Message to Love: The Isle of Wight Festival (1997)

Director:

Murray Lerner

Writer:

Murray Lerner

Release Date:

21 February 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | History | Music

Plot:

In August 1970 600,000 fans flocked to the Isle of Wight to witness the third and final festival to be held on the island...

Plot Keywords:

Isle Of Wight | Performance | Island | 1970s | England

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Ian Anderson	...	Himself (Jethro Tull)
Joan Baez	...	Herself
Martin Barre	...	Himself (Lead guitarist, Jethro Tull)
John Bonham	...	Himself
Clive Bunker	...	Himself (Drummer, Jethro Tull)
Chick Churchill	...	Himself (Ten Years After)
Leonard Cohen	...	Himself
Billy Cox	...	Himself (Jimi Hendrix's Bassist)
Roger Daltrey	...	Himself (The Who)
Miles Davis	...	Himself
John Densmore	...	Himself (The Doors)
Donovan	...	Himself
The Doors	...	Themselves
Graeme Edge	...	Himself (The Moody Blues)
Emerson Lake and Palmer	...	Themselves
Keith Emerson	...	Himself (Emerson, Lake and Palmer)
John Entwistle	...	Himself (The Who)
Ricki Farr	...	Himself - Master of Ceremonies
Andy Fraser	...	Himself (Free)
Free	...	Themselves
Rory Gallagher	...	Himself (Lead guitarist, Taste)
Justin Hayward	...	Himself (The Moody Blues)
Jimi Hendrix	...	Himself
Jethro Tull	...	Themselves
Simon Kirke	...	Himself (Free)
Paul Kossoff	...	Himself (Free)
Robby Krieger	...	Himself (The Doors)
Kris Kristofferson	...	Himself
Greg Lake	...	Himself (Emerson, Lake and Palmer)
Alvin Lee	...	Himself (Ten Years After)
Ric Lee	...	Himself (Ten Years After)
John Lodge	...	Himself (The Moody Blues)
Leo Lyons	...	Himself (Ten Years After)
Ray Manzarek	...	Himself (The Doors)
Richard McCracken	...	Himself (Bass, Taste).
Joni Mitchell	...	Herself
Mitch Mitchell	...	Himself (Jimi Hendrix's Drummer)
The Moody Blues	...	Themselves
Keith Moon	...	Himself (The Who)
Jim Morrison	...	Himself (The Doors)
Carl Palmer	...	Himself (Emerson, Lake and Palmer)
Mike Pinder	...	Himself (The Moody Blues)
Paul Rodgers	...	Himself (Free)
John Sebastian	...	Himself
Taste	...	Themselves
Ray Thomas	...	Himself (The Moody Blues)
Tiny Tim	...	Himself
Pete Townshend	...	Himself (The Who)
The Who	...	Themselves
John Wilson	...	Himself (Drummer, Taste)
Ten Years After	...	Themselves

Directed by
Murray Lerner

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Murray Lerner

Produced by
Malcolm Gerrie	....	executive producer: Initial
Geoff Kempin	....	executive producer: Castle Communications
Murray Lerner	....	producer
Avril MacRory	....	executive producer: BBC
Rocky Oldham	....	executive producer: Initial

Film Editing by
Greg Sheldon		(performance sequences)
Stanley Warnow		(as Stan Warnow)
Einar Westerlund

Production Management
Laurie Horsley	....	post-production supervisor (as Lori Horsley)

