosphere for PF's experimental music from that time. I think they wrote their greatest music during this time and the DVD definitely succeeds in capturing that. There is not one performance that I did not like or that I felt needed a little more oomph to it. "Careful With That Axe Eugene" is one of my favorite songs and the performance was absolutely amazing. For a moment, I forgot I was watching a DVD. The editing throughout the concert was simple but still effective and impressive to me considering it was filmed in the early 70s. The director's cut adds some interesting and comical clips of the band eating and talking and footage of them recording Dark Side of the Moon in the studio. I think anyone who has good taste and an appreciation for good music will enjoy this DVD.
73 magic
For those of you who love Pink Floyd...tune in, turn it on...and enjoy...parts of it are magic...not all of it...but enough that you will thrill to their unique and visionary music that we just can't have back again.Its still as unique now as it was then..I loved it.
74 really, really cool...
i saw this years ago when i was younger and easily blown away by stuff for one reason or another, but i just got this dvd and it's still awesome!
the director's cut is a little incongruous what with the planets and rockets and stuff, but the interviews are great. needless to say, the original film is where it's at, it just captures an atmosphere that's pretty damned amazing. for example the first shot in echoes where it zooms in really slowly, it's so simple yet is just mesmerizing. the director's cut breaks up this long shot, which really sucks so it's one good reason among many that they have the original.
i've heard so many people say that pink floyd sucks live because it's just four guys standing around with their hair in their faces, and that's essentially what they do in this video, but that's the whole point i think, that four guys just standing around can exhude so much intensity and emotion just by being so into the music and their environment. it just shows that music isn't just about sight and sound, it's about atmosphere...
75 More Floyd Less Director
I was completely ready for this release! It's the only thing missing from my essential rock videos collection. The theatrical release was (and is) incredible! Pink Floyd is a great band to watch live. (Pink Floyd today is a Vegas production but back in the day
Floyd embodied an era of British style/fashion/psychedelic musical approach and was unrivaled!) Live at Pompeii has all the Floydian elements, like the music itself it sneaks up on you and absolutely fills the senses with Pink Floyd's best music and appropriate visuals. At the time (of it's theatrical release) I thought the band and the director were completely in sync, 30 years later.... I don't think so. The directors vision and the original concert film show 2 differing paths. Ok, the planets are trippy and the camera work matches the music but lay off the visuals and watch the original concert film. No offense to the director, he did film a masterpiece, but....the director's cut is a piece of another kind!
76 An Amazing Performance
For those who are really into the band, the director's cut includes extra footage of them recording in the studio and candid shots of them interacting with each other. Many people have commented on how the extra footage is edited in odd places and breaks the flow. I feel the original concert film resolves that issue. You can watch them perform each track continuously one after another without any awkward breaks. The director's cut is just there to give some insight on the band and is just an effort by the director to create a different perspective.I was amazed to see how well the original concert film was re-mastered. I couldn't believe that something filmed in the early 70s could be so crisp and sound so awesome. The band playing to an empty amphitheater sets the perfect mood and atmosphere for the concert. I have never felt so drawn into the music before. I liked how some of the songs were filmed at night. The dark setting adds to the eerie mood, as does the clips of the lava.
The DVD also has a nice feature where you can skip to whatever track you want to listen to. The photo gallery also had some interesting shots. I'm so glad it was finally released on DVD because I haven't been able to stop watching it.
77 3 stars for Director's Cut, 4 for the original
This DVD clocks in at 171 minutes and I wish I could say that all 171 minutes are to die for. Sorry-o. The original theatrical release is nice to finally have cleaned up a bit and on DVD, but the Director's Cut adds an additional 30 minutes of non-essential fluff. Technology has changed over the past 29 years, so the obligatory computer-generated images are here, as are some really-not-needed interviews that break the flow of the film's musical narrative. I somewhat enjoyed the director's views on the film, but it's too bad that no one from the band bothered (or was invited?) to comment. There are plenty of other reviews dissecting this in all manner of fashion, so I'll let them do that. What I can say is if you want to catch a band on the cusp of superstardom (Dark Side of the Moon was soon to follow, Animals, Wish You Were Here, The Wall...), then this is a nice slice of time. The director clearly says in his too-long interview that the intent was to present the band in a new format, rather than the traditional Woodstock music and fan reaction style. With that in mind, playing before no one in an amphitheatre at Pompeii was an original idea. However, the film's editing is such that it doesn't seems so much like a performance as a series of songs done at various times -- as they were, over three days. To add "more" to the film, though, some additional shots were added from sessions shot in a studio in Paris, and they detract from the Pompeii performance. I think this would have been a much more enjoyable experience -- then as well as now -- had the band come on, played non-stop just as it would for a concert, and then left. Instead, the band would shoot sequences and then stop and listen to what had been recorded, according to the director. Well, that stop-and-go comes across and it detracts from the film. It's great that the band wanted to do something different, but in a way, from the vantage points of 30 years dowwn the pike, I think I would actually like a music and fan reation movie featuring Floyd... I'll probably play this DVD on rare occasions, but it's not something that will see much time in my DVD player.
