Thousands of years ago, the Pompeii Amphitheatre would have been packed with fans watching gladiators in battle. But in 1971, a little old band from little old England situated themselves in the center of the overgrown and cracked concrete seating with only a camera dolly track and a limited number of film and audio crew scattered about. As the camera creeps in from above at a glacial pace, the band eases into the opening notes of Echoes, Part 1, eventually landing on the stage equipment that's starting to collect dust from the sandy ground. As the band crashes into a faster pace, the camera follows, intercutting the larger than life architecture and geography of the space - evoking the feeling of a time so far gone it feels insurmountable.

 

If you haven’t picked up on it by now, Pink Floyd at Pompeii – MCMLXXII is far more of a vibe than a performance. It dances the line between live concert, documentary, and art film. Somehow pretty successfully blending them all together. Creative camera angles and long shots feel as if you were walking around the stage. The sparse crew, lack of an audience, and effortless performance from the band make it feel almost like you’ve stumbled upon something you shouldn’t have. It’s a voyeuristic feeling of sacredness that doesn’t apply to most concert films. Then as suddenly as it started, we cut to studio footage of Pink Floyd writing and recording what would be their most famous album, which felt even more intimate. Being 50+ years from the original release, the gloriously restored early 70s footage only adds to the feeling that you’ve stumbled upon something sacred from a time long past. Somewhere in there is a peacefulness. It's relaxing even in its hardest musical moments. 

 

This was my first experience with the film, and I have to say the restoration does justice to how something like this deserves to be experienced. I highly urge not only Pink Floyd fans, but those who love musical documentaries, vintage restorations, or all you IMAX fans out there. You can feast your eyes and ears now in theaters, only in IMAX!