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#62
10-22-2007, 07:45 PM
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I ordered it online and it finally came in the mail today. Yippee!!!! I am just about to pop in the movie. I already had downloaded the concert off a torrent site so that wasn't new to me but can't wait to see the film and hear the CD. 
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#64
10-27-2007, 09:59 PM
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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/tv/5249611.html
Houston Chronicle DAVE WALKER Peter Bogdanovich would seem to be a weird choice to direct a retrospective documentary about Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Weird, in that Bogdanovich is best known as a feature-film director (The Last Picture Show), film historian (his documentary Directed by John Ford and his book This Is Orson Wells are considered classics of their genres) and, lately, actor (he played Dr. Elliot Kupferberg in The Sopranos). According to an interview with Petty at tompetty.com, Bogdanovich didn't know that much about the band before starting the project. Even so, Petty's camp chose Bogdanovich to do the film. The result, Runnin' Down a Dream: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (6 p.m. Monday, Sundance) is four hours of bliss for the Petty hard-core, and a fascinating tale for the casual majority of potential viewers. It helped that Bogdanovich had great material beyond the music itself. For starters, there's the three-decade, made-in-America arc of the band's story, which will seem familiar to anyone who loves the VH1 Behind the Music template. The band has humble origins in Gainesville, Fla., and it rose to European success before breaking big in the United States. Petty battled with his record company while rising to artistic triumph with his 1979 album Damn the Torpedoes, still a classic-rock radio staple. There were prototypical struggles with substance abuse and creative differences but a soul-survivor's will that has kept the primary components of the band a creative and commercial force. Then there are the home movies, apparently shot by early insiders Jim Lenehan and Ron Blair, which offer a charming glimpse at what life might've been like for the band during its swampy, scuffling days. Finally, there's Petty himself, an expert teller of droll tales, as anyone who has heard his most recent (super) solo album, Highway Companion, would attest. "I must have been 10 or 11 years old," says Petty early in the film. "My aunt came over and said, `Elvis Presley is making a movie and your uncle's working on the picture, and I thought maybe you'd like to go down one day and watch the filming and see Elvis.' The streets were just packed with hundreds of people. Elvis appeared, like a vision. He didn't look like anything I'd ever seen. And I'm just dumbstruck. "I went home a changed man." Seeing the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show changed Petty further. "I was 13," he says. "In those few minutes ... it all became clear. This is what I'm going to do. This is how you do it. Within 24 hours everything changed." Bogdanovich brings in a chorus of collaborators and famous fans to testify, too. Stevie Nicks talks about how she would've ditched Fleetwood Mac to become a Heartbreaker if only girls were allowed. Dave Grohl of Nirvana and the Foo Fighters and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam can barely contain their awe. In an interview recorded shortly before his death, George Harrison, a seminal influence on Petty and later a Traveling Wilburys bandmate, is equally praising in his own way. "For me, he's just one of the nicest people because he's not full of (expletive), as they say," Harrison says. Bogdanovich expertly stit- ches all of it together into a film that feels about half as long as its epic run-time. Like his work in other realms, it's destined to be a classic of the genre. "I feel very blessed," says Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell near the film's conclusion. "I'm a kid who saw the Beatles and had a fantasy dream (of) God, wouldn't it be great to do something like that? And then I had my dream come true, to the point where I met some of the Beatles and worked with them and had them tell me they liked the way I play. It's almost unreal, I've been so lucky." Thanks to the weird choice of director, mated with all that cool source material, not to mention all that music, viewers will feel the same about Runnin' Down a Dream. I never owned a single Petty record until Companion, and I do.
