Review of Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains the Same (1976) by Jason M — 14 May 2013

A strange concert film scuppered by some indulgences whih ruin the other parts of the film.

Firstly it has to be said you need to be a fan of the band before you watch it,i was a fan so I was aware that its had the possibilty to be over indulgent.

Fron the first sequence of manager Peter Grant and the bands tour manager rubbing out a group of business men in an old gangster style ,you know this film isnt going to be Woodstock.

What follows is a film of there 1973 Madison Square garden concert intercut with some very very odd dream sequences which apart From John Bonhams seem to have come from a straight laced Monty Python sketch.

We also get Peter Grant dealing out some great British swearing and the mysterious theft of the safe security box in a New York Hotel .

The dream stuff is a waste of course and what most people will be here for is the music.

In that respect the film works very well indeed with Bonhams drum solo Moby Dick and a staggering 23 minute version of Dazed and Confused being the highlights.

If only the filmakers had included more acoustic based songs such as Ramble On and Gallows Pole then maybe the film wouldnt feel so damn long in parts.

So if you fast forward through the dream bits you will enjoy the film all though Led Zep completists might want to look elsewhere.