Pink Floyd:Live at Pompeii DVD

It struck me how the Deftones' "Minerva" (along with older vids by the Beastie Boys and the Cure) pay homage to the "Live at Pompeii" scenario.

Too many shots of the band having lunch, though. Roger Waters seems to always have a mouth full of food.

How does he find time to eat when he's always kissing his own ass?

Around the OK Computer era, Jonny Greenwood made everyone in Radiohead watch Pink Floyd At Pompeii and told them that this was how they should make videos. With that in mind, when I did get around to buying the video, I could never stop cracking up at Roger Waters pounding the crap out of that gong while Dave Gilmour sits on the ground playing slide guitar.

Must say that this is my favourite era of Pink Floyd. I've got a superb bootleg of them doing 'Atom Heart Mother' in its entirety. They spin rather slight songs like 'Embryo', 'Fat Old Sun' and 'Cymbaline' into total drone-rock epics.

Something circa Disintegration if I remember correctly (although it might've been from Wish now that I think of it). Same sort've camer-on-a-dolly shot while the band plays outside, surrounded by their stacks of stuff (only the Cure seem to augment the set with palm trees). Ring any bells?

Yeah, that is a bit of a ridiculous segment, especially the look on Waters' face. They're a bit more jolly in their interviews than I expected. There's a sad bit where Nick Mason (who sports some outrageous tonsorial styles throughout the film) attests that they're more than just musical collaborators, but they're actually friends and whatnot(it would not last, Nick). Rick Wright, however, tellingly suggests early signs of disunity. Hard to believe Gimlour turned into such a fat, boorish lout when he comes across as such an affable, stubbly coolster throughout Pompeii. Waters was, is and invariably always shall be a pompous jack officer.

Isn't that the "Pictures of You" video? I remember fake palm trees and fake snow, but not stacks. The same overall feel as Pompeii, though.

"Fat Old Sun" is awesome. In fact, that whole 2nd side of AHM is great. The title track is shit (esp. live, w/ the crappy tape of the orchestra).

TS: Mike Oldfield's TUBULAR BELLS vs. Pink Floyd's ATOM HEART MOTHER

I dunno: AHM has always been a bit of a snore for me. Convince me otherwise...

Oh lordy, doubt I can do that. I'm not saying it's a towering achievment or anything, but I do enjoy it. Bloated and over-ambitious? Surely, but I love the main melodic theme, and the different phases all have that great late 60's/early 70's vibe....y'know the kind I mean....a sort've mysterious sound (see also the mellotron in "Changes" by Black Sabbath, King Crimson's "I Talk to the Wind", lots of Nick Drake's work and Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells) and the sort've misty British feeling that can be found in Antonioni's "Blow-Up", "The Wicker Man" and "Don't Look Now". Listening to it, I conjure images of strolling through a London park when I suddenly happen upon a truckload of annoying mimes who insist on feigning an imaginary game of jai lai whilst I chase a midget in a red raincoat. Or something.

I like Pink Floyd Live At Pompeii. But I urge readers to avoid the director's cut in favour of the original version that appears as a bonus feature, as the director's cut has loads of stupid footage of rockets taking off and not enough Pompeii action.

Was on telly t' other night. Nick Mason gets far more screen time than anyone else in the (mistaken) belief, but one that seemed to be prevalent in the 60s and 70s, that it's more interesting watching people play drums than keyboards or guitar

i saw this at a cinema in san francisco ca. 1990.. the volume was turned up to 100000 and there was much spliffage. i was TOTALLY blown away.

Nick Mason gets far more screen time than anyone else in the (mistaken) belief, but one that seemed to be prevalent in the 60s and 70s, that it's more interesting watching people play drums than keyboards or guitar

Reminds me of the BBC footage of the 2005 Live 8 reunion. There are so few shots of Wright that I'm convinced the director had no clue that he was an actual member of the band rather than a session musician.

The Nick Mason getting more coverage thing - it's partly because drumming looks a lot more dynamic than playing guitar, but the film makers may have decided that he was the last unattractive member of the band.

It would be really great if at actual Pompeii they blasted out the music from the film on loudspeakers.

never seen this before, but taped it off bbc4 last week, and watching it now. not what i was expecting at all.
i stupidly thought it was a live concert ... its fantastic....

The Director's Cut is gash

no idea which version i just watched - but fact is, i am now tempted to pick up some pre DSOTM material.

really enjoyed it ..

I remember it being verrrry loooooong....

But then again, it's like Wagon Wheels seemed very big when you were a kid.

the broadcast version last week was a mere 60 minutes long.
edited down i guess ?

Apparently not.

The Nick Mason getting more coverage thing - it's partly because drumming looks a lot more dynamic than playing guitar, but the film makers may have decided that he was the last unattractive member of the band.

If memory serves, the reason why you only see Mason during "One Of These Days" is that the director lost all the other camera footage somewhere between Pompeii and the editing studio.

I heart this movie so much. The opening zoom at the beginning of "Echoes" is like Kubrick deciding to make a music video.

but the film makers may have decided that he was the last unattractive member of the band

But he (N. Mason) is probably the least attractive member of the band ... if Rog. Waters' alleged attractiveness to the opposite sex is true

I have talked to some women, and they do not believe in this Roger Waters attractiveness to them.

I find Waters unattractive, but the original cut of this is classic with many capital c's.

fuck.. i so loved this video as a teenager..

perhaps i should watch it again..

really love that they finally released this as a cd on the early years box set. pretty much the perfect pink floyd document even without the visuals

My friend had a bootleg VHS of this in high school or just after (90-91?).