Sound Department
Greg Bailey	....	sound recordist
Margaret Crimmins	....	supervising sound editor
Rick Dior	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ron Geesin	....	sound recordist
Gareth Haywood	....	sound recordist
Paul Hsu	....	assistant sound editor
Mike Lax	....	sound recordist
Garth Marshall	....	sound recordist
Mike McDuffie	....	sound recordist
Colin Richards	....	sound recordist
Ivan Sharrock	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Branczik	....	assistant camera
Andy Carchrae	....	camera operator
John Davey	....	assistant camera
Jimmy Dibling	....	assistant camera (as Jimmy Dibbling)
Julian Harvey	....	assistant camera
Jack Hazan	....	camera operator
Nicholas D. Knowland	....	camera operator (as Nic Knowland)
Norman G. Langley	....	camera operator (as Norman Langley)
Murray Lerner	....	camera operator
John Metcalfe	....	assistant camera
Peter Rowe	....	assistant camera
Richard Stanley	....	camera operator
Charles Stewart	....	camera operator
Ivan Strasburg	....	assistant camera (as Ivan Strasbourg)
Tic Ticnor	....	assistant camera
John Wellard	....	assistant camera (as John Welland)
Mike Whittaker	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Jennifer Cox	....	apprentice editor
Benjamin Darling	....	assistant editor
Nick Dibeneditto	....	negative matcher (as Nick DiBeneditto)
Noah Lerner	....	assistant editor
Anne McCabe	....	assistant editor
Jay Tilin	....	on-line editor
Vincent Villandi	....	colorist
Jerome Wallin	....	assistant editor (as Jerome M. Wallin)

Other crew
Bill Baldwin	....	consultant: avid (as Billy Baldwin)
Cathy Carapella	....	clearance: Diamond Time
Morton 'Tim' Fry	....	legal affairs
Jeremy Gawade	....	legal affairs
Robert H. Montgomery Jr.	....	legal affairs
Judi O'Brian	....	legal affairs
Judy Richter	....	consultant: avid
Robert Rosenberg	....	program associate

Thanks
Lucas Church	....	special thanks
Alan Douglas	....	special thanks
Andy Frain	....	special thanks
Donal Gallagher	....	special thanks
Judith Lerner	....	special thanks
Alistair Norbury	....	special thanks
Jenny Pollitt	....	special thanks (as Jenny Pollit)
Mark Polyocan	....	special thanks
Keith Robinson	....	special thanks
Jeff Rosen	....	special thanks
Daihei Shiohama	....	special thanks
Andy Ward	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (for)
• Castle Music Pictures (for)
• Initial Film and Television (in association with)
• Pulsar

Distributors

• BMG Ariola (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Castle Music Pictures
• Sony Wonder (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Strand Releasing

Other Companies

• Amos Records  thanks
• Arm Records  thanks
• Chrysalis Records  thanks
• Columbia Records  "Desolation Row" courtesy of
• Decca Records  thanks
• Diamond Time  clearances (as Diamond Time)
• Diamond Time  music clearances
• Doors Music Company  thanks (as Doors Music Co.)
• EMI Records  thanks
• Island Records  thanks
• Phantasmagoria Productions Inc.  thanks (as Phantasmagoria Prod.)
• Polygram International  thanks
• Sony Music Licensing  "Desolation Row" courtesy of Columbia Records by arrangement with
• Sony Music  thanks (as Sony Music Inc.)
• Trinifold Management Production  thanks (as Trinifold Management)
• Warner Brothers Records  thanks

Also Known As:

"Message of Love: The Isle of Wight Festival: The Movie" - USA (video title)

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Filming Locations:

Isle of Wight, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

This was the first major appearance of Emerson Lake and Palmer.

Quotes:

Bert "The Agent:They claim that it isn't money that they're interested in. Nobody seems to be interested in money, the agents, the artists, you, me, so forth and so on. But to put one of these festivals on everybody's got to be paid. It couldn't be love, 'cause they love money.

Soundtrack:

Young Man Blues

Great rockumentary

This film chronicles the 1970 Isle of Wight Rock Festival from behind and on front of the scenes. Incredible concert footage of Hendrix and Jim Morrison (both of whom died just after the festival) as well as numerous other pop, folk, and rock artists make this film wonderful just as a concert video. Even more revealing, though, is footage of the festival's production and management, including riots, rebellious patrons, break-ins, and mordant commentary on why rock festivals don't happen anymore. Beautifully paced and edited.