The Song Remains the Same (1976)

Directors:

Peter Clifton
Joe Massot

Writer:

Peter Clifton (writer)

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:

Led Zeppelin | Band | Castle | 1970s | New York City

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:
Led Zeppelin
Jason Bonham	...	Himself (uncredited)
Mick Bonham	...	Himself (uncredited)
Patricia Bonham	...	Herself (uncredited)
Gloria Grant	...	Herself (uncredited)
Roy Harper	...	Himself (uncredited)
Jacinda Jones	...	Herself (uncredited)
Maureen Jones	...	Herself (uncredited)
Tamara Jones	...	Herself (uncredited)
Charlotte Martin	...	Herself (uncredited)
Claire Massot	...	Maiden on horseback with sword (uncredited)
Scarlet Page	...	Herself (uncredited)
Virginia Parker	...	Castle maiden (uncredited)
Carmen Plant	...	Herself (uncredited)
Karac Plant	...	Himself (uncredited)
Maureen Plant	...	Herself (uncredited)
Steven Weiss	...	Himself (uncredited)
Shirley Wilson	...	Herself (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Clifton
Joe Massot

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Peter Clifton		writer

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
Garth Marshall	....	production sound
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 (1976) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1977) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2000) (Sweden) (DVD)
• D&E Entertainment (2007) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2007) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Vision Australia (2007) (Australia) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. / Columbia Pictures (1977) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1977) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Kielipalvelu (1991) (Finland) (VHS)
• Musiikki Fazer (1993) (Finland) (VHS)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2000) (Finland) (DVD) (1-disc edition)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland (2007) (Finland) (DVD) (2-disc edition)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Germany) (DVD) (HD DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1980s) (Finland) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• YLE Teema (2008) (Finland) (TV)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1996) (2008) (Finland) (TV)

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:

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) | 4-Track Stereo (with Dolby noise reduction) | Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Netherlands:AL (DVD rating) | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:PG | Finland:K-8 (heavily cut) (1977) | Finland:K-12 (uncut) (1991) | Singapore:PG | Australia:M (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Swan Song

Trivia:

In a scene, manager Peter Grant uses the words 'fuck' and 'cunt' eighteen times combined. Warner Bros. approved the film on the proviso that these words be 'bleeped' out. Peter Clifton took the optical print and bleeped the words. However, on every other print the words were retained and were fully audible.

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:

Featured in "London Calling: Master of Puppets (#1.4)" (2012)

Soundtrack:

The Song Remains The Same

The Greatest Band Ever

I'd feel guilty if I didn't give this film a 10. Just call me prejudice due to my love of the band. The live performance is actually a very good one. Led Zeppelin wasn't always known to be the best live band ever but in my experiences in listening to numerous bootlegs that are circulated so much, this movie performance is very good. The fantasy sequences, though maybe a little cheesy, represent the deep minds of in my opinion, the greatest band ever.