• https://www.dead.net/features/long-strange-trip
    Coming Soon: Long Strange Trip

    Amazon Studios announced it has acquired Long Strange Trip, an unprecedented four hour documentary about the Grateful Dead from director Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) and executive producer Martin Scorsese (Silence). Set to debut June 2 on Amazon Prime Video globally as a six-part documentary, with additional territories to be announced, Long Strange Trip probes the creative forces, subversive ambitions, and interpersonal dynamics that drove the Grateful Dead in their 30-year quest for moments of collective inspiration. By inventing a unique fusion of folk, jazz, R&B, avant-garde experimentation, world music and rock and roll, they earned the devotion of the most committed fan base in the music business, while gleefully disdaining every cliché of pop success.

    The world premiere of Long Strange Trip will take place at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival. Band members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, and Bob Weir, as well as Trixie Garcia will be in attendance.

    “I first reached out to the Grateful Dead about this film back in 2003,” said Bar-Lev. “Since then, everyone who has come aboard has treated this project with a renegade spirit of cooperation and ingenuity worthy of the subject matter. I recognized immediately that Amazon was the perfect distributor when I met their team, and I can’t wait to see how many brains they can infect with the Dead’s contagious brand of anti-establishment fun.”

    “I’ve always admired the spirit and creativity of the Grateful Dead,” said Scorsese. “They are revolutionary artists who forever changed the world of touring and recording live music. They were a cultural force—a lifestyle, that continue to influence new generations of fans. This film will entertain and educate audiences about one of the most innovative and groundbreaking American bands of the 20th century.”

    “The story of the Grateful Dead is that of music and culture of the 20th Century,” said Joe Lewis, Head of Comedy and Drama, Amazon Studios. “Told with vast scope and an unprecedented cast of real life characters, Amir has taken advantage of this larger than life canvas to make an era-defining musical portrait that we can’t wait to bring to audiences everywhere.”

    Bob Weir commented: "Over several decades a group of guys hung together making music in a group that was way tighter and lasted much longer than most marriages. Here's the movie…”

    Mickey Hart commented: "Stranger than fiction – a user’s guide for an impossible journey."

    The 30-year odyssey of the Grateful Dead was the most unlikely success story in rock and roll history. Famously averse to publicity, seemingly incapable of recording radio-friendly hits, they flouted music-industry convention by giving their live music away to a global network of tape traders, becoming the highest-grossing concert act in America on word of mouth alone. Long Strange Trip is the first full-length documentary to explore the fiercely independent vision, insistence on continuous innovation, and uncompromising commitment to their audience that propelled the original jam band from a Bay Area pizza parlor to the ranks of the most enduringly influential musicians of their generation. By assembling candid interviews with the band, road crew, family members, and notable Dead Heads, director Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) unearths the untold history of the Dead and the freewheeling psychedelic subculture that sprouted up around it, while providing poignant insight into the psyche of late lead guitarist Jerry Garcia, who disdained leadership of the increasingly sprawling collective organization that kept the show on the road. With a soundtrack that captures some of the band's most dynamic live performances as well as unguarded moments offstage and never before seen footage and photos, Long Strange Trip is an epic exploration into a uniquely American experiment in radically eclectic music-making that continues to earn the passionate loyalty of generations of fans worldwide.

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    vhebein
    7 years 1 month ago
    Long Strange Trip DVD
    I agree Scott,Give me options so I can choose how I will watch. As I don't have a DVD collection anywhere near my iTunes collection of music I'm happy being a PRIME member and can watch it on my big screen or my 24" monitor. The good news is - I can't wait to see it. Vince
  • thomas violagis
    7 years 1 month ago
    Dvd
    They will release as DVD and Bluray because unfortunately the boys have become money hungry old men.
  • Default Avatar
    gdesilet
    7 years 1 month ago
    format
    i really want the betamax version. it'll make me feel so clean and shiney. i will feel like a good person and i love the 2 track.
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14 years 11 months

Amazon Studios announced it has acquired Long Strange Trip, an unprecedented four hour documentary about the Grateful Dead from director Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) and executive producer Martin Scorsese (Silence). Set to debut June 2 on Amazon Prime Video globally as a six-part documentary, with additional territories to be announced, Long Strange Trip probes the creative forces, subversive ambitions, and interpersonal dynamics that drove the Grateful Dead in their 30-year quest for moments of collective inspiration. By inventing a unique fusion of folk, jazz, R&B, avant-garde experimentation, world music and rock and roll, they earned the devotion of the most committed fan base in the music business, while gleefully disdaining every cliché of pop success.