78 Fantastic!!!!
This dvd comes with a widescreen directors cut and the original short 4:3 film.The film was originally released on video years ago as a long version and a short version. Until now, I'd never seen the short version so maybe it was only released in Europe. The short feature doesn't have any interviews with the band or shots of the band recording dark side of the moon. And the long version (not included here and probably the one you rented from your local video store years ago) was intercut with all the extra scenes.
The included directors cut is similiar to the original long version but has been rebuilt from ground up. It contains all the original scenes, interviews plus lots of weird scenes of moons revolving around strange planets, space ships taking off, plus new footage of Pompeii, etc.
Most people have never seen the original short or the directors cut. And like a lot of purists here I watched the original short verson first and of course my first observation was the lack of scenes like Nick Mason complaining about the crust on his apple pie. I didn't mind the lack of interviews and such, and frankly, the original short plays just great the way it is. It sticks to the Pompeii theme and I like that a lot.
As a bonus the directors cut also includes some extra interviews which have never been previously released. There is one very funny scene of a very stoned Roger Waters giving the director a very hard time during an interview. It also contains new footage of Pompeii plus lots of scenes of space ships taking off, and moons revolving around strange alien planets. It's kinda weird and you may not like it much at first, but it certainly grows on you and it was all done very well.
So my advice would be, if you're a purist, stick to the original short and then simply skip through the directors cut to see the interviews and studio scenes.
And also, the sound quality is just fantastic and the video quality will just blow your socks off. It's just that good. It's amazing considering the original negatives have all been lost. And last but not least, the director Adrian Maben interview is also very interesting. All and all, the entire package is simply fantastic and for the price of about $16, you'd have to be crazy not to get one.
79 Ladies and Gentlemen - The NICK MASON BAND!!!
Apparently, Pink Floyd should have renamed themselves the Nick Mason Band because the director was certainly infatuated with the drummer!!! Occasionally we get a passing glance (and I mean "passing", because the camera moves right past them) at Gilmour, Waters, and Wright(about all we see of Wright is an extreme close up of his hands in the closing part of "Echoes"). This was frustating, because the Meddle album was one of my favorites. Except for a brief Dark Side of the Moon session, this baby is for friends of the director only.
80 A Visual Mind Trip Nearly Ruined By Unnecessary Indulgence.
First of all I would like to point for those who quite rightly did not like the director's cut, that included in this DVD is the original concert (minus the interviews) untouched by Adrian Maben totally unnecessary new indulgence.
Pink Floyd Live At Pompeii is probably one of the best music documentaries ever filmed, and captures perfectly the essence of the band, from choosing a location that fits the music and the mood of Pink Floyd so well,to deciding not to have any audience:the emptiness,silence and morbid history of Pompeii with its live volcanos add an invaluable depth (Echoes!) to the songs. Moreover,to watch the interviews, rehearsals and samples from the studio,recording Dark Side of The Moon,is to witness an unpretentious and raw creativity at work.
The film also offers an early indication and insight on the condition of the band, and the inevitable break up years later that was in a way waiting to happen. With all PF members admitting to a friction that resulted in many fights back in '71, and with Roger Waters obvious controlling and imposing attitude,it is surprising the band survived until The Final Cut!
The selection of the tracks is very good indeed, getting to hear again the 'forgotten' Floyd repertoire. The term 'Mind Trip' and 'Masterpiece' are overused these days, but one should really listen and as equally vital watch Pink Floyd to really understand what these terms mean!! To listen to Careful with that Axe Eugene, Set The Controls for The Heart of the Sun and the epic Echoes is to be taken on a mind trip like no other music manages to take you in the true sense of the word(strangely and sadly these songs are very much omitted from Gilmour and Waters concerts-it would make a very interesting listen to hear them again using modern production/or with a new interpretation).
