On a beautiful June weekend in 1967, at the beginning of the Summer of Love, the first and only Monterey International Pop Festival roared forward, capturing a decade’s spirit and ushering in a new era of rock and roll.
Monterey featured career-making performances by Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Otis Reading, but they were just a few performers in a diverse line up that included Simon and Garfunkel, The Mamas and the Papas, The Who, The Byrds, Hugh Masekela, and the extraordinary Ravi Shankar.
With his characteristic style—and a camera crew that included the likes of Albert Maysles and Richard Leacock— D. A. Pennebaker (Don’t Look Back) captured it all, immortalizing moments that have become legend: Pete Townshend smashing his guitar, Jimi Hendrix burning his and Mama Cass being blown away by Janis Joplin’s performance.
The Criterion Collection is proud to present the most comprehensive document of the Monterey International Pop Festival ever produced, featuring the films Monterey Pop,Jimi Plays Monterey, and Shake! Otis at Monterey, along with every available complete performance filmed by Pennebaker and his crew.
Extras
New 16-bit 4K digital restoration of Monterey Pop, supervised by director D. A. Pennebaker
Restored high-definition digital transfers of Jimi Plays Monterey and Shake! Otis at Monterey
Alternate soundtracks for all three films featuring 5.1 mixes by legendary recording engineer Eddie Kramer, presented in DTS-HD Master Audio
The Outtake Performances: Two hours of performances not included in Monterey Pop, from the Association, Big Brother and the Holding Company, the Blues Project, the Byrds, Country Joe and the Fish, the Electric Flag, Jefferson Airplane, Al Kooper, the Mamas and the Papas, Laura Nyro, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Simon and Garfunkel, Tiny Tim, and the Who
Audio commentaries by Pennebaker and festival producer Lou Adler, and music critics and historians Charles Shaar Murray and Peter Guralnick
New interviews with Adler and Pennebaker
Chiefs (1968), a short film by cameraman Richard Leacock, which played alongside Monterey Pop during its inaugural theatrical run
Interviews from 2002 with Adler and Pennebaker and with Phil Walden, Otis Redding’s manager
Audio interviews with festival producer John Phillips, festival publicist Derek Taylor, and performers Cass Elliot and David Crosby
Photo-essay by photographer Elaine Mayes
Monterey International Pop Festival scrapbook
PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by critics Michael Chaiken, Armond White, David Fricke, Barney Hoskyns, and Michael Lydon
