Creating Woodstock

For three days in August 1969, nearly a half-million children descended upon Max Yasgur’s farm in upstate ny for the rock ‘n’ roll event that defined a generation. Mythologized for 50 years, the filmmakers set the record straight with “Creating Woodstock,” the foremost comprehensive examination of how the festival came to be using original interviews with key figures, rare archival footage and unearthed photographs. The founders of Woodstock Ventures–John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, Michael Lang, and Artie Kornfeld-along with the simplest production talent on either coast, including John Morris, Bill Belmont, Mel Lawrence, and Chip Monck recall moments from the initial idea for the festival, to the look for an appropriate site then the race to create a venue, promote the event and, most significantly , book the bands. determine why the Grateful Dead wanted a “do over” and Crosby, Stills and Nash weren’t getting to show up, why The Who refused to play and Hendrix almost didn’t make it, and the way it became a free concert. Richie Havens, Arlo Guthrie, and Leslie West recount their experiences, including working on a stage that almost collapsed, and find out how a 15-year-old girl may have saved the festival from being pack up entirely. tt10161666