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#65
10-28-2007, 12:53 PM
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http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=31177
Runnin' Down A Dream: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers In this environment of quick clips on YouTube and automated playlists on the radio (both free and satellite) Tom Petty is more than just a champion for the last DJ, he is truly one of the last rock stars. A man who still puts a hundred percent into making the Long Play certainly deserves a documentary much more exhaustive and satisfying than the tabloid-faire of VH1's Behind the Music . Director Peter Bogdanovich may not exactly be the poor man's Scorsese to Petty's poor man's Dylan, but the other legendary director's masterpiece (No Direction Home: ) must have had an immediate impact on this four-hour chronicle. Telling the story of a rock and roll refugee and his band of Heartbreakers, some may think that it's two-and-a-half hours too much on the scruffy, Mary Jane puffing troubadour, and maybe that would be true if you didn't account for the fact that he's had both success and something to say in each of the last four decades; and Bogdanovich seems bent on using every hour to remind you of how overlooked the humble Petty is (even if the subject commissioned this saga himself). Now out on DVD, the doc is also playing on the Sundance Channel, and aside from closing out the New York Film Festival it showed for one night only in selected theatres across the country (my screening was at the Mann Chinese 6 in Hollywood). The film opens up as the band (no, not The Band) hit the stage for a homecoming show in Gainesville, Florida, but while the story doesn't start from the "beginning," it's only moments that we learn about Petty's early influences; typical, yet essential (The Beatles on Ed Sullivan, anyone?). It's clear that a childhood meeting with the King, Elvis Presley (he was shooting a movie around town), had an enormous effect, as in one of the many interviews the director weaves in and out of the film, Petty admits to going home a changed man. His rock gods seemed to shape the young boy more than his old man, who he recalls as being abusive and mean (probably the source of his "edge"), although that $35 guitar he gave his son did come in handy. Peter Bogdanovich gives us childhood photos and old footage of his family, as Petty narrates the tale. As other wanna-be rocks stars do, Tom Petty joined a high-school rock and roll band, The Epics, which eventually lead to Mudcrutch -who cares about the name for now, right? What's important is that they packed up the van and headed out west, but the record people only want Petty, his simple yet inventive guitarist, Mike Campbell, and the solid Benmont Tench on keys. Bogdanovich dubs this chapter, "What's In a Name," and its accompanied by 8mm footage of their road trip and an early music video. Petty's distinctive look was naturally there; the thin-lips, thin bones, and even longer hair. It wasn't long after making it to L.A. that Tom Petty was told they were mostly interested in him, and Tom Petty recalls the decision to cut the boys loose. Although he's not explicit about it, we can feel the hungry artist in him; the one who was compelled to make it happen, even if it meant losing a few friends along the way. It seems to go against the hippie nature, maybe, but the creative angst in him wouldn't be denied. A couple of years later Petty reconnected with Campbell and Tench, who had already started another band with bassist Ron Blair and drummer Stan Lynch -- and they were calling themselves the Heartbreakers. Petty had a deal on the table with Denny Cordell (who perspective is included) of Shelter records, who agreed to the-Heartbreakers-as-the-backing-band pitch, and before you know it they're in the studio and out on the road. This is no camera shy band we're dealing with here, no. In fact, it's almost uncanny how much film/tape was rolled on their behalf (which they eventually paid for in one way or another), and fans will ravage the footage of their first European tour. They were a smash in England, who associated the Heartbreakers with their own emerging pub/punk rock scene (the Eurythmics,' Dave Stewart explains as only an Englishman can), but it took a little time for them to be accepted at home where disco, arena rock, MOR ruled the land. Luckily the tide was turning in the States as punk and the new wave were becoming mainstream. The only old-school rockers that could survive the cut were the ones that were stripped-down or vintage sounding yet forward thinking; and the perception now was that Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers had the perfect blend of roots-rock, punk-rock, and pop. The inclusion of "American Girl" in the decade's pop-culture classic, Fast Times at Ridgemont High (where is music is along side the likes of Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, and Joe Walsh) would cement this position. As odd as it sounds, Pearl Jam's Eddie Vetter confesses that he used to woo chicks after school to the grooves of his Petty records. Bogdanovich inevitably cuts to the stage where Vetter guests on "The Waiting." The artist may be skin and bones, his image a non-image, but Petty entered the MTV era like a champ, and the documentary meticulously takes you through a time when the band broke new ground on a brand new platform, and a time when Petty was making inroads with some of his heroes. Tom Petty was simultaneously becoming the hot new sound and classic rock, and his demand from and friendship with some of the industry's most established stars was rapidly growing. There was Stevie Nicks, who actually wanted to quit Fleetwood Mac to join the Heartbreakers (ol' Tommy put his foot down, decreeing, "There aren't any girls in the Heartbreakers."), and eventually he'd get the call-up from Bob Dylan himself when the Heartbreakers got to pretend they were The Band out on the road as Mr. Tambourine Man's backing band. Again, the footage is incredible, with a little bit of the video for "Insider," (a duet penned for Nicks' solo album, that ended up on Hard Promises because he'd grown too attached), some in-studio video where Stevie and Tom are working out, "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," and then we get front and center for the Bob Dylan & The Heartbreakers set. It wasn't all easy street for Tom Petty, however. First fighting for his publishing rights when