Taking Woodstock

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/30/09 at 11:28am

Anyone else see it? My partner and I really enjoyed this movie. Considering it is billed as "inspired by a true story", I don't know how much of it is fiction, but it is a fun and interesting story (I had never heard of the novel it was based on until now, so I'm going to have to look it up). I've a feeling Roscoe will hate it, especially the fact that it is essentially a coming-of-age story, but I think it is the reason I enjoyed it so much. It definitely was not what I thought it would be. And it has the most accurate depiction of an acid trip I've ever seen. Go ahead and give Imelda Staunton the Oscar now. She runs away with the film from her very first scene and delivers an unforgettable performance. Is it a Best Picture film? Certainly not. Though it is probably a much lighter touch than people would expect, I found it fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable. I'll probably go back and watch it again.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/30/09 at 11:56am

My reservations about seeing this movie stem from the fact that I don't remotely care about anything related to Woodstock. Is it still a good movie, even if one hates those damned hippies?

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/30/09 at 12:12pm

I'm very interested in seeing this. I just loved the original to death. It was a brilliant documentary.

Woodstock was the same day I decided to move across country after a broken engagement. It was either go to Woodstock or drive to California!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/30/09 at 12:29pm

I think, considering the focus of the story is on Elliot and not the hippies, musicians or the concerts, it would appeal to those who are not really into the event itself. Hardcore fans of Woodstock probably won't like it as much as it doesn't focus on the music and it shows more of the lighter side of the hippie movement, rather than being gritty or hardcore, but I assume it has more to do with the material it is adapted from. It's not really a film ABOUT Woodstock, but about the young man who set the events into motion, which snowballed out of control, and as a result, he finally came into his own. If you want a film about the Woodstock event, the documentary already covers that ground quite sufficiently.

[singalongsong2]

Posted: 8/30/09 at 1:18pm

I saw the movie on Friday morning. I really enjoyed it. Although I am a fan of the music of Woodstock, I appreciated how the movie focused on one person "behind the scenes" as opposed to the artists at the event. It is neat seeing how it all came together. My favorite performances were actually the smaller roles portrayed by Emile Hirsch, Jonathan Groff, and Eugene Levy. Very good performances all around. I wouldn't mind seeing it again.

I never read Elliot Tiber's book. However, I just finished reading "Road to Woodstock" by Michael Lang (highly recommend it), so I was able to make some connections to the people, events, and places through that book. I find Michael Lang to be very fascinating and would love to see a film that focuses on him.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/30/09 at 4:38pm

I saw this on Friday as well. I enjoyed it. It was a plesant diversion. I was not a fan of Tiber's book -- but I think that was due more to his writing style rather than the story he had to tell. I liked hearing so much about the riots in the village (liked in the sense that I found it fascinating as I knew nothing of it.) as well as all the mistakes that happened.

I liked many, many of the performances, but found the story telling dragged, just a little bit.

I did miss the first 10 minutes or so of the film...could someone fill me in on what I missed?

Oh....and there is nothing quite as lovely a sight as seeing JGroff horseback. Can't even explain why. (And the camera LOVES him.)

[singalongsong2]

Posted: 8/30/09 at 8:34pm

Dramamama,

I'm not sure how much of this takes place in the first 10 minutes, but this is what I remember from the beginning of the movie......


********SPOILER*********





The movie begins with a man checking into the El Monaco motel. He ends up being unhappy with the dilapidated conditions of his room and demands a refund. Elliot's mom refuses and gets into an argument with him. Elliot, who is just returning from NYC, breaks up the argument.

Elliot and his parents go to the bank. They can't afford to keep the motel running and the bank is threatening to foreclose. Elliot pleads for more time. He will somehow find the money to keep the family business afloat.

Elliot visits the local diner and chats with the locals (including Max Yasgur). He talks about how he is going to have his annual music festival this summer at the motel. The festival consists of playing records on the lawn and the theater troupe performing. The owner of the diner informs Elliot that he will have some competition because there is going to be a really big music festival in Wallkill (Woodstock).

Elliot visits his sister, who encourages him to move on with his life and forget about the motel. He says that he can't and that their parents need him.

********END SPOILER*******************

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/30/09 at 10:10pm

They didn't do anything about his life in NYC? That's kind of sad.

I also didn't agree with the casting of Eli -- physically....that is such an intregal part of his story.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 10:06am

Why? How is he described in the book?

[lusciouslace]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 4:38pm

I just saw this last night and also loved it. It had such heart and I just loved all the characters. Even the townspeople who were mad at him, they were very real. It was a cool perspective. And a GREAT cast.

[canmark]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 9:36pm

While it's not a great movie, it's enjoyable because the people are so nice... and pure, in a way. Not jaded and cynical, I suppose. And perhaps that's the message you get from that era... which is, of course, the opposite of what we're like these days--suspicious and snarky.

I was surprised at all the familiar faces that kept popping up in the film--TV stars, Broadway stars, film stars.

And interesting how the handled the gay characters, with nary a mention of them being gay. Just treated as characters like any other.

I thought Imelda Staunton was robbed of an Oscar for her performance in Vera Drake. She was wonderfully funny in this movie. Emile Hirsch was also very good acting-wise, although I'm not entirely sure what his character had to do with anything. I quite liked Demitri Martin as Elliot.

Updated On: 8/31/09 at 09:36 PM