Review of Long Strange Trip (2017) by Bryon P — 23 May 2017

I first saw a version of "Long Strange Trip" in January of this year at the invitation of my close friend over the ages Alex Blavatnik, the man whose dream the film originally was and who was able to assemble an amazing team directly and through his network. The version I first saw was the final version prior to the Sundance premiere, a version to solicit final scrutiny of detail. A small group of us huddled on a cold rainy day in a small theater in the West Village with Amir Bar-Lev (the amazing director) and his wonderful parents, Eric Eisner (a co-producer and marketing magician) and several other team members and a small handful of other "friends of the film".

I am an old Deadhead, have seen so many shows I don't remember the number, including many with my "brother" Alex Blavatnik (who would have dreamed then that you would be doing this, eh??). Because of this I always expected to like the film, but one reason I was a good person to view the film was that throughout the development I kept whining that "...of COURSE Deadheads will love it, but how do you make other people want to see it???" So I watched the film with a critical eye, trying as much as I could to pretend to be a non-Deadhead.

I was blown away. The unseen footage they discovered, the people that they uncovered to interview (Sam Cutler is a gem), the editing, the soundtrack (of course), and the very spirit of the film was obviously something very special. At times I laughed and at times I cried (especially when the Morning Dew 1973 was played and the story told) and yes, I AM a Deadhead after all, at times I danced in my seat and sang along. But MOST importantly, it was immediately clear that the film this team put together was something that would appeal not just to ANY music lover but to anyone interested in a unique and very special viewpoint of our nation and our world from the 1960's through today.

In April I was again invited to the NYC premiere screening at the Museum of Modern Art. The film had already garnered incredibly high praise from the critics after the Sundance and the South by Southwest premieres. But I wasn't sure what to expect. Several hours of something I had already seen? Frankly, I was worried that I would not enjoy it as much as in January, that it would be repetitive. Well, I was wrong to worry. The hours flew by and it was almost as if I was seeing the movie for the first time. There is SO much new and interesting material that I can guarantee that I will also be viewing it over and over when it is released on Amazon Video. And surprisingly I once again laughed and I once again cried... not just at Morning Dew but to see feel once again that I was experiencing that Long Strange Trip with Jerry....

I am capable and often inclined to be long winded (proof herein), but let me simply say that I recommend this film as highly as one can to everyone who loves music, who loves documentaries, who loves the Dead and who loves life. See it on the big screen in limited release between now and June 2 and then enjoy it over and over again on Amazon Video after that. This band pioneered so much of what we take for granted today in live production - the innovation they used in sound, in lighting and of course in visual production are still the best you will find in a live show. I appreciated a touching and incredible reminder of my own "long strange trip", but even more so that I was able to experience it with my friends and due to the care and loving efforts of my friends. Congratulations and thank you Amir, Eric, Andy, Sandy and many others. And of course a special thank you to my old friend and fellow Deadhead Alex.