Led Zepplelin – Blu-ray movie review

"The Song Remains The Same" is essentially a film of a concert, yet thanks to the drug and ego-addled personalities of Led Zeppelin in the mid-1970s, the footage is fleshed out to include weird 'fantasy' sequences involving each of the four band members. While this section of the movie leaves a little to be desired, the concert footage is truly breathtaking, capturing the greatest hard rock band in history at their apogee.

The film opens with an odd gangster-style sequence, where faceless mobsters are mowed down by what would appear to be rival gangsters. Whatever meaning this scene is meant to represent is not clear, however it has been suggested that the faceless mobsters are the British press, who had vilified Led Zeppelin through their entire career. Who knows, but it certainly makes for an interesting start to the film.

I do agree with those who believe that skipping the shootout in the beginning is the right thing to do. The country life sequence, however, provides tremendous insight into each of the band members and completes the picture of the ordinary human side as well as the psychedelic band member side. Robert Plant shares a peaceful moment with his wife and skinny-dipping children. John Bonham plows his fields. John Paul Jones reads Jack and the Beanstalk to his children. And finally Jimmy Page sits quietly by a lake and plays a hurdy-gurdy.

Coming into the concert, one already has the vision of the four men as normal people in the back of their minds, not just eccentric, wild rockers, so the viewer is not alienated from the band as they launch into their classic tunes with barely time to catch a breath in between. Augmented by the music, the viewer dives deeper into the minds of the band members with an emotionally profound vigor.

The Song Remains the Same is a true story of these geniuses, showing them in real life... as themselves, doing what these four masters of rock do best. We also get a glimpse into their minds eye in Fantasy Sequences... Whether they be Midieval knights and sorcerers, Masqueraded party guests, or race car drivers...

All of this put together shows us what Led Zeppelin really is, for very eclectic men producing the music of it's own generation...yet far transcending the seventies to become "Classic" rock at it's best. Rock not just for their own generation, but rock that transcends all generations. Is it any wonder that there are grandchildren of Zeppelin fans who listen to Zeppelin themselves? (those who don't "buy" what the producers try to feed them, anyways.)

What do you think about this movie? Please leave your thoughts below.

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