his label, ABC, was acquired by MCA (in an innovative tactic, he filed for bankruptcy as a way to force the label to renegotiate his deal), then fighting over consumer rights when a price hike would apply to his new album, effectively making him look like the bad guy. And when Petty isn't fighting the Man for you or for himself, he's fighting the Man for the artists he reveres. Take the case of former Byrds icon, Roger McGuinn: Petty gives his A&R guy and producer a reaming after listening to the hokey material they had in mind for his hero's comeback album. When they suggest that he just re-write the lyrics, Petty accuses them of having unscrupulous intentions for pushing such crap. It's so personal you almost blush, but the taped incident reveals a vulnerable yet thankful McGuinn. The "Last DJ" himself, KLOS-FM's Jim Ladd appears on screen to give more testimonials of Petty's authenticity and values. What would Tom Petty the teenager say if you told him that one day he'd be in a band with some of his biggest influences? That's exactly what happened when a series of "Coincidences" begat the Traveling Wilburys, a supergroup with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Jeff Lynne. The latter became a producer/artist whom Petty would invite to produce his first solo album without the Heartbreakers, Full Moon Fever. The director incorporates an interview with the late, George Harrison, as well as the rest of the Wilburys. Peter Bogdanovich builds up the group's slow rise to the top, and he does an excellent job ushering us into more troubled and uncertain times for the band as well. With Petty as a solo act, some Heartbreakers were unsure of their future job status, others were getting too comfortable to care, and another (Howie Epstein) was slowly but surely losing his battle with addiction. Tom Petty deals with the sensitive subject with regret, but no guilt. Rick Rubin (producer of Echo, also weighs in on these tough but nevertheless rewarding times, especially when you got Johnny Cash doing a cover version of "I Won't Back Down." Runnin' Down A Dream: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers deals with the highs and lows of a long career in a business used to spitting people right out. The induction into the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame shows them getting credit for their hard work, but it's the 30th Anniversary Show that really celebrates the band's triumph. Selections are included throughout, but the DVD release will include the performance in its entirety. As far as the more personal aspects of Petty's life, Bogdanovich deals with tragedies well (the death of Epstein, the burning of Petty's home), but it handles his love life with kid-gloves; not that we need to get too pushy about it, but a little more on the breakdown of his marriage would have made it seem less controlled and glossed-over. As a filmmaker, Peter Bogdanovich brings his own sense of place and rhythm to the Picture. He's got experience shooting quiet small towns, so when he goes back to Petty's childhood neighborhood, it looks more like something out of The Last Picture Show than The Last Waltz. The director also takes his time with just about every music clip and interview, not rushing for sound bytes he's letting real moments play out; instances that will make you feel like a fly-on-the-wall, forgetting that you're eavesdropping on a conversation that happened years ago. Tom Petty may not be the institution that Bob Dylan is, so maybe a documentary covering only up to the "You're Jammin' Me" days would be a little excessive, but Bogdanovich seeks to tell the complete arc of the band, giving you, perhaps, a more cohesive and fulfilling picture of an artist. Runnin' Down A Dream is a trip with one of American music's most durable personalities; it's an adventure that many of us feel connected to because Tom Petty's songs have been such a good companions for our own travels down life's highways.
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#66
10-28-2007, 01:41 PM
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For those who haven't bought the box set yet, the film premieres in its entirety on the Sundance Channel tomorrow night at 7 EDT.
http://www.sundancechannel.com/films/500254630 Showtimes listed: Monday, Oct. 29 - 7 p.m. EDT Thurs, Nov. 1 - 3 a.m. EDT Saturday, Nov. 3 - 3 p.m. EDT
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#67
10-30-2007, 08:37 PM
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This is one slick piece of work. Lots of cultural history here.
And now a question. Anyone have any particularly good experiences with software that extracts audio from DVD/video? I'd sure like to listen to Gainsville concert on my iPod.
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#69
11-10-2007, 12:37 AM
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Got this email from tompetty.com:
RUNNIN' DOWN A DREAM TO BE RELEASED IN EUROPE, AUSTRALIA, AND NEW ZEALAND THEATRE SCREENINGS OF RUNNIN' DOWN A DREAM IN AUSTRALIA STREAM TOM'S BURIED TREASURE RADIO SHOWS ON HIGHWAYCOMPANIONS.COM ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Runnin' Down A Dream To Be Released in Europe and Australia Fans in Europe and Australia do not have to wait much longer for the opportunity to enjoy Peter Bogdanovich's Runnin' Down A Dream. On November 23, SPV Records will release the entire 4-disc set in stores throughout Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. SPV will release the entire 4-disc set in stores throughout the rest of Europe on November 26. On November 24, Liberator Music will release the entire 4-disc set in stores throughout Australia and New Zealand. ******** Theatre Screenings of Runnin' Down A Dream in Australia On November 14th at 7pm there will be two screenings of Runnin' Down A Dream for one night only in Australia. Below are the two theatres where the screenings will take place and links to purchase tickets: Melbourne: Village Cinemas Jam Factory on Wednesday November 14th at 7pm. Tickets are available at www.villagecinemas.com.au or at the box office. Sydney: Greater Union George St on Wednesday November 14th at 7pm. Tickets are available at www.greaterunion.com.au or at the box office.
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#71
11-10-2007, 10:28 AM
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 It never hit me until I saw it in the doc how bad off Howie was at the R&R Hall of Fame ceremony. At least he got that before he passed.