Finally getting new version of Pompeii, new mix by Steven Wilson!

Pink Floyd at Pompeii - MCMLXXII, the groundbreaking 1972 film directed by Adrian Maben. Digitally re-mastered from the original 35mm footage, with enhanced audio newly mixed by Steven Wilson. Set in the hauntingly beautiful ruins of the ancient Roman Amphitheatre in Pompeii, Italy, this unique film captures Pink Floyd performing an intimate concert with additional rare behind-the-scenes footage of the band beginning work on The Dark Side of the Moon at Abbey Road Studios. The accompanying album release will see the performance presented on vinyl for the first time. The 2025 remix by Steven Wilson is newly available on 2xCD, 2xLP, Bluray and DVD.

!

I just did several imaginary cartwheels in my office.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Bpyta8vOs

Joy!

Track listing for the 2CD version (available from the band's webstore):

CD1
1. Pompeii Intro
2. Echoes Part 1
3. Careful With That Axe, Eugene
4. A Saucerful of Secrets
5. One of These Days
6. Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
7. Mademoiselle Nobs
8. Echoes Part 2

CD2
1. Careful With that Axe, Eugene - Alternate Take
2. A Saucerful of Secrets - Unedited

Surprised they're leaving Echoes as 2 split halves. The Pompeii CD in the Early Years 1972 set combines them into 1 track.

You buried the lede, there's going to be cinema run including several in IMAX!
https://www.brain-damage.co.uk/latest/pink-floyd-at-pompeii-mcmlxxii-blu-ray-dvd-2cd-2lp-and-cinema-screenings-annou.html

I didn't see that part, no intent to bury!

hmmm the 2016 mix has Echoes combined and that's my preferred way of hearing it. I guess this new one has Mademoiselle Nobs and b-sides though.

Surprised they're leaving Echoes as 2 split halves.

One of these days they're going to cut it into little pieces

I was just reading elsewhere that they apparently recorded "Echoes" in two different parts for this, so technically leaving them split is actually the "unedited" version. I didn't know that (or maybe it isn't true!).

In the film itself the first part comes to a full stop instead of crossfading into the ambient interlude like on Meddle, it seems like an artistic decision rather than a concession.

Makes sense! I just never realized they'd recorded them separately.

I wonder if the Science Museum in London, or the BFI IMAX will show it. I went off to see Their Mortal Remains a while back, and there was a big crowd around the monitor showing the funky bit from "Echoes" because that bit rocks. And funks. It funk-rocks. It's also strange to see Pink Floyd as a bunch of toned sex gods, and also to see Roger Waters not being angry.

I remember the exhibition also had some 35mm footage of The Wall, and a clip for "Jugband Blues". I wonder if they will be remastered as well. Apparently they didn't record a whole Wall concert, only some clips that were going to be put into The Wall, which is a shame because the film quality was really good. The promo for "Jugband Blues" is striking:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMOynjuAPvM

I remember buying the DVD version and being agast at what they'd done to it with the CGI. Even then, it seemed more like artistic vandalism that would be more at home in the 80s/early 90s. Mad that it's taken 20 years to supposedly fully revisit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFHJBhWnXtk

New trailer. When this runs in IMAX there HAS to be a midnight showing. It's a requirement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpFK9JCT8PU

I really hope I can make an IMAX showing work, dream show in that setting.

Got my imax tix, I am beyond stoked. The 4k trailer looks sensational.

(I think that's the first time I've ever typed "stoked", but it feels apropos)

Ha, it does! Rare bit of good news.

just bought a ticket for imax screening - never seen an imax film before! this can be The One

Got my IMAX tickets too. Beyond stoked!

This is also playing at the IMAX on Leicester Square on 24 April 2025, in jolly olde London. I'm tempted to go!
https://www.imax.com/en/gb/movie/pink-floyd-at-pompeii-mcmlxxii

If only it was on at the Science Museum. Because it's Pink Floyd. Science!

Oh man, I didn't realize just how limited the IMAX run was, not sure if I'm going to be able to catch one. Maybe it'll change, but so far it looks like all of the IMAX theaters around here have just the one showing on a Thursday evening and one on Sunday early afternoon.

This film was a late night staple at the repertory cinema when I was a young’un. Would love to revisit it in IMAX splendor but I can’t make either of the two showings here.

Your chance to ask Pink Floyd's Nick Mason about Pompeii

It's also on at the BFI IMAX as well. A preview screening on 17 April with Nick Mason has sold out, and so has a showing on 27 April, but there are a surprising amount of tickets available on 26 April.

Perhaps people just don't want to see Pink Floyd on a Saturday. I don't know. Unfortunately it's at 10:30, so I'd miss the last train.

No, hang on. The times are 24h. So it's 10:30 in the morning. Why did I look this up? Because the BFI has a "Film on Film" programme in June where they screen a bunch of film prints, including an original print of Star Wars, presumably the 1977 version where it was just called Star Wars. It appears to have been restored from the archival print that the BFI was given back in 1977. And there's a screening of the pilot of Twin Peaks with Kyle McLachlan in attendance. And 2001 on the IMAX screen.

Plus some material from Stanley Kubrick's home collection, including eighteen hours of Stanley Kubrick compulsively ordering Shelley Duvall to repeat take after take after take until she bursts into tears! Probably.

This was incredible in imax. Nick Mason rules!