I also loved Maben's emphasis on Nick Mason's play, (in my opinion with Kansas's Phil Ehart and Eloy's Fritz Randow, the best drummer in rock, in all its genres).You will simply look in sheer amazement at this wonderful artist 'playing his heart out'.
Now to the Director's cut.
To be honest it was a total futile and strange exercise. In some parts I cringed at the new shots inserted! especially the Koyanisqaatsi influenced space rocket in first part of Echoes..the musuem shots of statues, or worst of all the virtual reconstruction of the Pompeii temples in the second part of Echoes!! It is bewildering!! Why would the very same man who conceived and directed the original film would want to tamper with it in such a cheap way? I can not start to imagine!
Nevertheless, since the original concert is included, with little nice extras as well, and since it is Pink Floyd with their ethereal and timeless music, (hence my 5 stars) this DVD should at no account be missed.
81 should we expect more for 14 bucks?
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there had to be a catch, i guess....... 4% PAL to NTSC speed up .... ridiculous (not neccessarily chipmunk floyd but extremely annoying to any one sensitive to the pitch and tempo of the orignal soundtrack......better than the vhs only in the sense, that it won't wear out thru multiple viewings, and the mix is certainly better..........i guess remixing the music from the original multitracks and transfering at the CORRECT speed (for NTSC ) was too much....... trouble ?!?! bottom line. Floyd deserve to be remembered better than this.......and we, in the NTSC market shouldn't support productions that are too ___________ to perform a proper NTSC xfer that retains the integrity of the original product. hello there Universal.......WHAT? were you thinking? oh they won't notice that nick mason sounds like a............. girl? to all those who produce DVD's for the world market, and slog off on proper xfers for either your PAL or NTSC markets.......we're fans, not region codes or dollar signs, how would you like it if we took YOUR favourite movie, cd, or dvd, and sped it up 4%.......all the while knowing that someone else across the pond was listening to it at the correct speed?!?!?notice how the producers of the who, kids are alright dvd, FIXED the speed problem with the original kids VHS (which suffered from a 4% speed up) THEY did it right.....their product got BETTER. you guys went backwards.
shame shame mr.maben and company.........
buyer beware !
gee, i WONDER if they are gonna put out a new directors cut mixed from the "original multitracks" with a "new" 5.1 soundtrack blah blah blah.........RIDICULOUS.....and you wonder why people are fed up, when they keep buying their favourite movies or albums over and over and over again, because the first release was shoddy, and subsequent releases promise better quality........reminds me of the 1st edition CRAP kubrick boxset, and then the reissue, with a special documentary, that you could only get if you bought the whole damn thing AGAIN!
i think we all deserve better.
82 Tisk, Tisk, Tisk!
shame on you maben! you create something so beautiful with one hand, and you destroy it with the other! i had this concert on video for a few years now, and never once has dust settled on it, because it was always being watched! and when i heard it was going to dvd i was over the moon, i pictured great extras, picture and sound so sharp, you'd cut yourself off it! to a certain extent thats all there too, but the essence of what made this film great is gone! SIMPLICITY!.. not the music, but the way it was captured, simple, raw.....BEAUTIFUL! a pink floyd fan.. wants to see and hear pink floyd! simple as that.. give that, and any fan will be happy! the vhs version i owned (with the DSoM interviews) had that and it was seriously the most valuable thing i owned because of it! if this dvd didnt have the full untouched version in "features"... id seriously wonder if id ever watch it again! but because of it.... i love it... and id recommend it to anyone! i just hope the pulse, and delicate sound of thunder dvds dont have any pointless and unrelated rubbish on em! just one mans opinion,
ringo!
83 Its about time this came out on DVD!!!!!
Been waiting for this for years!!! After buying more VHS versions than I can count, that were either played out, lost, stolen, or otherwise disappeared, I finally have the DVD!!! And the special directors cuts let me figure out how Gilmour played those esoteric Echoes lyrics. A MUST HAVE for any serious Floyd fan!
