Peter Whitehead film season, including Pink Floyd footage |
Written by Matt | |
Friday, 02 March 2007 | |
Peter Whitehead, the legendary English filmmaker who documented the counterculture in London and New York in the late 1960s, is the subject of a special season at the British Film Institute in London. Amongst the films being shown are two which will be well-known to Pink Floyd fans, for the unique footage they show of the Syd Barrett era line-up in action. The documentaries made by Peter Whitehead between 1965 and 1970 offer a fascinating insight into 60s and 70s Britain in particular, and are still avidly watched by those who lived through the times, along with social historians. Films in this season include Allen Ginsberg and other beat luminaries at the Royal Albert Hall in Wholly Communion, his investigation of 'swinging London' in Tonite Let's All Make Love in London, and his recent return to filmmaking, working with The Libertines. Tonite Let's... for those who haven't seen it, is a documentary of life in "swinging" London in 1967, and is made up of a montage of images fast cut together, set to music. For the soundtrack, a special version of Pink Floyd's Interstellar Overdrive was used and features towards the end of the movie, coinciding with Ginsberg talking about pop music. The recording sessions were filmed and in recent years, the footage was pieced together to form Pink Floyd: Live in London 1966-67 (the DVD of which is reviewed here). Featuring the band going through Interstellar, and an otherwise unheard "jam" called Nick's Boogie, it is a fascinating and unique look at how the band made those early improvisational soundscapes. Incredible footage and truly unmissable. The season also includes Whitehead taking to the National Film Theatre (NFT) stage to discuss his career. Here's what's happening when: Fri 2 Mar NFT1 6.20PM Tonite Let's All Make Love in London + Nothing to Do With Me NFT2 8.40PM Daddy Sat 3 Mar NFT1 6.10PM Pink Floyd: Live in London 1966-67 + Led Zeppelin: Live at the Royal Albert Hall Sun 4 Mar NFT2 6.00PM Fire in the Water + Perception of Life NFT1 8.30PM Peter Whitehead: Music Promos + Work in Progress Mon 5 Mar NFT1 8.20PM Pink Floyd: Live in London 1966-67 + Led Zeppelin: Live at the Royal Albert Hall Tue 6 Mar NFT1 6.20PM Peter Whitehead: Music Promos + Work in Progress NFT2 8.40PM Wholly Communion + Benefit of the Doubt Wed 7 Mar NFT1 6.30PM The Fall NFT1 8.45PM Peter Whitehead in Conversation Thu 8 Mar NFT2 8.30PM The Fall Fri 9 Mar NFT2 6.20PM Fire in the Water + Perception of Life NFT1 8.45PM Tonite Let's All Make Love in London + Nothing to Do With Me Sat 10 Mar NFT1 8.45PM Tonite Let's All Make Love in London + Nothing to Do With Me Sun 11 Mar NFT3 6.10PM Special Preview: In the Beginning Was the Image NFT2 6.30PM Daddy NFT2 8.40PM Tonite Let's All Make Love in London + Nothing to Do With Me For more information on the Peter Whitehead season, visit www.bfi.org.uk. The site also has an interesting interview with Whitehead, from the Sight & Sound magazine, which you can read here.
Our thanks to Jason Pyke for his help with this story. |