Ang Lee unveils Taking Woodstock
- 00:02:23
- ITN
Ang Lee unveils Taking Woodstock
It is among Rolling Stone's 50 moments that changed history and is often hailed as the greatest concert ever. 40 years on and the legendary Woodstock festival is getting tongues wagging again thanks to Ang Lee's film. The Oscar winning director's movie Taking Woodstock is based on the memoir of the same name. It follows Elliot Tiber who helped to secure the location for the three day event which took place in Bethel, New York in 1969. Demetri Martin plays him, while British actress Imelda Staunton stars as his mother. Unusually, despite appearances from musical greats such as Janis Joplin, Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix and The Who at the 3 day gig, the movie avoids any inclusion of the stage or performances. Instead it charts the journey to get the show on the road and the festival-goer's experience. It is a tactic which has not done it any favours with the critics, some of whom have described it as aimless and missing the real heart and soul of the peace and love extravaganza.
ITN | November 14, 2009
