The Song Remains the Same (1976) Review

"I think this is a song of hope..." - Robert Plant.

Here's something you won't see too often on this blog: a review of a concert film. But anyone who knows me knows how much I love Led Zeppelin, and their 1976 film is something so unique that I think it deserves a mention on here. Filmed during the band's 1973 tour in support of their "Houses of the Holy" album, the band play an incredible set for thousands of fans at Madison Square Garden. With its strange, art-style approach, The Song Remains the Same has become a must see for fans of the band, as well as something of a cult film.

Right from the start, the film's weird tone is established via a scene that has absolutely nothing to do with the band, aside from the appearance of their manager, Peter Grant. Grant and some other men engage in a shootout scene, complete with slo-motion shots of deliberately fake looking "blood". From there, we band members Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham receive information regarding imminent tour dates. Cut to the band on their way to Madison Square Garden, with there being a  period of silence before the concert starts. All of a sudden, Bonham crashes out the famous drum intro to "Rock and Roll", and the band blister through some of their hardest hitting songs along with slower, more melodic pieces.

What makes the film so unique and memorable are the "fantasy sequences" that occur during certain songs. Each member of the band has their own sequence, which in some cases serve as an obvious visual interpretation of the songs. Zeppelin never really did music videos in the way most artists do, so these sequences are the closest we'll get to seeing such a thing. For purists like myself, I these moments are very enjoyable, but they'll be a distraction to any other viewer. Each sequence very much lives up to its title of "fantasy", with Jimmy Page's the most surreal of all. To put it simply, Page goes on a quest of self discovery, climbing a mountain side to encounter the mythical "hermit" (a character depicted in the artwork for Zeppelin's fourth album). Page discovers that he himself is the hermit, and we see a weird concoction of image that represent Page's rebirth as the character. Thankfully, we then cut back to the concert, meaning it doesn't get any weirder. thus meaning I don't have to rattle my brain in an effort to explain all this without sounding crazy.

But how well do Zeppelin perform? After all, that's surely the most important aspect of any concert film. The performance is mostly up to Zeppelin's usual standards, with Jones and Bonham faultless throughout. Page is the only one clearly not on his a-game here, with some obvious mistakes. His charisma and stage presence, however, is totally unaffected, and Page steals the show when riffing through the famous solos on "Stairway to Heaven" and "Dazed and Confused". Plant's vocals are powerful throughout, the highlight being towards the end of the blues masterpiece "Since I've Been Loving You".

The Song Remains the Same is still a fascinating film to this day. Hardcore fans will be able to get into the strangeness of the film without too much trouble. However, if you're new to Led Zeppelin, you should probably hold off seeing this one. I'd highly recommend Led Zeppelin DVD if you're wanting to see the band performing at their best. Being a huge fan of the band, I'll keep returning to The Song Remains the Same, enjoying all the weirdness and strong performances it has to offer.

Pros:
+ Solid performance from the band throughout.
+ A lot of the most famous Zeppelin tunes are performed.
+ Fantasy sequences give the film a unique look and tone.

Cons:
- Strictly for dedicated Led Zeppelin fans only. I'd be surprised if anyone got into the band solely from watching this.