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==Background and filming==
Since late 1969, Led Zeppelin had been planning on filming one of their live performances for a projected movie documenting the band. [[Peter Grant]], Zeppelin's manager, believed that Led Zeppelin would be better served by the big screen than by television, because he regarded the sound quality of television as inadequate. The first attempt was the filming (by Peter Whitehead and Stanley Dorfman) of Led Zeppelin's [[Royal Albert Hall]] performance on [[January 9]], [[1970]], but the lighting was judged to be mediocre, and the film was shelved (this footage later featured on the 2003 release ''[[Led Zeppelin (DVD)|Led Zeppelin DVD]]''). Another attempt was organised for the outdoor [[Bath Festival]] on [[June 28]], [[1970]], but only a little footage was filmed, and was deemed unsatisfactory.
Since late 1969, Led Zeppelin had been planning on filming one of their live performances for a projected movie documenting the band. [[Peter Grant]], Zeppelin's manager, believed that Led Zeppelin would be better served by the big screen than by television, because he regarded the sound quality of television as inadequate. The first attempt was the filming (by Peter Whitehead and Stanley Dorfman) of Led Zeppelin's [[Royal Albert Hall]] performance on [[January 9]], [[1970]], but the lighting was judged to be mediocre, and the film was shelved (this footage later featured on the 2003 release ''[[Led Zeppelin (DVD)|Led Zeppelin DVD]]''). Another attempt was organised for the outdoor [[Bath Festival]] on [[June 28]], [[1970]], but only a little footage was filmed, and was deemed unsatisfactory.


On the morning of [[July 20]] [[1973]], [[Jimmy Page]] and [[Peter Grant]] made contact with [[Joe Massot]], who had previously directed [[George Harrison]]'s [[Wonderwall (film)|Wonderwall]]. Massot agreed to film the band on the last leg of 1973 summer tour of the [[United States]]. A crew was finally assembled in time for [[Led Zeppelin]]'s last leg of the tour starting on [[July 23]], [[1973]] in [[Baltimore]]. Massot decided however to film the concert performances at [[Madison Square Garden]] on the nights of July 27, 28, and 29, 1973. Both the fans and the band regard these nights of the tour as "average". In an effort to show the individual personalities in the band, footage of each band member in their own real world and fantasy world would also be included backed with a favoured song. The film would be entirely financed by the band and shot on 35mm with a 24-track quadraphonic sound recording. The live footage in the US alone cost $85,000.
On the morning of [[July 20]] [[1973]], [[Jimmy Page]] and [[Peter Grant]] made contact with [[Joe Massot]], who had previously directed [[George Harrison]]'s ''[[Wonderwall (film)|Wonderwall]]''. Massot agreed to film the band on the last leg of 1973 summer tour of the [[United States]]. A crew was finally assembled in time for [[Led Zeppelin]]'s last leg of the tour starting on [[July 23]], [[1973]] in [[Baltimore]]. Massot decided however to film the concert performances at [[Madison Square Garden]] on the nights of July 27, 28, and 29, 1973. The film would be entirely financed by the band and shot on 35mm with a 24-track quadraphonic sound recording. The live footage in the US alone cost $85,000.


Unhappy with the progress of the film, [[Peter Grant]] had [[Joe Massot]] removed from the project and Australian director [[Peter Clifton]] was hired in his place. Clifton, in an effort to complete some close-ups and distance footage of the band members, assembled [[Led Zeppelin]] at [[Shepperton Studios]] in August 1974, with a mock-up of the Madison Square Garden stage. The bulk of the live sequence seen in the film however was from the [[1973]] concerts. A plan to shoot additional footage on the band's Autumn 1975 U.S. tour was abandoned due to Plant's car crash in [[Rhodes]]. The film was finally completed by early 1976, 18 months behind schedule and over-budget. Peter Grant later quipped "It was the most expensive home movie ever made". It grossed $200,000 in its first week at the box office.
Some sequences are as follows:

==Fantasy sequences==
In an effort to show the individual personalities in the band, several out-of-concert 'fantasy sequences' were shot for each of the four members of the group, in addition to Peter Grant and tour manager [[Richard Cole]]. The sequences are as follows:


