LIVE AT POMPEII

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The "Live At Pompeii" version that has the band's blessing

Before the 2003 issue of the "Director's Cut" version of the movie, there was the original VHS video release in 1981. This is the version that was as Pink Floyd intended us to see it, free from "unauthorised" additions by director Adrian Maben.

The music in this video is a great look at Pink Floyd as the band is coming into its heyday, with the "Dark Side Of The Moon" album just around the corner. (As a side note, DSOTM had been released several years earlier when I first saw the original "Live At Pompeii" movie in the mid-70's, so at that time I was expecting a totally different film, but what I saw blew me away as I had not discovered the pre-DSOTM Floyd at that time.)

The atmosphere of this concert is perfect - no audience, just the band totally focussed on laying down the music in a live-in-the-studio style in a majestic and mysterious ancient amphitheatre instead of the studio. The Pompeii version of 'Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun' is my all-time favourite Pink Floyd track; The brilliant 'Echoes' split into two parts for this movie, are the perfect opening and closing numbers with Richard Wright excelling on keys. I believe that each of the songs-proper from this movie are superb explorations of Pink Floyd's work, even the blues tinged, dog howling 'Mademoiselle Nobs'.

For "Live At Pompeii" Pink Floyd are totally on song, cohesive and at their brilliant best. For me this version of the "Live At Pompeii" concert is an essential masterpiece. Five stars from the Dinosaur!

Sidenote: with newly updated cover that I've just updated (to bigger resolution), reviewing this seems like more pleasant job to do. Dunno why, it just is like that.

I don't own original VHS, nor my father. Still, he presented this (with interviews version) to me many times in my life. Situation today, when we arrive to his place few times a year, we bring gifts (computer and game Heroes of Might & Magic II.). He inserts video cassette with Pompeii and we're together, talking, smiling and having a good time - what else when this great music (and performance) is currently on. Also, it's great mean how to relax before going to bed (let's say I know that I'll last one hour, so I'll have some tracks from this). I think that this version is only one that was aired on our local TV (back in times when it was still airing good things). I'll describe tracks in other dvd (the one "without"), just will mention few things from here: Interviews seems funny and quite good. Things that they're talking about are even quite a classic for my ears. Not talking much (they're eating a lot, father told me that it can be caused by drugs, but who knows for sure, but wait a minute here, when you're heavy drinker, you'll become fat ... but when you're on drugs, you're generally get thin, right ? even some of them can get you fat. It's confusing). Studio music takes are quite important, as for many years, it was my only source of peer view to these events. And I have to say that Gilmour's guitar playing to "Brain Damage" is pure gold (sadly, it's not in final version of the song).

5(-), despite worse quality, it's worth of attention, if only as historical monument. After all, all important things are here.