Good documentary, lots of witty observations and visual jokes.
The film outlines the devolution of Woodstock from a somewhat commercial gathering of doped-up morons into a completely commercial gathering of doped-up morons. A sad commentary, really, on what capitalism does to culture.
Michael Lang put Woodstock I together, and it was a commercial flop, albeit a "countercultural" success. So he tries to recreate it 25 years later, with lots of gutless corporate sponsorship. It works OK.
Then, five years after that, he tries again. This time, corporations own it completely. $150.00 per ticket. $6.00 for a bottle of water. $10.00 for a burrito. Sewage on the ground. Guess what? A riot happens.
A good film, all around. Symbolic of what is happening to American culture--both high culture and pop culture--as it is crammed into Happy Meals and catalogs.
Things to watch for: Perry Farrell pontificates about money, Michael Lang grins like a dope, parking lot haggling, corporate big-wigs try to be hip, advertiser wants to create "hippie punk." A-.
