Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii

Pink Floyd,recorded live among the ruins of Pompeii. This 90 Minute film contains some superior versions of Floyd classics and also includes footage of the band eating at lunchtime and in the studio recording "Dark Side of The Moon". Some of the earlier tapes don't have the extra Dark Side footage,which was added later to help sales. Besides a few originals,tracks include "Echoes","A Saucerful of Secrets","Set The Controls For The Heart of The Sun","Careful With That Axe,Eugene","One of These Days" and also some alternate versions of a few Dark Side classics. Any Floyd fan out there who has not seen this should try to find it. It is interesting to say the least and I enjoy it much more than "The Wall"

Unfortunately this is the only film of them for future generations to see, but fortunately it is good enough to do them justice. This was filmed without an audience which is fitting as their "audience" didn't discover them until Dark Side of the Moon. The songs they perform are an excellent window into their genius. Sadly even today you won't hear these songs on classic rock stations because they are too long & you can't dance to them. My son was a post DSotM fan, but when he heard their earlier works he found a whole new band. The songs in this film will stand the test of time, I am sure. If they had made more performance films I would be in heaven. I will only have the memories of seeing them live.

I have been watching this DVD of Pompeii over and over and I just can't seem to get enough of it. I happen to really enjoy the interviews with the band members as I find them to be quite amusing! They have left my friends and I with many memorable quotes to use. The music on the Pompeii disc is unbelievably incredible and it only makes me appreciate the Floyd that much more. This DVD is the best ever. I do believe however that only a true Floyd fan can truly appreciate this movie, including the interviews. The shot of Dave with his headphones on coming out from behind the shadows to look at the cameraman just sends me over the edge every time I watch it. It makes me feel as if he is just looking at me, and it makes me melt every time. Nick to me seems a tad pompous at times but I understand he is from the upper crust of society. Rick seems a bit mousy at times, but his playing outdoes any of that. Roger of course is genius and Dave is unrivaled in his playing (and his looks!!)

It really should be no surprise that Pink Floyd of all bands could put together such a fantastic live performance. PULSE is one of the best live sets I have ever seen, but for the longest time Live at Pompeii eluded my attention. The first twelve minutes and the last twelve minutes of the movie are devoted to the best version of "Echoes" that I have ever heard. Other songs included in the set are "One of These Days", "A Saucerful of Secrets", and "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun". Depending on which version you watch, you will also get a glimpse of the band working in the studio on tracks for Dark Side of the Moon.

The cinematography of the movie has already been complimented upon by numerous reviewers, but it is definitely worth complimenting again, because it is so good. The actual interviews with band members vary in quality. Most interviews with Roger Waters involve him just messing with the interviewer. Mason and Gilmour are alright, but the best interview of the film is probably with the most under-appreciated member of the band, keyboardist Richard Wright. I watched this movie under the impression that is was only live set, and instead became an interesting mixture of live performances of music video quality intertwined with interviews and just filming the band hanging out in the studio. It almost seems like a documentary, and it works refreshingly well.

If I had to give the highlights of the performances, I would say that "Echoes" is a very obvious choice and is by far the highlight of the set. A not so obvious second in my opinion is "Careful With That Axe Eugene". This song manages to be so menacing yet subtle that I just can't help but like it. In both cases I find these performances superior to the studio recordings. The main detractor of this film is that "Echoes" is broken up into two parts. With a song so psychedelic and epic, it is such a shame it was cut in half. If the movie ended with the song in its entirety, it would have been almost perfect.

This film is nothing short of "must see" documentary history. I'll never be able to fully express how moving it is to see the young men of Pink Floyd during uninhibited moments of creativity, eating and chatting together, rehearsing, having philosophical discussions about the fate of rock-n-roll music and the shaking off of their drug-oriented image, and even arguing now and then.

Beyond how intriguing the band and it's members are, the film itself is so well directed and beautifully shot. The sound is excellent. Incredibly artistic film montages add to, rather than detract from the music. I have never seen a better portrayal of live music. The sheer musicianship of these men is mind boggling. Each is highlighted at different points in the film and it is clear that they have immense skill and talent.

Pink Floyd was so ahead of its time and will never seem out of style. And this film, although shot in 1972, is as fresh as a daisy. There are some incomparable moments, making this truly the best rock documentary I have ever seen. David Gilmour looks very handsome, by the way, and will always be my favorite guitar god. **swoon**