The tour that inspired "Might As Well."
Somebody posted that one of the stops on this tour was his first show. I am so envious.
The movie is now out on DVD, and let's just say, you'll laugh, you'll cry, but you should not on any account miss this.
I'm quite certain that the film was shot in 16mm. Super-8 would have had grain the size of medicine balls. 16mm film typically has larger grain per frame than 35mm. But, if you want portability and ease of camera-work, you shoot 16mm. Woodstock was also shot in 16mm. Lot's of Arri's and Eclair's used there, especially Eclair NPR's.
The problem with grain is that grain is increased when you dupe the film. Shooting an internegative increases grain. Unless you shoot 16mm Kodachrome (impossible for a commercial release), you going to have grain. That's the nature of 16mm film.
Doesn't matter - gives the film that gritty, documentary look, which is exceedingly fitting for this film.
...shall we go, you and I while we can...
So, John Platt told it in the Deadhead's Tapers Compendium first, but the story goes on and was coorberated by GDP. The way in which Festival Express came to be was that the Grateful Dead agreed to allow the footage in the movie to be used in exchange for another 90 hours of similiar stuff, including all the concerts along the way,be returned to the Vault, where presumably it sits today.
ALSO, the Canadian National Film Board claims to have all of it, the full amount of footage of the entire trip in its archives. Apparently, they archive stuff like documentary footage and provide the filmmaker with some tax advantages if they get a copy. Well,I guess it goes to show that if you look hard enough, if it was filmed or recorded,it still exists. BTW as far as we know, that's all still on (deteriorating) 16mm film stock and ought to be digitally preserved. The CNFB says they have 150 reels!!!
Yes, 16mm deteriorates. Now I'm not so sure about the negatives, but 16mm print film deteriorates if not kept dark, and in a climate controlled (temperature and humidity) environment. The negatives can easily be color-corrected, or "color timed".
I used to collect old 16mm TV commercials, and most of them have faded badly, even though I keep 'em in a dark location, in cans, and in a cool basement. 16mm prints were made on Eastman Kodacolor printfilm stock, which has a relatively short lifespan. I used to convert regular 35mm color print negs to slides, using EK printfilm stock and it never lasted more than a few years.
I imagine it will be up to the original producers to request any digital conversions. In believe that the NFB vaults are in Montreal, Ville St. Laurent, to be precise. I use to drive by NFB headquarters all the time.
I really enjoyed Festival Express for many of the same reasons others note in this thread .. the cool paint job on the old 'CN' trains, Rick Danko in the bar car on the last night, watching the rythym guitarist for Buddy Guy get crazy on stage, but also the performance by Mashmakhan - I had never heard of them prior to Festival Express, but really liked their sound. Unfortunately they were pretty well ahead of their time and broke up soon after. Anyone else like them ??
after "Ain't No More Cane".....bobby, "ain't no more gravy in the queso!" // jerrry telling janis he's loved her ever since the day he met her (drunk jer!!) // janis asking how danko is feelin'....and then, "we can't stop now, can we man?!" wish they'd go bonkers and release an extra 4 discs or so of extra performances on and off the train
That was also my favorite scene. They all looked so young and happy.
We watched FE with our 10 yr. old son, and afterwards we had a pretty serious conversation that I don't think would have happend if it weren't for the magical express!
Buddy Guy rocked & I really dug the Buritto Brothers
Peace
ya, how cool is that scene with buddy jamming and going down to the crowd level?! and his band was awesome. that bass player stole scenes throughout.....his singing on the train.... heck, just his hair was worth the price of admission! i'm curious--- what kind of serious conversation was sparked by the film? and btw, i've had a few friends who are not heads who totally were enthralled by the movie, so it stands on its own as a documentary too.
I wonder if Jerry's tie dye got thrown in the communal wash with the other band members clothes since when they are all on stage their shirts are all the same shade of purple! I noticed that and it made me laugh.Check it out next time you watch it!
BTW, the New Speedway and Hard To Handle in the movie are stupendous, as is Janis's footage. A great video! Too bad there is no footage of Mountain or Delaney & Bonnie though...bummer!
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