* [[Peter Grant]] and [[Richard Cole]] were filmed as hitmen driving towards [[Hammerwood Park]] estate in [[Sussex]] in a 1928 Pierce Arrow car. [[Roy Harper]] also makes an uncredited guest appearance as one of the "greedy millionaires" portrayed at a business meeting of multi-national corporations. Massot envisioned Grant and Cole in the hitmen roles, having to deal with the tough business decisions they had to make on behalf of the band. Grant's berating of concert staff over pirated merchandise and the gate crasher scene was filmed backstage at the [[Pittsburgh]] Civic Arena on [[July 24]]. The black limousines and skyscraper scene was also recorded during their journey to the Civic Arena. At 7:15pm on [[July 29]], [[1973]], it was noticed $203,000 in cash from ticket receipts, was missing from a [[safe deposit box]] at the Drake Hotel, [[New York]]. Scenes from a television press conference interviewing Grant on the missing cash was included. The money was never recovered and no-one was charged.
* [[Peter Grant]] and [[Richard Cole]] were filmed as hitmen driving towards [[Hammerwood Park]] estate in [[Sussex]] in a 1928 Pierce Arrow car. [[Roy Harper]] also makes an uncredited guest appearance as one of the "greedy millionaires" portrayed at a business meeting of multi-national corporations. Massot envisioned Grant and Cole in the hitmen roles, having to deal with the tough business decisions they had to make on behalf of the band. Grant's berating of concert staff over pirated merchandise and the gate crasher scene was filmed backstage at the [[Pittsburgh]] Civic Arena on [[July 24]]. The black limousines and skyscraper scene was also recorded during their journey to the Civic Arena. At 7:15pm on [[July 29]], [[1973]], it was noticed $203,000 in cash from ticket receipts, was missing from a [[safe deposit box]] at the Drake Hotel, [[New York]]. Scenes from a television press conference interviewing Grant on the missing cash was included. The money was never recovered and no-one was charged.
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* [[John Bonham]] with his wife Pat and son [[Jason Bonham]] on their country estate, The Old Hyde farm in [[Worcestershire]]. The game of pool was shot at The Old Hyde hotel and the [[Harley-Davidson]] riding near [[Blackpool]]. His fantasy sequence is the most straightforward of all the members, with Bonham drag racing an AA Fueler at 260mph at Santa Pod Speedway Wellingborough, Northants, UK, in October 1973. Thematic music: "Moby Dick".
* [[John Bonham]] with his wife Pat and son [[Jason Bonham]] on their country estate, The Old Hyde farm in [[Worcestershire]]. The game of pool was shot at The Old Hyde hotel and the [[Harley-Davidson]] riding near [[Blackpool]]. His fantasy sequence is the most straightforward of all the members, with Bonham drag racing an AA Fueler at 260mph at Santa Pod Speedway Wellingborough, Northants, UK, in October 1973. Thematic music: "Moby Dick".


==Critical reaction and popularity==
Unhappy with the progress of the film, [[Peter Grant]] had [[Joe Massot]] removed from the project and Australian director [[Peter Clifton]] was hired in his place. Clifton, in an effort to complete some close-ups and distance footage of the band members, assembled [[Led Zeppelin]] at [[Shepperton Studios]] in August 1974, with a mock-up of the Madison Square Garden stage. The bulk of the live sequence seen in the film however was from the [[1973]] concerts. A plan to shoot additional footage on the band's Autumn 1975 U.S. tour was abandoned due to Plant's car crash in [[Rhodes]]. The film was finally completed by early 1976, 18 months behind schedule and over-budget. Peter Grant later quipped "It was the most expensive home movie ever made". It grossed $200,000 in its first week at the box office.
Despite its reasonable performance at the box office, the film was almost universally panned by critics for its perceived amatuerish production and self-indulgent content, with the fantasy sequences in particular coming in for some of the harshest crticism.

However, amongst fans the film has retained its popularity, and indeed has garnered something of a cult following. For many years this popularity was in large measure a result of the fact that, until the release of the ''Led Zeppelin DVD'' in 2003, ''The Song Remains the Same'' was the only official live document that followers of the band were able to access. It was a common feature at many late-night movie houses, and its subsequent release on video and then DVD have ensured a growing base of fans.

Many of these fans, and members of the band themselves, regard the performances filmed at Madison Square Garden as average, coming at the end of a long and exhausting tour, but nonetheless representative of the generally high standard the band's live performances during this era. This reality was endorsed by the fact that, when Jimmy Page was preparing the ''Led Zeppelin DVD'' in 2003, he decided to include several performances from this same series of concerts instead of available footage from the band's [[1975]] and [[1977]] tours of the [[United States]].