The world premiere of Long Strange Trip will take place at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival. Band members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, and Bob Weir, as well as Trixie Garcia will be in attendance.

“I first reached out to the Grateful Dead about this film back in 2003,” said Bar-Lev. “Since then, everyone who has come aboard has treated this project with a renegade spirit of cooperation and ingenuity worthy of the subject matter. I recognized immediately that Amazon was the perfect distributor when I met their team, and I can’t wait to see how many brains they can infect with the Dead’s contagious brand of anti-establishment fun.”

“I’ve always admired the spirit and creativity of the Grateful Dead,” said Scorsese. “They are revolutionary artists who forever changed the world of touring and recording live music. They were a cultural force—a lifestyle, that continue to influence new generations of fans. This film will entertain and educate audiences about one of the most innovative and groundbreaking American bands of the 20th century.”

“The story of the Grateful Dead is that of music and culture of the 20th Century,” said Joe Lewis, Head of Comedy and Drama, Amazon Studios. “Told with vast scope and an unprecedented cast of real life characters, Amir has taken advantage of this larger than life canvas to make an era-defining musical portrait that we can’t wait to bring to audiences everywhere.”

Bob Weir commented: "Over several decades a group of guys hung together making music in a group that was way tighter and lasted much longer than most marriages. Here's the movie…”

Mickey Hart commented: "Stranger than fiction – a user’s guide for an impossible journey."

The 30-year odyssey of the Grateful Dead was the most unlikely success story in rock and roll history. Famously averse to publicity, seemingly incapable of recording radio-friendly hits, they flouted music-industry convention by giving their live music away to a global network of tape traders, becoming the highest-grossing concert act in America on word of mouth alone. Long Strange Trip is the first full-length documentary to explore the fiercely independent vision, insistence on continuous innovation, and uncompromising commitment to their audience that propelled the original jam band from a Bay Area pizza parlor to the ranks of the most enduringly influential musicians of their generation. By assembling candid interviews with the band, road crew, family members, and notable Dead Heads, director Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) unearths the untold history of the Dead and the freewheeling psychedelic subculture that sprouted up around it, while providing poignant insight into the psyche of late lead guitarist Jerry Garcia, who disdained leadership of the increasingly sprawling collective organization that kept the show on the road. With a soundtrack that captures some of the band's most dynamic live performances as well as unguarded moments offstage and never before seen footage and photos, Long Strange Trip is an epic exploration into a uniquely American experiment in radically eclectic music-making that continues to earn the passionate loyalty of generations of fans worldwide.