84 Great DVD!
First of all, the original concert film in Pompeii is the best part. The performance itself was and always has been amazing. Now the picture and sound have been incredibly re-mastered. For a film that was shot in the 70s, the footage of the band performing in the amphitheater is now incredibly crisp and vibrant on the DVD. I've only seen the concert on VHS once about seven years ago, but I've watched the DVD version about ten times (ah, the joy of not having to rewind!). The empty amphitheater creates an eerie yet artistic setting. The sound, although only stereo, absolutely rocks.I enjoyed the director's cut because it gave me a lot of insight on Pompeii and the state of Pink Floyd around the time the concert was filmed.
The DVD also has interviews of the band members during the recording of Dark Side of the Moon. It was intriguing to see clips of their recording sessions.
Overall, I thought it was a great DVD.
85 A Letter To Mr Adrian Maben - Director
Before I begin let me tell you Mr Director, that I am a total Floyd Head, and have been most of my life, and I am NOT a stoner who lives inside on a beanbag. The emminent release of Live At Pompeii has been a hilite of my year so far, and since I ordered it I have been hanging around the mailbox like a moth to a candle. But I have to tell you, I am VERY disappointed with your product.
So this is the 'Directors Cut'...well Mr Director...you've had a shocker. Why oh why could'nt you have just left it as it was? The original version that i had on VHS was Perfect! But no, you had to go and throw a load of irrelivant shots of trains coming into stations and contemporary Italian Architechture into the mix, to what...make it better? Seriously Mr Maben, there was a time when you were a visionary, I mean to shoot a band like Pink Floyd in an empty Amphitheatre in Pompeii is genius, and the original Film was incredible, a real time capsule of a band at the peak of thier powers. Then to add in at a later date some footage of Them recording Dark Side Of The Moon along with a few crazed interviews and call it a 'Extended Version' was great! I mean, like you say, in the right place at the right time! But really, Mr Maben, that should have been it, you should have released the thing on DVD and been clear of it, for our sake.
The original film opens with a beautifully paced, log zoom of the band accompanied to the sweet sound of 'Echoes', lovely stuff, beautiful. So I have to ask you Mr French Director, what makes you think that by putting footage of a rocket ship flying through space towards earth over the top of the lovely zoom ENHANCES the film? What were you on? OK, you get the point, I'm deeply, deeply disappointed. As the Director of Live At Pompeii, you have a responsibility to us, the public, to do the best job you can to enlighten us with your film, but you have been selfish in that you have lost sight of what it was that you made all those years ago. Live At Pompeii is a Historical Piece of music history, and is something that SHOULD NOT be modernised to suit your wavering career. To those of us that love the Floyd, it goes beyond just the music. I cant speak for others, but for me, it's part of my heritage and who I am, and you, my friend, have desecrated that.
But there is hope.
I hereby say to you now Mr Adrian Maben, you can redeem yourself. Here's what you do. Re-release the concert WITHOUT all your fancy irrelivant, out of context 'wizardry' and let us have, on DVD, the masterpiece that you once made, the time piece of a band overflowing with creative and exciting power.
Disappointing Mr Maben, very disappointing.
86 The Director's Cut - Or How to Botch a Great Film
Pink Floyd Live At Pompeii Pros:
On DVD - Finally!
Sharp picture and outstanding stereo audio!
The original concert footage from the 1971 Film is included as a Extra Feature.
Fantastic pre-Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd space music.
The additional black & white interview footage from Paris in 1972.
Cons:
The so called "Director's Cut". What a travesty!
Directior Adrian Maben seems like an intelligent man in his interview included on the DVD.
However, this so-called extended "Director's Cut" is a good lesson in how to botch a really great concert film with bad editing and just plain stupidity. It is difficult to believe that the members of Pink Floyd approved of these unbelievably inept changes.
The director's extras really detract from a pleasurable viewing of this film. For example:
Cheesy, worthless animation, inserted in the most inappropriate places. Even the animation of the reconstruction of Pompeii during Echoes part II adds nothing to the film.
Shots of a Subway (and a shot of an empty Subway station) during Echoes part I. A truly bizarre decision. St. John's Wood? What could possibly be relevant about this random insertion?
Other random shots of modern day Pompeii - pointless and distracting.
Very Poor conception - Adrian Maben's idea of a rocket taking off from an outer space world and coming to earth to listen the the Pink Floyd concert at Pompeii is completely laughable. As a result we get cheap space animation of planets and space travel which simply do not work on any type of conceptual level with this film.
