Pink Floyd at Pompeii–MCMLXXII captures guitarist David Gilmour, drummer Nick Mason, bassist Roger Water, and keyboardist Richard Wright as they transitioned their sound from their ’60s psychedelic roots to the ’70s progressive-rock concept albums that made them staples of FM radio. Although comprised of lesser-known works, the remastered version of the film presents the band delivering captivating performances.
Buy Pink Floyd at Pompeii – MCMLXXII Blu-rayIn 1971, the band performed live at a Roman amphitheatre in Pompeii, Italy and later in a French TV studio with some overdubs recorded later. “Echoes” in two parts that bookend the film, “A Saucerful of Secrets,” and “One of These Days” occurred at the former location. “Careful with That Axe, Eugene,” “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun,” and “Mademoiselle Knobs,” which is a reworked version of “Seamus” at the latter. One hint of their location is whether Wright has a beard.
The film opens with a slow thumping, evoking a heartbeat, which is how The Dark Side of the Moon begins, plays over black. From a long distance, the band performs “Echoes Part 1” in the amphitheatre before small crews handing the film and the recording but no audience. Grass and weeds are overgrown in sections. The camera slowly pushes in. As they start to sing, the film is intercut with the band walking around Vesuvius National Park. Then director Adrian Maben shoots Gilmour’s hands in close-up. Mason playing with a small rocks taped to different drums augments portions of the frame.
They next play two insturmentals from A Saucerful of Secrets, their second album also their first with Gilmour. “Careful with That Axe, Eugene” is haunting with Waters’s whispered wailing. Scenes of lava flows appear on the film. The title track finds Waters trading his bass for cymbals and gong. Along with Gilmour’s slide guitar and Wright banging on his piano keys, they create quite a cacophony before segueing into a gentler passage with Waters moving to bass and Wright on organ. The image cuts from them in the playing in the arena to them playing in a studio with footage from arena projected behind them. Editor José Pinheiro does impressive work matching the material. Gilmour then does his own wailing.
Mason gets the main focus of the cameras during the thunderous “One of These Days.” Waters and Wright barely appear. They are joined by a dog on “Mademoiselle Nobs,” a reworked version of “Seamus.” It’s a trifle that could have been cut. The film concludes with “Echoes, Part II.” Mirroring the film’s opening, the camera pulls away from the band to the back of the amphitheatre, matching how the song sounds like its ascending up and away from the listener.
Between the performances, there are clips of the band having breakfast and being interviewed, but neither is of much consequence. What is notable are scenes of the band in the studio working on material that will be released on The Dark Side of the Moon. Waters experiments with electronic equipment, creating sounds that will be a part of “On the Run,” and plays bass on “Eclipse;” Wright plays on “Us and Them;” and Gilmour plays on “Brain Damage.” It makes one long for an entire documentary about the making of the landmark album, as extensive to the Beatles: Get Back.
Digitally re-mastered in 4K from the original 35mm footage, with enhanced audio newly mixed by Steven Wilson, the musical performances in Pink Floyd at Pompeii–MCMLXXII are a majestic treat for psychedelic-music fans and reveal how talented this foursome was on their ascent to superstardom.
Pink Floyd at Pompeii – MCMLXXII screens in cinemas and IMAX worldwide on April 24. Tickets are on sale here. The film will be accompanied by a live album, set for release by Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music, on CD, Digital Audio, and for the very first time in Dolby Atmos and on vinyl, on May 2.
