Grateful Dawg (2001)
Runtime: 81 mins
Theatrical Release: Oct 5, 2001 Limited
Synopsis: GRATEFUL DAWG is an illuminating documentary that shows an entirely different side to Grateful Dead leader Jerry Garcia. In the early 1960s, Garcia met bluegrass mandolin musician David Grisman, and their mutual love of Bill Monroe's music led them to form Old & In the Way, which released its... GRATEFUL DAWG is an illuminating documentary that shows an entirely different side to Grateful Dead leader Jerry Garcia. In the early 1960s, Garcia met bluegrass mandolin musician David Grisman, and their mutual love of Bill Monroe's music led them to form Old & In the Way, which released its first album in 1973. Their collaboration loosened up Grisman and tightened up Garcia, resulting in excellent records and a lasting friendship that is revealed here in fascinating detail. (They even end up looking somewhat alike.) After spending thirteen years doing other projects, they reunited and eventually played a Christmas concert at Sweetwater on December 18, 1990. They also played together a year later, at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco on December 17. Never-before-seen footage from these two shows dominates the film, and includes full-length versions of the Jimmy Cliff song "Sittin' in Limbo," the sea shanty "Off to Sea Once More," their own "Dawg's Waltz," the Dead's "Friend of the Devil," and the classic seventeen-minute jam "Arabia." There is also footage of them in the studio recording the playful old children's ditty "Jenny Jenkins" for the NOT FOR KIDS ONLY album. But the true star of this documentary is the unseen Gillian Grisman, David's daughter, who set up a camera whenever Jerry would visit, capturing David and Jerry's wonderful interplay in the living room or in the studio, a relaxed and happy Jerry just enjoying himself, with none of the pressures of having to live up to being the much-worshiped Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. At the end of the film, when David, his family, and the other members of the band talk about Jerry's death, it is hard not to get choked up. [More]
Genre: Musical & Performing Arts
Starring: Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Joe Craven, Jim Kerwin, Vassar Clements
DVD Info
Release:
Feb 5, 2002
DVD Features:
- Region 1
- Keep Case
- Full Frame
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Additional Release Material:
- Trailers
- Outtakes
- Music Video
- Additional Performances
Interactive Features:
- Interactive Menus
- Scene Selection
Text/Photo Galleries:
- Director's Production Notes
- Discography
DVD-Rom Features:
- Web Link
Buy It On DVD
Reviews
A multilayered documentary that explores music and friendship, and in its own quiet way, the battle with fame.
It's a laid-back musical documentary featuring the lead guitarist and singer for the Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia, and his friend, mandolin virtuoso, David Grisman.
[W]hen your subject is as interesting as this, and when the music your camera catches is this lively and toe-tapping, you don't exactly have to be a brilliant or innovative filmmaker.
If you hadn't guessed already, this is a movie about the deep-reaching allure of roots music. However, the very fact that it's about the roots music performed by these two unlikely collaborators makes it something more.
To hear these guys perform Off To Sea Once More, Friend Of The Devil, Sitting Here In Limbo and several other tunes is worth the price of admission.
Gillian Grisman ... had the smarts to take what are essentially home movies of jam sessions and intersperse them with footage from concert appearances and interviews ...
It's up to Grisman and his family and colleagues to speak for [Garcia]; unfortunately, their comments aren't very illuminating.
A rough, unsophisticated but ultimately endearing look at another side of Jerry Garcia.
A pretty watchable documentary, one that will obviously be of interest to music lovers.
If you come to Grateful Dawg to hear a lot of wonderful music, you'll walk away satisfied.


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