Many also see the film as an interesting historical document of the band at a particular point in time when its popularity was about to peak, and as an accurate representation of the wider excesses of the music and show-business industries in the [[1970s]].
==Scenes==
==Scene listing==
# Mob Rubout
# Mob Rubout
# Big Apple Credits
# Big Apple Credits

Revision as of 14:47, 28 August 2006

For the album, see The Song Remains the Same (album).
The Song Remains the Same
File:TheSongRemainstheSameDVDcover.jpg
Directed byPeter Clifton
Joe Massot
Produced byPeter Grant
StarringJohn Bonham
John Paul Jones
Jimmy Page
Robert Plant
CinematographyErnest Day
Edited byHumphrey Dixon
Music byLed Zeppelin
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release dates
October 20, 1976 (UK)
Running time
137 min.
LanguageEnglish

The Song Remains the Same is a concert film by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. The recording of the film took place during three nights of concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden in 1973, during the band's Houses of the Holy tour. The film premiered on October 21, 1976 at Cinema I in New York. The video of the film was released on October 25, 1990, and the DVD was released on December 31, 1999.

Template:Spoiler

Background and filming

Since late 1969, Led Zeppelin had been planning on filming one of their live performances for a projected movie documenting the band. Peter Grant, Zeppelin's manager, believed that Led Zeppelin would be better served by the big screen than by television, because he regarded the sound quality of television as inadequate. The first attempt was the filming (by Peter Whitehead and Stanley Dorfman) of Led Zeppelin's Royal Albert Hall performance on January 9, 1970, but the lighting was judged to be mediocre, and the film was shelved (this footage later featured on the 2003 release Led Zeppelin DVD). Another attempt was organised for the outdoor Bath Festival on June 28, 1970, but only a little footage was filmed, and was deemed unsatisfactory.

On the morning of July 20 1973, Jimmy Page and Peter Grant made contact with Joe Massot, who had previously directed George Harrison's Wonderwall. Massot agreed to film the band on the last leg of 1973 summer tour of the United States. A crew was finally assembled in time for Led Zeppelin's last leg of the tour starting on July 23, 1973 in Baltimore. Massot decided however to film the concert performances at Madison Square Garden on the nights of July 27, 28, and 29, 1973. The film would be entirely financed by the band and shot on 35mm with a 24-track quadraphonic sound recording. The live footage in the US alone cost $85,000.

Unhappy with the progress of the film, Peter Grant had Joe Massot removed from the project and Australian director Peter Clifton was hired in his place. Clifton, in an effort to complete some close-ups and distance footage of the band members, assembled Led Zeppelin at Shepperton Studios in August 1974, with a mock-up of the Madison Square Garden stage. The bulk of the live sequence seen in the film however was from the 1973 concerts. A plan to shoot additional footage on the band's Autumn 1975 U.S. tour was abandoned due to Plant's car crash in Rhodes. The film was finally completed by early 1976, 18 months behind schedule and over-budget. Peter Grant later quipped "It was the most expensive home movie ever made". It grossed $200,000 in its first week at the box office.

Fantasy sequences

In an effort to show the individual personalities in the band, several out-of-concert 'fantasy sequences' were shot for each of the four members of the group, in addition to Peter Grant and tour manager Richard Cole. The sequences are as follows:

