Monterey Pop (1968)

100% of critics liked it
(16 reviews)
88% of users liked it
(1,897 ratings)

New York City, in the fall of 1966, Alan Pariser had an idea for the greatest concert in the history of rock and roll. As a counter-concert to the annual Monterey Jazz Festival, Pariser, an L.A. scene maker and sometime concert promoter, along with John Philips (leader of the Mamas and the Papas)… More New York City, in the fall of 1966, Alan Pariser had an idea for the greatest concert in the history of rock and roll. As a counter-concert to the annual Monterey Jazz Festival, Pariser, an L.A. scene maker and sometime concert promoter, along with John Philips (leader of the Mamas and the Papas) and Lou Adler (the president of Dunhill Records), drummed up the idea of a concert unlike any other. With a banner declaring it a, celebration of music, love and flowers, the forerunner to Woodstock was born. Like Woodstock, Monterey Pop was devised as a non-profit event, complete with a board of goverors that included Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Donovan, Brian Wilson and Smokey Robinson. For the first time, pop stars themselves were involved in the organization of a rock event. As a result, some of the biggest names in rock and roll were gladly on hand for the concert: the Grateful Dead, the Mamas and the Papas, Jefferson Airplane, Booker T. and the MGs, to name a few...

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Directed By: D.A. Pennebaker, Chris Hegedus
Genres: Documentary, Drama, Musical & Performing Arts

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1968 Wide
Studio: Criterion Collection

Critic Reviews

Renata Adler, New York Times
It is possible that the way to a new kind of musical -- using some of the talent and energy of what is still the most lively contemporary medium -- may begin with just this kind of musical performance documentary.
Don Druker, Chicago Reader
The film possesses a quality of nostalgia beyond the fact that it was made way back in 1967.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
Plays today like a dry run for 1970's Woodstock and Gimme Shelter, without the epic scope of the former or the Dionysian drama of the latter.
Sean Axmaker, Seanax.com
... a concert film as a cinema vérité documentary, a little shaggy, a little low-fi, up close and intimate and very much in tune with the audience basking in the joy of the music...
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
D.A. Pennebaker's great concert film.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Film Threat
Next to Woodstock, this is an excellent glimpse into the sixties and the musical experience, with great performances from rock legends.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
From that mix of cultural revolution, undeniable talent, and stage-managed hype came Monterey Pop, the first in a cycle of widely-released, mass-audience 'rockumentaries.'
Mark Bourne, DVDJournal.com
...a beatific 79-minute document that set out to catch the look, the feel, and especially the sounds of a seminal moment in American popular culture.
Mark Bourne, DVDJournal.com
Pennebaker himself supervised this disc's beautiful restoration and remastering.... The audio is, of course, absolutely vital, and it's a stunner....
Thomas Delapa, Boulder Weekly
Woodstock is more famous, Altamont more notorious, but the June 1967 Monterey Pop Festival was the first great coming together of the tribes of the rock 'n' roll generation.
Scott Weinberg, Apollo Guide
The historical festival is forever young on DVD, and the format allows for tons of archival footage... and what's better than new stuff?
Rachel Gordon, Filmcritic.com
an affectionate glimpse of the music that influenced our parents to be hippies

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MJS M

This film documents the titular music festival that was said to be a precursor to Woodstock. Such claims of inspiration seem a bit dubious as this was clearly a much more modest endeavor than that legendary 1969 concert. This festival was not done on a giant stage in front of… More
This film documents the titular music festival that was said to be a precursor to Woodstock. Such claims of inspiration seem a bit dubious as this was clearly a much more modest endeavor than that legendary 1969 concert. This festival was not done on a giant stage in front of millions of mud covered hippies. Rather, this seemed to have occurred in a variety of indoor venues over a couple of days. Similarly, the documentary of this isn?t nearly as wide in scope as the Woodstock documentary. There is not much documentation of the crowds or the scene, this is strictly interested in filming musical performances, what?s more, each act only gets one song for the most part. So basically we get a handful of high energy performances by some great musicians, but as a film it?s not all that special.

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Monterey Pop (1968)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

MJS M

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