taking woodstock

no.174 Taking Woodstock

Ang Lee has a wide array of topics he's directed. The Hulk, wuxia, Jane Austin and our very own Woodstock Generation, from the perspective of the locals who's town was overrun by the youth of 69. I thought this perspective was very unique and spoke about the growth and understanding of those old folks involved. Most striking in the screen play was the dynamic of Eliot's family. Other people are coming up to Eliot sharing stories about his parents, their generosity, all actions that seem to blow Eliot's mind because they are actions he would never attribute to him mother or father. It's about being closed off and how the mass has opened them. From Eliot's closet homosexuality to his mother's hidden cash trove and the father that can't help but love her, no matter how messed up she is.

I'm glad he didn't focus on the music, it didn't even play into the film, other than the joke that people really wanted to see Bob Dylan. Running the mud slides and an interesting acid trip were more important that hanging back stage. I found it very ironic that they chose to play a Doors song very prominently when they weren't even invited to the festival ;)

As for me? When I was a teenager, my dad always told me I was born into the wrong generation, that I should have been a kid screaming my head off in Shea Stadium with the Beatles, that I should have been at Woodstock. I went to the 25 anniversary as an audience member, our tent ended up being in the middle of a puddle from the rain and we had to wring out our sleeping bags the next morning. I smoked too much pot that was laced and really tripped my balls off. The 30 anniversary, I was lucky enough to have been a professional. I had a blast getting bands to my stage, making them happy, playing a little hostess shuttling their people around to great secret locations to view the stage. Until the fires, then we were scared like hell.

Who are we if we have no story to tell??