August 6, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I & III • Page 35 Woodstock: Revisiting a landmark event after 40 years by Dennis Seuling “Woodstock: Three Days of Peace and Music” (Warner Home Video) comes to Blu-ray in a 40th Anniversary Edition filled with bonuses. This three-disc release contains the four-hour Director’s Cut of the Oscar-winning documentary about the landmark music event that featured some of the greatest rock performers of the period. The Woodstock Music & Art Fair was held on Max Yasgur’s farm in Bethel, New York on a rain-soaked weekend in August 1969. Half a million people came by car, truck, and even helicopter. Most ended up trekking beyond the impassable traffic jam to what turned out to be the most famous contemporary music festival in history, an event later hailed by “Rolling Stone” magazine as one of the “50 Moments That Changed the History of Rock ’n’ Roll.” Thirty-two acts appeared, including Jef- ferson Airplane, Joan Baez, Melanie, Santana, Sha Na Na, The Who, Canned Heat, Joe Cocker, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, Richie Havens, John Sebastian, Sly and The Family Stone, and Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Among the extras is “Woodstock: Untold Stories,” which con- tains over two hours of additional musical performances by artists including Paul But- terfield, Johnny Winter, Mountain, and The Grateful Dead. The picture quality is amazing con- sidering the original footage was shot on 16-millimeter film with a wide array of lighting situations since the concert contin- ued day and night no matter the weather. Some shots were very dark, others grainy, and still others bright and crisp. Assorted aspect ratios were used to allow split- and triple-screen images. Warner has done a great job restoring the footage to give the picture a uniformly high visual quality and has taken pains to convert the original eight-track source material to Dolby True HD and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. The experience is like being in the midst of the music. Bonuses also include “Woodstock: From Festival to Feature,” which contains inter- views of those who were at the festival, including concert-goers, promoters, crew, and musicians. Also included are an iron- on Woodstock patch, a reproduction of an Aug. 29, 1969 excerpt from “Life” maga- zine, and reproductions of 1969 newspaper clippings about the festival. “A Trip to Bountiful” (Lionsgate) stars Cicely Tyson in a recreation of her Broad- way role of Carrie Watts, who grudgingly lives with her busy, overprotective son, Ludie (Blair Underwood), and pretentious daughter-in-law, Jessie Mae (Vanessa Wil- liams). Unable to drive and forbidden to travel alone, she begs Ludie to take her on The original poster advertising ‘Woodstock: Three Days of Peace & Music.’ a visit to her hometown of Bountiful. When he refuses, Carrie escapes to the local bus station and embarks on a nostalgic journey. Featuring the same cast that appeared on Broadway, “A Trip to Bountiful” is an out- standing star turn for Tyson and a touching character study. The cast is first-rate, but Tyson effortlessly shoulders the dramatic weight of the film. She communicates not only through her dialogue, but also via her expressive face. This performer brings a lifetime worth of acting know-how to a showcase role. Williams plays a materialistic woman whose values are morally shallow. She finds Carrie a burden and an intrusion into her life with Ludie. Underwood never really inhabits the character of Ludie, and looks more like a 1940s fashion model than a stressed man torn between the needs of two strong-willed women. This film is a “must see” for Tyson’s rich, textured performance. There are no bonuses on the widescreen DVD release. “The Big Chill” (The Criterion Collec- tion) might be the definitive film portraying baby boomer angst. After the shocking sui- cide of their friend, several 30-somethings reunite for his funeral and end up spending the weekend together, reminiscing about their shared past and confronting the uncer- tainty of their lives. They have discovered that not everything they wanted is possible. Their goals have shifted, sometimes seismically, and reality has replaced the idealism of their younger days. Director Lawrence Kasdan presents a multiple character study in a decidedly non- cinematic movie. There is a lot of talking (continued on Crossword page)