Unfortunately, no additional film footage remains - it cannot be found. The lost footage would have been a great addition to the extended version of the film and could have made for a decent Director's Cut.
Lack of the inclusion of the full 1974 release of the film which includes band interviews and DSotM studio sessions. These are included in the Director's Cut - but is it really worth watching again?
The ONLY reason I would recommend this film is for the Extra Feature that contains the concert footage only from the original 1971 film. Five Stars for the Original Concert Footage on DVD!
87 Wonderful original film
I just received my copy of this DVD from Amazon, and it's a wonderful DVD. Any film footage from the Floyd during the 60's/70's is virtually non-existent, so this original film, shot in 1971 at this ancient Roman Amphitheatre, finds the band at their pinnacle, enjoying a momentum that would last, at least, until their 1977 "In The Flesh" tour. The tracks are wonderful, and the sound, despite only stereo, has been beautifully remastered.
Then, why did I give it only 4 out of 5 stars? Because the new "Director's cut" is kitschy at best. Full of computer generated "space footage" (awful), plus DSoTM era interviews (some of them truly revelatory, and wonderful to watch), director Adrian Maben put in everything he could, despite the fact that most of that material was totally unrelated to the Pompeii concert. Thankfully, on the "bonus features" section, Maben had the good taste to leave the original theatrical film -unedited and uncut-, where the band performs their music, warts and all, as nature intended, and as millions of fans all over the world watched it originally. In my humble opinion, I think that the DSoTM interviews should have been included as bonus features, having the original film under the spotlight.
But, rest assured that if you like the early Gilmour era Pink Floyd, you'll absolutely love this DVD. The music is incredible, and the band are in top form. This is, probably, the definitive Pink Floyd live film we'll have from the classic years (at least, until something is unearthed from the 1970/1977 period).
88 A MUST SEE! For Pink Floyd Fans
Very few musical documented live performances do justice to the performance artists. However, Pink Floyd's Live At Pompeii (Director's Cut) DVD defies that law of tradition. It's quite possibly the BEST live concert film I have ever seen.
This DVD contains everything for the die hard Pink Floyd fan It contains the Original Pompeii Film and a newly remastered version of the Pompeii concert. In my personal opinion, the remastered film isn't as genuine or sincere as the original. But never the less, the remastered version contains Studio interviews during the production recordings of the Dark Side of the Moon sessions.
Chapter Selections:
1.ECHOES PART I
2.CAREFUL WITH THAT AXE EUGENE
3.A SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS
4.Us and Them (studio sessions/interviews segment)
5.ONE OF THESE DAYS
6.MADEMOISELLE NOBS
7.Brain Damage studio sessions/interviews segment)
8.SET THE CONTROLS FOR THE HEART OF THE SUN
9.ECHOES PART II
If you truly admire Pink Floyd, this Director's Cut DVD will not be a disappointment. Unfortunately , if you're seeking bootleg concerts and rare interviews - - this is film contains none of thee above. It does, however, contain bootleg artwork and minimal interviews with the band and the director of the Live At Pompeii concert.
Needless to say, if you're into the depthy art exploration and mysterious psychedelic stylings of Pink Floyd, this film captures that essence in a haunting manner. This film captures Pink Floyd at the prime of their artistic careers.
My advice to YOU is purchase this DVD through Amazon and spend an evening of beautiful intoxication with Pink Floyd's Live At Pompeii (Director's Cut) DVD.
89 FINALLY ! , i guess......
20 bucks, there had to be a catch....... 4% PAL to NTSC speed up .... ridiculous (not neccessarily chipmunk floyd but extremely annoying to any one sensitive to pitch and tempo......better than the vhs only in the sense, that it won't wear out thru multiple viewings, and the mix is certainly better..........i guess remixing the music from the original multitracks and transfering at the CORRECT speed (for NTSC ) was too much....... trouble ? bottom line. Floyd deserve to be remembered better than this.......buyer beware !
90 P.F. Live At Pompeii...Finally!!!
Possibly the greatest concert movie ever recorded, this one has been long overdue on DVD. The "Main Film" features extra footage, some of which is interesting (b&w interviews with the band not seen in the original) and some of which is completely uncalled for (space shots during "Echoes"?). The best thing to do though is go to the "Features" menu and watch the original conert film. The picture is much brighter and the sound has been cleaned up beautifully! A must have for any real Pink Floyd fan!
