One of the most well-documented cultural events of the last fifty years, 1969’s Woodstock Festival probably doesn’t need another exhaustive overview of the social and political environment that contributed to the most iconic music event of all time. Yet, while director Barak Goodman’s “Woodstock: Three Days That Defined a Generation” may not be essential, the documentary still serves as a compelling introduction to the infamous event in upstate New York. Goodman’s film uses entirely archival footage and interviews to track, day by day, the developments that led to the gathering, and exactly what caused almost a half a million people to show up.
The film chooses to overlay the voices of various organizers, promoters, musicians, and festival goers onto a wide range of footage concerning the construction and eventual concert. Eschewing the typical talking head structure, we never see the present day figures who are narrating the events. Instead, the film uses these voices to focus on two storylines; one showing the political turmoil that led many to seek solace in upstate New York and the other concerning the behind-the-scenes dealings, which include headliner booking, finally finding a benefactor in Max Yasgur, who lent his farm out for the event, and the problems that arise when organizers John Roberts and Joel Makower planned for 120,000 people (at most) and ended up with half a million.
Goodman, wisely, chooses to contextualize the festival through the events that surrounded the music; more time is spent discussing food shortages than, say, The Who’s performance. While this could be seen as a detriment, considering that voiceover dominates over every musical performance, including Jimi Hendrix’s earth-shattering rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner,” the film wisely does not tread on the music so exhaustively captured in Michael Wadleigh’s concert documentary “Woodstock.” In fact, Goodman’s film essentially serves as an unofficial companion piece to Wadleigh’s film.
What ‘Three Days That Defined a Generation’ does so effectively is track the problems that come with such an event. Of course, there was a lack of food, and an inability to properly collect tickets. A decent amount of screentime is spent following the Hog Farm, a commune whose leader Wavy Gravy is hired to provide security. This minutia is the most fascinating aspect of the film, moving away from the concert to look into the various communities and businesses that popped up on the peripheries. When Goodman moves into the larger macrocosmic moments, including Hendrix’s famous performance, the film loses some momentum, recounting surface level details of events that have already been enshrined in the public consciousness.
What isn’t addressed, however, is the fallout of the festival. Yasgur’s farm is left in total ruin by the film’s end. For a film that so heavily documents the lead-up and time-crunched construction of the festival grounds, it’s disappointing that little is said about the aftermath. Roberts and Makower make the decision early to forgo building a fence and, instead, make the concert free, but the ramifications of that decision are never addressed. Further, Yasgur, who is given ample screen time, including his famous address to the crowd, is never seen afterward. What happened to his farm post-festival and how did the town of Bethel, NY react after everyone finally left? Goodman doesn’t note, but instead, presents the festival as it’s always been seen: a gathering of free love, and copious amounts of drugs, that was a watershed moment in the anti-war movement.
Coinciding with the fiftieth anniversary of Woodstock, ‘Three Days That Defined a Generation’ is a mostly surface level look into the famous festival that did, in fact, leave lasting ramifications across arts, politics, and society. As a primer for deeper dives, including Wadleigh’s film, it’s mainly successful, contextualizing the events and providing some never-before-seen footage. Yet for those already versed in what transpired on Yasgur’s farm, Goodman’s film is really just playing the hits. [B]