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Amazon Studios announced it has acquired Long Strange Trip, an unprecedented four hour documentary about the Grateful Dead from director Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) and executive producer Martin Scorsese (Silence). Set to debut May 26 on Amazon Prime Video in the US and UK as a six-part documentary...
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Amazon Studios announced it has acquired Long Strange Trip, an unprecedented four hour documentary about the Grateful Dead from director Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) and executive producer Martin Scorsese (Silence). Set to debut May 26 on Amazon Prime Video in the US and UK as a six-part documentary...
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Amazon Studios announced it has acquired Long Strange Trip, an unprecedented four hour documentary about the Grateful Dead from director Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) and executive producer Martin Scorsese (Silence). Set to debut May 26 on Amazon Prime Video in the US and UK as a six-part documentary...
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15 years 9 months
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I sure hope so, I don't think my satellite internet connection can handle streaming video. Even if it starts, the buffering will be intolerable.
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10 years 6 months
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Let's hope they give us the option of Long Strange Trip on DVD ,I have never been a fan of streaming . fingers x they will release it on DVD . also lets have Bob Weir's ' Long Strange Trip ' on DVD I could not believe it when it was put on Net Flix and not the option of DVD after I waited so long to view it .
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8 years 4 months
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Better sell it to me on bluray if you want me to watch it.
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9 years 11 months
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Who here actually uses amazon prime? This is unfortunate, hopefully a Blu-ray is released.
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12 years 3 months
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The word that catches my eye is "soundtrack". Just what will such a soundtrack entail? Also does anyone out here in DeadLand think that TPTB will have a MUATM this year? If so what would you like to see as for me I'm leaning towards 8/4/76, I know the full show exists on video if not 8/4/76 how about 11/24/78? It really doesn't matter I just hope they have another movie event. Wasn't the entire February 1971 Port Chester run filmed for the LSD experiment? I'll really dig any show from that run, imagine seeing Beautiful Jam on film!!!!! It's Friday night did you all PLAY DEAD today!!!!!!
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I would not see lt on Amazon prime video, I would love it on aN DVDA OR SACD if it is Such an iconic recording, I have so many great lately released concerts by the Dead, Jim
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9 years 6 months
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I agree-I would only watch this if I could get it on a dvd, or, even better, a blu ray disc. I feel the same way about all recordings. I don't listen to music via downloads, only on cd or vinyl.
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8 years 8 months
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So much negativity. Wow. Amazon Prime is a good option, and yes I do watch films there, along with NetFlix. Audio streaming works well too. (Say what you will about Comcast. I get a very strong stream there.) HD digital downloads work well, what do you think a HD CD is anyway? Best of all would be to see the premier at Sundance. Luckily I live in Utah. (Gasp, Utah? I can just hear the detractors now.) Seems predictable now from the Dead Head crew, here on Dead.net and elsewhere, often being arrogantly negative. How about a little less negativity folks? It was always better back then... It would be better if... How about it's good now and pretty damn good the way it is. Trying being positive & happy. You might find you're a happier bunch. :-)
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14 years 5 months
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Get off my lawn you young whippersnappers with your newfangled streaming devices. I refuse to watch Long Strange Trip unless it comes out on Betamax.
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8 years 4 months
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I have trades for a copy of that Betamax.
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15 years 5 months
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so, this is the future...the powers that be get us all hooked on hdcd's and blueray, then, the new documentary is stream only? Amazon only? why? it cost nothing to stream, but the profits are huge. This is the future, profits before everything. I just want to see the flick, but I won't if it's stream only. Too bad.
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I'd like a blu ray of it too BUT.... I think having it available to stream will magnify the number of people who get to see this by a YUGE factor. I bet a blu ray will be made available a few months later. This is the kind of thing which will help to keep the audience growing while us shut ins gradually kick the bucket... lol
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All you folks who won't watch it except on DVD, WTF? What is your deal? What's the problem with streaming? I'll be you WILL watch it. Do you think saying you won't watch it on streaming is some kind of an armchair radical protest about something meaningless? Sheeesh (shaking my head).
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Who here uses Amazon Prime? ME! I love it. Best Internet store period. I use it ALL THE TIME and love it. Do you think you are a radical by not using it for some meaningless reason?

