This is a film that helped me really get into Grateful Dead - I already owned a couple of albums, but hadn't quite figured out what all the fuss was about, although 'Skull and Roses' was just about starting to come together for me. The key thing is that this is very human in the way the relate the way they arrived at 'American Beauty'. Robert Hunter and Phil Lesh are particularly articulate in the way they describe the development of the record. The only member of the band who didn't contribute to the film was Bill Kreutzmann, and that's his business.
When I first saw this, broadcast on the BBC as part of their 'Classic Albums' series, it was stated that this was Garcia's last television interview. I don't know if this is true, but it must be one of the last. Whatever your own reaction to 'American Beauty' - it can elicit tears and smiles from me - Jerry Garcia has a permanent wry smile when talking about it on this film. Ever the joker.