[MellySingsDoom]

OK, some actual-by-me-this-time film reviews - I wasn't too sure whether to stick these in Non-Sonic Sounds instead, but seeing as some of these in both past and present times have had UK and/or US cinema screenings, I think these qualify for being placed here. This is basically a round up of stuff I've seen over the past 6 months or so, and are DVD releases unless otherwise indicated, so here goes:

"Jimi Plays Berkeley" (1971, dir. Peter Pilafian) (Blu-Ray release, all regions) - finally, Experience Hendrix get round to officially releasing this live footage, a good couple of decades after a blink-and-you'll-miss-it VHS release in the mid-80's or so (and subsequently heavily bootlegged). This straight-ahead live performance/documentary of Hendrix's first set at the Berkeley Community Theatre (more on the second set later) captures a pretty exhausted-looking Hendrix during his tenure with his final (and to my mind, best) group, and sees him playing a set which refers to a couple of the hits, whilst very much looking forward to the future. Highlights for me include a then-embryonic version of "Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)", a version of "Machine Gun" which at one point references Albert Ayler (seriously, check it out), and the final number of "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)", where the Cox/Mitchell duo really lock things down, allowing Hendrix to whip out some truly heart-stealing guitar.

The documentary side includes some truly hilarious stuff of student hippies protesting a screening of "Woodstock", and of Hendrix running through new material with Billy Cox (and Mitch Mitchell too). The footage has been restored as much as possible, and the audio quality is overall impressive. The greedy fucks who own the rights to the original footage refused to let Experience Hendrix any access to the full archive reels, so no new additional footage, I'm afraid. The Blu-Ray contains a couple of extras, including the audio version of the full Berkeley second set, which had been for many years very heavily bootlegged (I used to own two vinyl bootlegs of this performance myself). This second set finally sounds the way you wish those bootlegs would have done, and contains a (surprise) airing of "Hey Joe" (maybe a nod to Arthur Lee there?). There is no audio commentary from the director, unfortunately (the booklet notes outline how Pilafian got totally fucked over by Mike Jeffrey), but the ever-reliable Eddie Kramer handles audio presentation and restoration duties overall.

All in all, "Live In Berkeley" is maybe not the DVD/BR release for the curious/interested to check out first. For those familiar with Hendrix's work, though, this comes very highly recommended indeed.

(reviews to be continued)