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7 years 7 months
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Kindergarten._._everythings ruined ._._ midlife crisis ._._. Small victory._._. Epic._._ edge of the world,,,,, rv._._
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Presumably hippies are into saving the planet, eh? Streaming doesn't create pollution like DVD's do. Nothing to end up in the landfill. :)
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No pollution?You are aware that streaming consumes large amounts of electricity due to the huge server farms that are needed to store the files, the huge routers at the internet provider, the routers at homes, the computers that are connected to the routers, etc.? And why would I throw my DVD in the landfill? Also I never asked for a DVD, I asked for bluray. The reason being that I don't need an internet connection to watch it. I also wouldn't need to keep paying an annual fee to repeatedly watch it.
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15 years 2 months
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Not an issue with Amazon. Grateful to have it available in any format. Take a hit mellow out and just enjoy it.
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15 years 2 months
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Not an issue with Amazon. Grateful to have it available in any format. Take a hit mellow out and just enjoy it.
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10 years 6 months
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No problem with Amazon , but lets give everybody a option of DVD and Blueray as well . Let everybody enjoy the film in every format .
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16 years 7 months
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i really want the betamax version. it'll make me feel so clean and shiney. i will feel like a good person and i love the 2 track.
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16 years 9 months
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They will release as DVD and Bluray because unfortunately the boys have become money hungry old men.
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14 years 9 months
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I agree Scott,Give me options so I can choose how I will watch. As I don't have a DVD collection anywhere near my iTunes collection of music I'm happy being a PRIME member and can watch it on my big screen or my 24" monitor. The good news is - I can't wait to see it. Vince
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Yes Vince thank you, I have all the DVD's of the Dead and I enjoy watching them , They release Dave's Picks on cd's so lets have the Long Strange Trip on a format for everyone to enjoy it . I am still waiting for the Long Strange Trip of Bob Weir to appear on DVD , after waiting so long to watch it , I could not believe it when it was being shown on Netflix . hopefully common sense will shine through .
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Unlike many others, I definitely have a problem with Amazon. Are you aware that they advertise on Breitbart publications? I'm surprised the Grateful Dead and it's family would not take issue with this given the hate filled nature of Breitbart's alt-right publications. I am definitely disappointed and unfortunately cannot watch it on Amazon with a clear conscience.
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Hi Hippiechick54, Are you aware that Bezos, who runs Amazon, owns the Washington Post, which is excellent in investigating and revealing the evils of the Trumpists? Stay high and prosper! Whit
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Whit, Yes I am aware of Brezos owning the Washington Post. It is my local paper. And yes, the paper has taken the orange machine to task. But the fact remains that Amazon which is also owned by Brezos does advertise with Breitbart publications. Sorry, but for as long as I have been a deadhead 40+ yrs, I am horrified that Amazon has been the company selected to stream this flick. I also question how the Grateful Dead and family finds this acceptable.
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Let's separate church and state here. It's business, Amazon obviously outbid the competition to have the rights to stream the flick. This is not your fathers Dead nation. Why are CD remastered box sets selling out at $140 for 11 discs of music that most true Heads already own? Why do Heads flock to meet up at the movies annually to watch shows many of us have attended at $17 a ticket? It's about supply, demand and the almighty dollar. I for one don't care if Donald Trump was streaming Long Strange Trip, I would stream the movie, but in the end, it's all about personal choice. I miss Jerry.
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At least one point you made is absolutely correct. This is definitely not your father's (my generation) Dead Nation. We supported peace, love and equality not hate, money and self interest.
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I'd pay real money to get a DVD of Portchester, Feb 71. It would be the second time I'd seen it in 46 years.
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One might think Variety could find a critic who might actually like GD music. http://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/long-strange-trip-review-jerry-gar… "Deadheads will drink it in and debate it, poring over every detail it works in and leaves out, yet the ultimate recommendation I can give the movie is this: I’m one of those people who can’t stand the Grateful Dead (I think they have about four or five good songs, and if I never heard “Casey Jones” or “Truckin'” again you’d hear no strenuous objection from me), yet I found “Long Strange Trip” enthralling. For the first time, it made me see, and feel, and understand the slovenly glory of what they were up to, even if my ears still process their music as monotonous roots-rock wallpaper."
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"Jerry’s guitar solo on the May 1980 version of “Althea.” We hear that bootleg track, and it sounded, to my ears, like a generic bad 1970s white-guy guitar solo". Fuck him and the horse he rode in on.... I miss Jerry....
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is at the Castro, which is a pretty spiffy theater.
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In regard to that movie review in Variety, what a strange way to make a point. Does anyone know if there will be any screenings in New York anywhere? It would be so nice to see it with a group of people who love the Dead.