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Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains The Same [1976]

Directors: Joe Massot, Peter Clifton
Actors: John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Peter Grant (iii)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD

List Price: ~~Ł13.99~~
Buy New: Ł2.37
You Save: Ł11.62 (83%)

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Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

34 reviews
Sales Rank: 14461

Format: Pal, Widescreen
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 127
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6

EAN: 7321900113892
ASIN: B00004D34H

Theatrical Release Date: October 20, 1976
Release Date: June 5, 2000
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days

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•	Page And Plant - No Quarter Unledded [1995]
•	Houses of the Holy
•	Physical Graffiti

Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.co.uk Review
Bombastic, pretentious and narcissistic, Led Zeppelin's The Song Remains the Same is also one of the best concert films of the 1970s, capturing the greatest rock band of the decade in full flight at Madison Square Gardens in 1973. The notorious "fantasy sequences" punctuate the musical action but don't, fortunately, interrupt it. Playing true to their self-indulgent rock & roll personas, each band member has his own segment, as does legendary larger-than-life manager Peter Grant. Only John Bonham's is reasonably down-to-earth: during his mammoth drum solo ("Moby Dick") he is seen driving his custom car, his Harley chopper, and a drag racer at Santa Pod, as well as inspecting bulls and doing a bit of building work. Well, what else would a working-class lad from Birmingham do with his millions? Elsewhere, John Paul Jones is a demented Phantom of the Opera with an unfeasibly large organ ("No Quarter"); Robert Plant is a quasi-Arthurian knight errant rescuing a suitable rock-chick damsel in distress ("The Song Remains the Same/Rain Song"); while Aleister Crowley acolyte Jimmy Page goes in for sorcery and mysticism as he encounters the wizard from the cover of Led Zep IV ("Dazed & Confused"). But the real magic is the onstage footage: Page wields his Gibson Les Paul as if he is indeed enchanted (the violin bow becomes his magician's wand in "Dazed & Confused"), while Plant preens and prowls his way around the stage, the very image of the rock idol; and quite how Jones and Bonham managed to be such a behemoth of a rhythm section is still a mystery. For all its many faults, this remains an essential document of an era when rock dinosaurs still walked the earth.

On the DVD: No extra features to speak of at all, which is extremely disappointing given the wealth of archive material concerning the band and this movie that must be available. The picture and sound are respectable without being exceptional. --Mark Walker

Customer Reviews: Read 29 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

A Reissue Done Right December 3, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Opening my copy of Led Zeppelin's "The Song Remains The Same" collector's edition took me back to the halcyon days of LP packaging. Reproductions of lobby cards, premier invites, news clippings, a TSRTS t-shirt, and a mail-in poster offer had me feeling like the long-haired teenager I was so many years ago.
The film itself has been masterfully upgraded. The new digital transfer is noticeably sharper and clearer than previous versions, and the sound quality is remarkable, finally doing justice to the virtuousity of the band. While some issue can be raised regarding continuity and the intrusion of the fantasy sequences, one must understand that this was the norm during the excessive '70s. This was a film about a band at a certain place in time, not a faithful presentation of a particular show.
The second dvd offers more footage from the MSG shows, interspersed with news footage, interviews, and an audio-only segment from a radio show. Although most of the additional live footage was previously released on the 2003 dvd set, I believe "Celebration Day" is new.
A lot of thought and effort obviously went into this re-issue, and full credit is due. Some other performers could take a lesson from this release. All in all, a bang-up job. Thanks lads!

4 out of 5 stars

An endearing portrait of the decade that irony forgot. August 16, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

For years the only official live footage available of Led Zeppelin in action, "The Song Remains The Same" is an ambitious, deeply flawed but ultimately worthwhile portrait of the blues-rock giants at the height of their powers.

Filmed over the course of three gigs at Madison Square Garden in New York, 1973, the movie attempts to weave live footage with "fantasy" sequences depicting the thoughts and ideas that inspired the music, thus fulfilling the tagline's promise of Zeppelin "in concert and beyond."

Whilst some might see this as a daring pre-MTV crack at the music video, the big problem is that what we actually see is the band "stoned out of their brains". When I'm watching a concert DVD, the last thing I want to see is the lead singer on horseback rescuing a damsel in jerky over-cranked slow motion, or their guitarist crawling up a mountainside whilst a 'hermit' in cheap make-up conjures up low-budget special effects. It's toe-curlingly embarrassing, all the more so for being executed without the merest hint of irony. As trite a statement as it may be, it's true - Spinal Tap could not have happened without this movie.

