DVDs in Review

Glastonbury Fayre

Title: Glastonbury Fayre (1972)

Release date: June 8 2009

Certificate: 15

Format: DVD

DVD RRP: 17.99

Rating: 4/5

Shot by the masterfully eclectic Nic Roeg ('Performance', 'The Man Who Fell to Earth'), this documents the genesis of the now epic Glastonbury festival. Presented here in its second year and filmed back in 1971, this offers a fascinating glimpse of musical blow out which back then was free, had no toilets, a seemingly lax police presence and copious amounts of nudity both off stage and on.

Directed by Peter Neal but shot by Roeg (and produced by a young David Puttnam) this is a very intriguing concert film that focuses more on the crowd, which is a good thing because a lot of the music could be a little lost on today's audiences.

However bands like Traffic and Fairport Convention are worth a watch, but the biggest shame is that the main act (music legend David Bowie) is nowhere to be seen due to contractual problems.

To substitute, 'Glastonbury Fayre' shadows its deliriously high fans as they build tents, dance around and chill out. It may sound a little directionless (and it is) but there's something oddly addictive about people watching at an event that is so free and popular.

The documentary on the Rolling Stones, 'Gimme Shelter', had an unfortunate climax when it captured a murder on film during the concert; 'Woodstock' had epic scope both on stage and off; 'Monterey Pop' was similar thanks to its performers' stage presence, but 'Glastonbury Fayre' doesn't really have that glamour or hard hitting social message - it simply is what it is.

Because of this it feels more like a real documentary, without an angle or forced plot. It offers a window of vision to a time that is forever gone before the festival became corporate and naked, drug-added music lovers where stopped by the cops. It's nostalgic, beautifully framed and thoughtful. Don't watch it expecting amazing performances, just let it wash over you.

This long out-of-print film has been fantastically restored in high definition and released by Odeon Entertainment, complete with a Roeg commentary and a heft documentary.