THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME (FILM)

I almost turned the disc off waiting for the opening 10-minute 'mob rubout' sequence to finish. Such a beginning to a rock film is really dumb and unnecessary. Then it finally starts. 'Rock and Roll' and 'Black Dog' are the first songs, they sound really awesome and impressive. The complete band is in a finest moment possible. 'Since I've Been Loving You' and 'No Quarter' follow. Slow and epic ballads, typical for the Zeps. The fantasy moments start with 'No Quarter' and already start to grate on my nerves. But the music is so good, so the video doesn't matter. And then it comes. 'Dazed and Confused'.

The first time I watched the footage of this song, I literally started pounding my head against a wall. A 27 minute jam of my favourite LZ song was something I really couldn't digest. And I still can't. While the audio version is great, a video is so stretched out that it seems it will never end. Along with Page's guitar torture.

'Stairway to Heaven' calms the nerves a little bit, and 'Moby Dick' strains them again. But in a good way. See one of the best drummers in hard rock shining on his set is really one of the best parts of this movie. 'Heartbreaker' is here too, but shortened and interscepted with the 'robbery' stuff. Totally useless. 'Whole Lotta Love' finishes the live set, and is also extended with some jamming. Fine stuff, to say the least.

In the end, I don't know what to say. I expected more from the concert footage. But because of the fantasy moments during the songs and the senseless flaws between them, the intensity of this film is quite low.

2.75 stars.