91 Old Floyd On Video Will Always Get 5 Stars
Before there was the The Wall (Over embellished/pretentious Floyd), before there was [] Momentary Lapse of Reason, The Division Bell (What I Consider Paint by numbers Floyd i.e. see P.U.L.S.E.!), There was good ole Pink Floyd, ie DSotM, Wish You Were Here and their Masterpiece the Angry and political Animals.
Before this time Pink Floyd was hungry, had something to say and was looking for a direction, a vision if you like. Their early work was summed up perfectly with the release of this DVD.
It was not cropped like some may have you believe, the original was released 16:9 in theaters not 4:3 in VHS that was done later for the vhs release. The theatrical release came first. Also. not all of the songs are shot in Italy, Eugene,Nobs and STCFTHOTS were filmed in London because they ran out of time while in Italy and you can see them in a dark sound stage. It still makes this bloody DVD brilliant, and even though it is only stereo, wait until you hear echoes and careful with that axe eugene thru your DVD players surround sound. OMG, it is unreal!!!!Again, for just the sound alone it would have been worth it for the asking price. You can pretty much learn the entire song of echoes on guitars just from camera positions.
Now to address some additions added into the film that were not there before. there are some space/planet features that are kinda confusing, as well as the CGI art of how Pompeii would have looked, which is not a bad idea given the whole concept of the "Pompeii" thing. Even the planet thing didn't bother me after the second viewing, and I am a die hard Floyd fan. I have a european version of the See Emily Play 45 Single that Syd drew of the "Choo Choo Train", though I must admit I am glad that they developed there own style and let the Beatles be the Beatles.
It was somwhere in between a Saucerful of Secrets and the release of Meddle, particularly the line in Echoes starts everything special in Floyd to come, by its obsurdness and obscurness thatr makess it so wonderfull...
"...strangers passing in the street by chance two separate glances meet, for I am you and what I see is me"...
(That happens every fricken day !!!)Next Note:
Now I know they have have complete Live AUDIO/VIDEO Recordings of Dark Side of the Moon 1972-1974 tours, Wish You Were Here 1975 tours and Animals 1977 In the Flesh tours. If Jimmy Page can work his magic with his masters for both the DVD and How the West Was Won and that footage is older than yours(PF's). What is stopping you, third party Pink Floyd footage is nice. But we would rather se see something directly from Roger/Dave/Nick/Rick/Strom/EMI and best of, making of classic album DVD isn't cutting it any more, you have released, DSotM like 80 times allready, how about a live animals tour or a live DSotM 1972 Hollywood Bowl Tour. A nice DVD 5 1/2 hour Package is what we want. Not a 1/2 hour BBC VH1 presentastion is what we want.
The Pompeii Video is worth every penny, just a shame they will rip us off with a Pulse DVD or a Delicate Sound of Thunder DVD.
Its a shame, cause you are my favorite muscian Mr. Gilmour
92 A Different Way to Watch Pompeii...
I was slightly disappointed in the DVD because it wasn't the same as the VHS version of the movie.BUT...
that's not to say it's not good. It is actually an interesting look at the movie in a different way. Yes, people might say the director is tampering with perfection, but at least he had the courtesy of putting the "original 1974 film" on as a bonus feature.
So if you're looking for an upgrade to the VHS version (the 1974 film with the Abbey Road inserts and nothing but...) then this might disappoint. But if you're looking for a new interpretatation of the film -- done up with cheesey computer graphics, go for it.
Only disappointment for me though is some of this extra footage shows up in bad places (ex. David and Rick in the studio singing their parts on Echoes over the existing Pompeii footage of them doing it "live").
Love though the enhancement of the picture (the Pompeii footage looks beautiful!!) and the sound is phenomenal.
The bonus B&W interviews during the director's cut is pretty interesting as well. BTW, I think most of this "computer graphics" occur when footage is shown of the band in front of a screen of the film (ex. during "Saucerful of Secrets).
All and all a nice upgrade, but the extra features other than the original film are not worth it. - if they would have added the other version, it would be perfect!!!
4 stars.
93 Worth it for the format only
Adrian Maben has replaced the original images with poor computer generation and irrelevant other footage. He has also cropped the fullscreen to create a widescreen format. If this had not come with the original untouched 1974 version, I would not have bought it.