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#72
11-15-2007, 01:07 PM
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CINEMA: I Was An American Girl
Runnin’ Down A Dream (Dir. Peter Bogdanovich, 4-DISC DVD, 2007) BY AMY Z. QUINN As per usual, Philly was ahead of the curve on Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. If you grew up listening to the radio around here, you know that the first two albums, the self-titled debut and You’re Gonna Get It! were common cause on the local airwaves by 1979, back when FM was the Internet of its day. Thanks to the dashboard radio in my sister Terrie’s ‘72 LeMans, I feel like I was born with the words to a half-dozen of their songs on my tongue. “I can tell you we played Tom Petty’s (1976) album from the first day it arrived at the station,” said ‘XPN’s Helen Leicht, who was spinning at 102.1/WIOQ in those days. “We played that album for at least a year before the rest of the world got Tom Petty. We hosted Tom Petty at a small club The Other Side,” she told me, adding that the staff there would encourage the band’s then-label, Shelter Records, not to give up on the Heartbreakers. The booklet included in the four-disc DVD set of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin’ Down A Dream, calls them “America’s truest rock band,” and after some consideration and more than seven hours of watching and listening last weekend, I am not inclined to disagree. Though it’s worth noting that, whether ironically or accidentally on purpose, the very best moment in the whole package comes near the very end of Peter Bogdanovich’s superb documentary, as the band winds down a one-off, one-take version of Hank Williams’ “Lost Highway.” “Isn’t that a great ****in’ song? It’s just a great ****in’ song!” Petty exclaims, giddy like he’s just hearing it for the first time. If you plow through the entire four-hour movie, plus the two-hour 30th anniversary concert DVD, plus the hour-or-so long bonus soundtrack cd, you’re pretty much guaranteed a half-dozen or so of those moments. Go back and listen to “Here Comes My Girl” or “The Waiting,” and thank the rock Gods for rhythm guitar and men who fall in love. Consider: By the time they recorded their first live album, Pack Up The Plantation, in 1985, the Heartbreakers had already been responsible for “The Waiting,” “Breakdown,” “American Girl,” “Refugee,” and “Southern Accents,” more “classics” than a lot of bands have in a whole career of chart hits. The film shows how, through the early ’80s, the Heartbreakers and MTV got along like a house afire even as he alienated every record label executive from here to Gainesville. It strikes me that they embraced the music video form as enthusiastically as say, Duran Duran did back in ‘82-’86, though in a less “pretty” way, but aren’t thought of as an “MTV band.” Through the later ’80s and ’90s, Petty — with the Heartbreakers, solo, and with collaborators – churned out and charted as many radio-friendly rock/pop hits as, say, Aerosmith, without succumbing to hackish self-parody. The Heartbreakers flirted with New Wave sneer, Byrds-y folk flights and the Lynyrd Skynrd-y Southern fried thing, but have generally avoided labeling as anything other than “American rock.” Much of the credit for that goes to Petty himself, pegged for glory by the Powers That Be early on. Bogdanovich, employing a library of vintage clips and home movies large enough for a Ken Burns special, shows us the requisite early efforts with a string of early bands, each more badly named than the next (hello, Mudcrutch?) before Petty alone is offered the big contract. Once in the hands of the very corporate rock machine he (rightly) despises, his look quickly goes from college-town long-hair to Total Package Rock Star, with a perfect cascade of layered golden hair, skintight Levis and that Cheshire cat grin. There’s a lot of talk of “chasing women,” though no actual women appear in the film save his daughter and Stevie Nicks, who says she pleaded with Petty to let her join the band and was told, quite simply, that “there’s no girls in the Heartbreakers.” Still, seeing the archival footage of them working together during the recording of “Insider” and “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” which appeared on his Hard Promises and her Belladonna, respectively, it’s easy to imagine what could have happened if she’d hooked up with Petty instead of Lindsay Buckingham. As the movie probes in some depth, Shelter Records’s desire to hold on to Petty’s work even after they were sold to MCA became a big legal mess that dragged through the courts and threatened the release of Torpedoes, which would become their breakthrough. The net result of Petty’s crusade to own his own work, and his later battle against the dreaded $9.98 LP price, means today’s musicians owe him for more than just a catalog of great songs to cover. Usually, that much drama, combined with that many songs entrenched in the late-century rock canon, would be enough to fill a two-hour documentary, but wait! There’s two hours more, showing Petty’s unapologetic capability to be an utter dick and still bend people to his will through a combination of flat-out charm and a pretty reliable moral compass — at least where music is concerned. And from the departure of drummer Stan Lynch (fired by the road manager over the phone), to a profanely gorgeous smackdown of a record executive trying to foist a crappy song off on Roger McGuinn (Petty: It “perpetuates the depths of **** we’re in with pop music”) to swiping Del Shannon’s bassist, people seem unable to dislike him. http://www.phawker.com/2007/11/14/ci...#comment-42399
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