Long Strange Trip
| Long Strange Trip | |
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Long Strange Trip film poster
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| Directed by | Amir Bar-Lev |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | Grateful Dead |
| Edited by | Keith Fraase |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Amazon Video |
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Release date
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January 23, 2017 |
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Running time
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235 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Long Strange Trip is a documentary film about the rock band the Grateful Dead. It premiered on January 23, 2017, at the Sundance Film Festival. It will have a limited theatrical release starting on May 26, 2017, and a soundtrack album will be released on the same day.[1] The film will be shown on Amazon Video starting on June 2, 2017.[2][3][4][5][6]
Long Strange Trip was directed by Amir Bar-Lev, and has a running time of almost four hours. Martin Scorsese was one of the executive producers. Justin Kreutzmann, the son of Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, was one of the producers.
Critical reception[edit]
Owen Gleiberman wrote in Variety, "At three hours and 58 minutes, it has the sprawl and generosity of a good Dead show, yet there’s nothing indulgent about it – it's an ardent piece of documentary classicism.... 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... 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."[7]
Jordan Hoffman wrote in Vanity Fair, "The film's first half is a typical, though very well-polished rock doc: getting the band together, how they found their sound, their struggles and successes. After intermission, the narrative goes to unexpected and extremely emotional places: an examination of intense public adoration and the burdens of fame. For lack of a better term, it becomes a real movie.... But I do think that Bar-Lev has done the impossible: his film will make those who normally scoff at those patchouli-smelling ersatz flower children tap their feet, maybe even join them for a dance."[8]
References[edit]
- ^ Bernstein, Scott (March 31, 2017). "Grateful Dead Documentary Long Strange Trip Coming to Theaters Ahead of Amazon Prime Release". JamBase. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
- ^ Abramovitch, Seth (October 23, 2014). "Martin Scorsese to Exec Produce Grateful Dead Doc". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
- ^ McNary, Dave (December 14, 2016). "Sundance Film Festival Adds Grateful Dead Documentary Long Strange Trip". Variety. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
- ^ Bernstein, Scott (December 19, 2016). "Grateful Dead Documentary Long Strange Trip Spans 235 Minutes". JamBase. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
- ^ McNary, Dave (January 18, 2017). "Grateful Dead Documentary Long Strange Trip Bought by Amazon". Variety. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ^ Fear, David (January 24, 2017). "Sundance 2017: Grateful Dead Doc Long Strange Trip Is Heartbreaking Tribute". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
- ^ Gleiberman, Owen (March 17, 2017). "Film Review: Long Strange Trip". Variety. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
- ^ Hoffman, Jordan (January 26, 2017). "Long Strange Trip Might Just Convince Naysayers to Care About the Grateful Dead". Vanity Fair. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