94 Adrian Maben is mad!
Firstly I'd like to say that the original Pompeii is on here and that is the only reason to buy this DVD. The new directors cut is garbage. It has computerized fly throughs of Pompeii that wouldn't make it on the History channel, as well as new shots of Pompeii and other stock footage that really has no place in this classic Floyd concert film. The only thing of interest in the new version is the black and white interveiws from France. But these should have been added as extras on the DVD. Adrian Maben has totally ruined the flow of this film. The extras are weak at best and the interveiw with Maben is of little interest to anyone but perhaps this never-was's mother.
95 Classic Floyd Concert Gets Face Lift!
This DVD captures argubly one of the best concerts from one of the most influential bands of all time! The visual and audio presentation of this disc is just absolutely incredible. I would be hard pressed to hear a concert that sounded and looked this good from 1972. The concert was filmed in Pompeii, Italy to an audience of stage hands, cameramen, etc. No fan was even in sight on this film. The only people there where the people on the crew. The director's cut of this film is a very good look into the 1972 time period of Pink Floyd. There are interviews in between songs that reveal the band's individual opinions about the band and the direction it is taking. The extras are okay, but I would rather have seen something a little different like more footage of Pink Floyd in the studio or something. Anyway, this is a must for any Pink Floyd fan!
96 Hauntingly Beautiful! Sends Shivers up my spine!
I have been waiting for this on DVD and what a treat it is to finally have it with a breathtaking picture and great vastly improved sound. The restoration of this film was done with much care and the end result is a very spell bounding and in my mind under appreciated visual document of Pink Floyd's history. This is Pink Floyd at its avant-garde best and unlike allot of reviews on here I think the director's cut is superior to the original. The renditions of Echoes, Saucerfull of Secrets, and Set The Controls for the Heart of the Sun are superior to the studio versions. Playing in an ancient part of Italy only adds to the visualization. If you enjoyed this concert on VHS get it on DVD.
97 this is pure post sid floyd at it's best
i saw this video in 1985 or six for the first time and it was good. i saw it in 1987, compliments of purple capped mushrooms and i would give it 5 stars plus. i saw it again on a big screen in 1990 with white blotter and it freaked me out. now that i am older amd somewhat wiser i still give it a super thumbs up not just for the memories of old, but the the floyd of old is brilliant and mystical; quite frankly , intersteller.
98 Good but could be better...
I'm only giving this 4 stars because I thought they were going to remaster this in a surround sound format. This is a pretty cool movie if you are a Floyd fan, might not be so cool otherwise. I like some of the new stuff they added (space shot scenes and the computer animated Pompeii) and the concert itself is pretty cool. The best part of the music is that it is pre-Roger Waters taking over the band music so it is still somewhat upbeat and optimistic. It is cool seeing Pink Floyd produce their stuff although I don't think they would have been given the time of day in the video age.
99 Pink Floyd At Pompeii Directors Cut DVD
I just received this item a few days ago. Let me start by saying this is one of my favorite movies ever. I've seen the origional version of this movie probably 20 times, the only other movie I've seen more than this is Blade Runner. I've owned this movie on VHS and Laserdisc before buying the DVD. I love this movie that much! I was a little disappointed at first, especially with Echoes Part 1. I felt some of the changes didn't do much for the movie at first. I felt some of the recent space animation was out of place for a movie which was 30 years old. I felt there was older stock footage and animation which would have been more appropriate. It took about 15 minutes but it finally grew on me. I LOVE all the extra interview footage, especially the black and white footage. I love all of the new footage which was shot specifically for this movie. It's different but at least both versions of the movie are on the disc if you don't like the new version. My only other problem was with Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun. This is one song I feel could have benefitted more from new space footage. Like I said, it's different but ultimately worth owning.
100 FINALLY on DVD....but....
Pros:
FAR superior picture quality over past issues
VERY good sound remix, including surround sound.
Includes original version of filmCons:
Director's cut shows LESS of the band playing and MORE statuary, street scenes, NASA footage, subway footage (including noise over the music!), CGI, other Floyd footage etc. What a mistake!
Lackluster 'bonus' material (lyrics and press clippings that are too small to read, a few album covers, other material with NO description/explanation)
Awkward menu.
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So why five stars? The sound and picture are so improved, just watch the original version and ignore the rest.
