The Song Remains the Same (1976)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Directors:

Peter Clifton
Joe Massot

Release Date:

20 October 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | Music

Tagline:

In Concert And Beyond

Plot:

A Led Zeppelin concert filmed in Madison Square Garden, New York.

Plot Keywords:

Band | Concert | Theft | Psychedelic | Microphone

Cast

John Bonham	...	Himself - Drummer (as Led Zeppelin)
John Paul Jones	...	Himself - Bassist & Keyboardist (as Led Zeppelin)
Jimmy Page	...	Himself - Guitarist (as Led Zeppelin)
Robert Plant	...	Himself - Lead Singer (as Led Zeppelin)
Peter Grant	...	Himself - Band Manager
Richard Cole	...	Himself
Derek Skilton	...	Himself
Colin Rigdon	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jason Bonham	...	Himself (uncredited)
Patricia Bonham	...	Herself (uncredited)
Roy Harper	...	Himself (uncredited)
Carmen Plant	...	Herself (uncredited)
Karac Plant	...	Himself (uncredited)
Maureen Plant	...	Herself (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Clifton
Joe Massot

Produced by
Peter Grant	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Ernest Day		(director of photography) (as Ernie Day)
Phil Parmet		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Humphrey Dixon

Makeup Department
Colin Arthur	....	makeup effects artist
Jim Gillespie	....	key makeup artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Lundsten	....	sound recordist
Jimmy Page	....	sound producer
Jimmy Page	....	sound supervisor

Special Effects by
Ian Knight	....	special effects consultant
Kirby Wyatt	....	special effects consultant

Camera and Electrical Department
Keith Blake	....	focus puller
Ian Knight	....	lighting consultant
Kirby Wyatt	....	lighting consultant

Editorial Department
Peter Clifton	....	director of editing

Music Department
Eddie Kramer	....	music engineer: live performances
Jimmy Page	....	music mixer: live performances

Other crew
Richard Cole	....	tour manager: Led Zeppelin
Brian Condliffe	....	personal technician: Led Zeppelin
Renée Glynne	....	continuity
Mick Hinton	....	personal technician: Led Zeppelin
Benji Le Fevre	....	personal technician: Led Zeppelin
Ray Thomas	....	personal technician: Led Zeppelin
Steven Weiss	....	shoot trouble

Production Companies

• Swan Song

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1976) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• D&E Entertainment (2007) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1977) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Sandrews (2000) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2007) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Camera Effects (special effects) (as Shelly of Camera Effects)

Other Companies

• Cirrus Productions  main titles design
• Electric Lady Studios  music mixing: live performances
• Showco  concert lighting (as Showco, Inc. Dallas)

Also Known As:

Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same (UK)

Runtime:

137 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor) | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (magnetic prints) | Dolby (optical prints)

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Australia:PG | Netherlands:AL (DVD rating) | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:PG | Finland:K-8 (cut) | Finland:K-12

Filming Locations:

Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden - 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Swan Song

Trivia:

Entirely financed by the band.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the sequence where Peter Grant, the band's manager, is pretending to be a 30s gangster, two different vintage cars are used in the same sequence. This is most visible by looking at the hood ornaments.

Quotes:

Himself - Lead Singer: [prior to singing "Stairway to Heaven"] I think this is a song of hope.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)

Soundtrack:

Rock & Roll

The Best

The film must not be judged with today's yardstick. We must appreciate that first of all The Song Remains The Same was probably never meant to be a film but a visual of what a Led Zeppelin concert was all about and even more probably meant for their musical fans and others interested in rock music. I've seen this film several times when I was still a young school boy. By then I was already familiar with the Music and the many variations of the main scores which Led Zeppelin were already renowned for.

I disagree with your correspondent who judged the band by virtue of this film and stated that Led Zeppelin is the most over rated band. There are many musicians I don't mind calling geniuses such as Mike Oldfield, Queen, Beatles, Pink Floyd etc. But certainly Led Zeppelin deserve to be at the top of the list with songs such as Kashmir, Heartbreaker, Black Dog, Stairway to Heaven, Dazed and Confused, In the Light, Whole Lotta Love, Battle of Evermore and my all time favourite Since I've been Loving You.

My advice - before seeing the film become familiar with the great songs.