Fortunately, these sequences do not comprise the majority of the film, and the movie is further redeemed by some excellent music. The band have since expressed their dissatisfaction with their performance on many an occasion, and it's true that better live cuts exist (see the excellent live album "How The West Was Won") but nonetheless this features some gems. Jimmy Page's guitar playing in the film switches effortlessly between the heavy blues-rock noodling of "Black Dog" and the more emotional, melodic material on such standout tracks as "No Quarter", "Stairway To Heaven" and a jaw-dropping "Since I've Been Loving You". Robert Plant's vocals are consistently powerful throughout, backed up by the talented rhythm section of John Bonham and John Paul Jones.

Of course, the performances aren't perfect - there's rarely a valid excuse for a ten minute drum solo ("Moby Dick") or the overwrought fret-widdling of "Dazed and Confused", the latter of which outstays its welcome by at least five minutes. The sound quality on the DVD isn't the best either - not being an audiophile I can't comment on the technical specifics, but I know I've heard better live films from the same era ("Last Waltz", anyone?). It's not awful by any stretch of the imagination, but could definitely do with clearing up.

Despite all the drawbacks I've raised, for such a low price it's worth snapping up this unusual little nugget of rock and roll history.

** N.B. It's recently been announced that both this movie and the accompanying live album will be re-released with cleaned-up audio and bonus tracks. Buyers may wish to consider holding fire and being prepared to spend a little more on an improved version at a later date. **

5 out of 5 stars

AN INTERESTING INSIGHT July 15, 2007
Yes, it is and a lot more besides.

Apart from the music there is the myth surrounding the band - the references, the interests, the hype, the juggernaut.
Of course if one is a fan ( I am ) then one will have already seen or owned this film.

It is an interesting mixture of concert footage ( hugely enjoyable ) with self-generated mythology and theatrical fantasy which together ( I feel ) actually give more than concert footage ever could - an insight into the other side of LED ZEPPELIN which we all ( let's face it ) bought in to when they were with us ( and still do today ).

I enjoy this film hugely - I recommend it to anyone.

4 out of 5 stars

Easily worth the 4 asking price. July 12, 2007
I love led zeppelin so my view is obviously biased but if you're considering this dvd I'm guessing you love them too. If you're a fan its worth the 4 just for the great performance of stairway to heaven, it's beautifully played.

5 out of 5 stars

Masterpiece December 20, 2006
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

Anyone who slates this really hasn't appreciated the essence of it all. Forget the fantasy sequences, this is 1970's New York and a very special period - carefree, post 60's. Everything down to the dated wailing police car sirens and the hairstyles - general mayhem..... the two guys being granted the stage door entry - brilliant. Stuff which you just wouldn't experience at any concert anywhere today ! no chance ! To be there would simply have been amazing. Now the music: These 4 still remain to this day, the greatest Rock and Roll band in history - (read the biography written by their road manager - Richard Cole) and from this footage you get the sense that here is a band who really appreciated each others skills and they were really enjoying themselves. Bother to go and see a tribute band in the UK - "Let's Zepp" for example and you will appreciate the sheer variety of their music - Rock, folk, ballad style - heavy metal is a ridiculous term to use to describe their style. At their peak they were outselling everyone, including the Stones and were packing stadiums to the brim. In this "Song Remains the Same" DvD, Page is awesome (of course) and his nonchalance is just quite hilarious - a musician totally confident in his own ability. Plant is also brilliant with a charisma not possessed by any modern Rock star I know of, and you can take nothing from JPJ and Bonham, surely the greatest rhythm pair of all time - see how they watch each other constantly when beat changes are afoot. When they played they gave it all from start to finish and the concerts were longer in duration then. It is great and unsurprising to see them still picking up music awards - UK music hall of fame in Dec 2006 and even being award the Polar music prize presented to the remaining 3 of them by the King of Sweden in Stockholm in the same year - John Bonham would have laughed his socks off, they still say that Animal in the muppets was modelled off his personality. Get the box set also, but I think this version has atmosphere, despite slightly inferior sound quality. Best played full blast on a Plasma with some serious surround sound wattage to go with it - and I mean full blast. Drives the wife nuts but mesmerizes me every single time.