HOME   News   Reviews   Adv Search   Features   My DVD   About   Apps   Stats     Search:
  Directed by
  Starring
  Specs
  • Widescreen 1.78:1
  • 16:9 Enhanced
  • Full Frame
  Languages
  • English: Dolby Digital Stereo
  Subtitles
  • None
  Extras
  • 3 Additional footage - Extended interviews, studio tour, musical performance
  • 4 Teaser trailer
  • Interviews
  • Discography
Pink Floyd & The Syd Barrett Story
Umbrella Entertainment/AV Channel . R4 . COLOR . 49 mins . M15+ . PAL

  Feature
Contract

Most rock fans know Pink Floyd, and are probably more than familiar with several of their songs and albums such as Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall. However, the story of Pink Floyd goes back way before this, to the late ‘60s in fact, when four arty student types, including Roger "Syd" Barrett, first got together to play in a band. Like many other bands, it started life playing covers of other songs, but soon evolved into something quite original.

Psychedelic is a good word to describe their early style, for it accurately sums up the experimental nature of Pink Floyd’s music at the time. Barrett, Roger Waters, Rick Wright and Nick Mason established themselves as the seminal late ‘60s London sound. Barrett, however, was dealing with some serious mental health issues, compounded by his over-indulgence in illicit drugs. They proved to be his complete undoing, and the remaining band members increasingly isolated him, eventually calling upon Dave Gilmour to complete the band. Barrett was essentially dumped from the band the day "...we simply didn’t bother to go ‘round and collect him.”

Although he did record two solo albums shortly after which have been hailed as genius by some and crap by others, his musical output virtually ended in 1973. His mental state worsened to a point where, just several years later during the recording of Wish You Were Here, the band didn’t even recognise the ‘stranger’ sitting quietly in the corner of the studio.

Syd Barrett’s life provided the band, and childhood friend Roger Waters in particular, with a wealth of lyrical ideas for much of Pink Floyd’s music.

The rest, as they say, is history, at least as far as Pink Floyd’s history is concerned. The band have had little to no contact with Barrett in the last 25 years, but as they point out, that’s pretty much what is best for Barrett, and what Barrett himself seems to want. This 49 minute feature is a must see for all fans. With interviews from the most important people, the band themselves, and minimal narration, the story is really quite sad. Syd Barrett is considered by many to be a musical genius whose flame burned brightly and shortly, before being extinguished forever.

  Video
  Audio
  Extras
Contract

This feature can basically be broken down into two, the old and the new. Archival footage from the ‘60s and ‘70s is of inferior quality as you would expect, with every imaginable artefact and limitation that you could care to mention. It is not important - this is an historical document of the times, and should be viewed as such. It is a mix of black and white and colour, though at times it is difficult to determine which.

The newer interview footage, however, is very sharp with excellent colour and tones. There is no evidence of shimmer, nor dirt or marks, as you would expect with something filmed recently. There is good shadow detail, and no grain, but as it consists of a succession of interviews, these points are largely irrelevant anyway.

The whole feature is in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and is 16:9 enhanced. There is no layer change and, in summary, this is perfectly acceptable on every level.

There is but one audio option, being a Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo mix, but being largely a series of interviews and some vintage musical footage, this format is perfectly acceptable. There are no problems with the basics such as volume, clarity or audio-synch. There is little need for a great dynamic range as there is limited music on show and no sound effects in evidence. As far as documentaries go, this is as good as any other and perfectly acceptable.

There are some very informative and relevant (more so to devoted fans) extras kicking off with the Roger Waters Interview that runs just under an hour and is the traditional Q & A type set up with the interviewer off-camera and virtually off-mike as well; it's bloody hard to hear him! Some of the answers are included as part of the feature. As with the rest of the extra features, the video quality is quite variable, though it is rarely ‘bad’ as such.

Of course, there’s no show with Punch, or in this case, no show without Gilmour, and the Dave Gilmour Interview balances the interview stakes. It lasts for half an hour and this time the interviewer is more audible. Like the other interview, it will be of great interest to fans, and has some snippets extracted for the main feature.

Rounding out the interviews is the Robyn Hitchcock interview. Who, you might ask? Hitchcock is a musician who can’t hide his admiration and respect for Syd Barrett and his musical legacy. Again, some of this 17 minute interview is included in the feature.

Graham Coxon Performing I Love You is a straight-up acoustic guitar/vocal performance of the Barrett song by the ex-Blur guitarist. This is a sort of fly-on-the–wall approach to his learning of the song confirmed by a couple of stop-starts.

Music historians will appreciate the 12 minute Walk Around Abbey Road Studios. This informal tour is unguided, filmed using a hand-held camera, and is akin to watching a stranger's holiday video. A tour guide would have been a great inclusion, just to maintain the interest that soon wanes as we start to see the same thing over and over. The studio’s cafeteria looks nice though!

The Discography is just three screens listing Barrett’s material as part of Pink Floyd, and as a solo artist. Either way, he was not what you might call a prodigious artist.

Lastly, Umbrella Propaganda contains trailers for Alice Cooper - Welcome To My Nightmare, which is basically a live video clip, Marianne Faithful – Dreaming My Dreamswho has an interesting story to tell, A Night With Lou Reed, and Johnny Cash: An Anthology of the Man in Black .

Pink Floyd fans will love this, as there has never been a wealth of material that gets as close to the band as this documentary does. While there are limited musical performances (nothing new), nor rumours about reformations, tours, albums, or anything remotely close, it provides a great record of a great band.


  • LINK: http://www.dvd.net.au/review.cgi?review_id=2504
  • Send to a friend.
  • Do YOU want to be a DVDnet reviewer? If so, click here

    Cast your vote here: You must enable cookies to vote.
  •   And I quote...
    "The story of the early days of Pink Floyd, and the man credited with its unique brilliance and originality…"
    - Terry Kemp
      Review Equipment
    • DVD Player:
          Akai
    • TV:
          TEAC CT-F803 80cm Super Flat Screen
    • Receiver:
          Pioneer VSX-D409
    • Speakers:
          Wellings
    • Centre Speaker:
          Wellings
    • Surrounds:
          Wellings
    • Subwoofer:
          Sherwood SP 210W
    • Audio Cables:
          Standard RCA
    • Video Cables:
          standard s-video
      Recent Reviews:
    by Terry Kemp

    The Boondock Saints
    "This ‘Tarentino-coulda-been’ film is pretty damned enjoyable..."

    Take the Money and Run
    "... will appeal to die-hard Woody Allen fans but be lucky to earn passing interest from most."

    Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em - The Christmas Specials
    "By this stage, you either love or hate Frank Spencer and nothing in this review is going to change that…"

    Beyond Imagination - Pyramid. Colosseum. Pompeii
    "This triumvirate of features is a great addition to any collection and sure to offer something to adults, children and armchair historians everywhere…"

    Empires - Islam: Empire of Faith
    "…forget the “Be Alert – Be Alarmed” campaign (or whatever the fridge magnet assault suggested) and try – “Be Informed”."

      Related Links
      None listed

     

    Search for Title/Actor/Director:
    Google Web dvd.net.au
       Copyright DVDnet. All rights reserved. Site Design by RED 5   
    rss