  • Peter Grant and Richard Cole were filmed as hitmen driving towards Hammerwood Park estate in Sussex in a 1928 Pierce Arrow car. Roy Harper also makes an uncredited guest appearance as one of the "greedy millionaires" portrayed at a business meeting of multi-national corporations. Massot envisioned Grant and Cole in the hitmen roles, having to deal with the tough business decisions they had to make on behalf of the band. Grant's berating of concert staff over pirated merchandise and the gate crasher scene was filmed backstage at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena on July 24. The black limousines and skyscraper scene was also recorded during their journey to the Civic Arena. At 7:15pm on July 29, 1973, it was noticed $203,000 in cash from ticket receipts, was missing from a safe deposit box at the Drake Hotel, New York. Scenes from a television press conference interviewing Grant on the missing cash was included. The money was never recovered and no-one was charged.
  • John Paul Jones was filmed first at home with his wife Maureen, and reading Jack and the Beanstalk to his two daughters, Tamara and Jacinda, before receiving a call to join the band on their American concert. His fantasy sequence involved a reinterpretation of the film Doctor Syn, a masked gentleman known as The Scarecrow who travels at night on horseback with three others and returns home to Sussex, an ordinary family man. The three other horsemen with him is a reference to the other band members. Filmed in October 1973. Thematic music: "No Quarter".
  • Robert Plant relaxing on his Welsh country farm, known as Jennings farm, with his wife Maureen, and children Karac and Carmen. His fantasy sequence involves him being a knight rescuing a fair maiden, who is a symbolic representation for his vision of the ideal - his personal search for the Holy Grail. Scenes from the sword fight were filmed at Raglan Castle in Wales while the sailing, horseback riding and beach scenes were shot at Cardigan Bay near Aberystwyth, in October 1973. Thematic music: "The Song Remains the Same" and "The Rain Song".
  • Jimmy Page sitting by a lake next to his 18th century manor at Plumpton, Sussex, playing a hurdy gurdy. The tune played is called "Autumn Lake" and the scene was filmed in October 1973. Page's fantasy role involved climbing up the face of a snow capped mountain near Boleskine House, Loch Ness during the nights of a full moon on December 10 and 11, 1973. The concept being a man fighting his way to the top, only to be greeted by Father Time, a cinematic representation of the hermit on the untitled fourth album. Thematic music: "Dazed and Confused".
  • John Bonham with his wife Pat and son Jason Bonham on their country estate, The Old Hyde farm in Worcestershire. The game of pool was shot at The Old Hyde hotel and the Harley-Davidson riding near Blackpool. His fantasy sequence is the most straightforward of all the members, with Bonham drag racing an AA Fueler at 260mph at Santa Pod Speedway Wellingborough, Northants, UK, in October 1973. Thematic music: "Moby Dick".

Critical reaction and popularity

Despite its reasonable performance at the box office, the film was almost universally panned by critics for its perceived amatuerish production and self-indulgent content, with the fantasy sequences in particular coming in for some of the harshest crticism.

However, amongst fans the film has retained its popularity, and indeed has garnered something of a cult following. For many years this popularity was in large measure a result of the fact that, until the release of the Led Zeppelin DVD in 2003, The Song Remains the Same was the only official live document that followers of the band were able to access. It was a common feature at many late-night movie houses, and its subsequent release on video and then DVD have ensured a growing base of fans.

Many of these fans, and members of the band themselves, regard the performances filmed at Madison Square Garden as average, coming at the end of a long and exhausting tour, but nonetheless representative of the generally high standard the band's live performances during this era. This reality was endorsed by the fact that, when Jimmy Page was preparing the Led Zeppelin DVD in 2003, he decided to include several performances from this same series of concerts instead of available footage from the band's 1975 and 1977 tours of the United States.

Many also see the film as an interesting historical document of the band at a particular point in time when its popularity was about to peak, and as an accurate representation of the wider excesses of the music and show-business industries in the 1970s.

Scene listing

  1. Mob Rubout
  2. Big Apple Credits
  3. Country Life ("Autumn Lake")
  4. New York ("Bron-Yr-Aur")
  5. "Rock and Roll"
  6. "Black Dog"
  7. "Since I've Been Loving You"
  8. "No Quarter"
  9. Who's Responsible?
  10. "The Song Remains the Same"
  11. "The Rain Song"
  12. Fire and Sword
  13. Capturing the Castle
  14. Not Quite Backstage Pass
  15. "Dazed and Confused"
  16. Strung Out
  17. Magic in the Night
  18. Gate Crasher
  19. No Comment
  20. "Stairway to Heaven"
  21. "Moby Dick"
  22. Country Squire Bonham
  23. "Heartbreaker"
  24. Grand Theft
  25. "Whole Lotta Love"
  26. End Credits (w/ '"Stairway to Heaven")

Cast

Uncredited: Family members; the female passenger wearing a scarf, with Peter Grant driving on a country road is Grant's wife, Gloria; Roy Harper as one of the slain corporate goons; the white-shirted man Grant berates is believed to be promoter Larry Vaughan; the blonde maiden at Raglan Castle (unknown); the woman seen in close-up of during "Since I've Been Loving You" is Maureen Plant's younger sister.

Personnel

"The Song Remains the Same" is also a Led Zeppelin song from their 1973 album Houses of the Holy. It is the first track on the album.