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Taking Woodstock - Demetri Martin, Liev Schreiber, Emile Hirsch, Ang Lee
Threat advisory: Elevated - Significant risk of entertaining activities
Movie propaganda
Based on the memoirs of Elliot Tiber, Taking Woodstock stars Demetri Martin as Elliot, who inadvertently played a role in making 1969's Woodstock Music and Arts Festival into the famed happening it was. Featuring a stand-out ensemble cast, and songs from a score of 60s musical icons including The Grateful Dead, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, and Country Joe and the Fish - plus a new recording of Freedom from Richie Havens - Taking Woodstock is a joyous voyage to a moment in time when everything seemed possible.
Working as an interior designer in Greenwich Village, Elliot feels empowered by the gay rights movement. But he is also still staked to the family business - a dumpy Catskills motel called the El Monaco that is being run into the ground by his overbearing parents, Jake and Sonia Teichberg (Henry Goodman and Imelda Staunton). In the summer of 1969, Elliot has to move back upstate to the El Monaco in order to help save the motel from being taken over by the bank.
Upon hearing that a planned music and arts festival has lost its permit from the neighbouring town of Wallkill, NY, Elliot calls producer Michael Lang (Jonathan Groff) at Woodstock Ventures to offer his family's motel to the promoters and generate some much-needed business. Elliot also introduces Lang to his neighbour Max Yasgur (Eugene Levy), who operates a 600-acre dairy farm down the road. Soon the Woodstock staff is moving into the El Monaco - and half a million people are on their way to Yasgur's farm for "3 days of Peace & Music in White Lake."With a little help from his friends, including theatre troupe leader Devon (Dan Fogler), recently returned Vietnam veteran Billy (Emile Hirsch), and cross-dressing ex-Marine Vilma (Liev Schreiber) - and with a little opposition from townspeople, including Billy's brother Dan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) - Elliot finds himself swept up in a generation-defining experience that would change his life - and popular culture - forever.
Theatrical propaganda posters
Target demographic movie keyword propaganda
- Film Elliot Tiber biography Woodstock festival music Sixties hippy Catskills gay rock and roll free love
Persons of interest
- Demetri Martin .... Elliot Tiber aka Eliyahu Teichberg
- Liev Schreiber .... Vilma
- Emile Hirsch .... Billy
- Eugene Levy .... Yasgur
- Imelda Staunton .... Mrs Tiber
- Katherine Waterston .... Penny
- Kevin Sussman .... Stan
- Skylar Astin .... John Roberts
- Kevin Chamberlin .... Jackson Spiers
- Gabriel Sunday .... Steve
- Jason Antoon .... Abbie Hoffman
- Henry Goodman .... Mr Tiber
- Jonathan Groff .... Michael Lang
- Boris McGiver .... Doug
- Michael Zegen .... Bernie
- Will Janowitz .... Chip Monck
- Clark Middleton .... Frank
- Adam Pally .... Artie Kornfeld
- Andy Prosky .... Bob
- Sondra James .... Margaret
- Darren Pettie .... Paul
- Michael Izquierdo .... John Morris
- Jeremy Shamos .... Steve Cohen
- Stephen Kunken .... Mel Lawrence
- Patrick Cupo .... Charlie
- Anthoula Katsimatides .... Esther
- Elliot Tiber .... Author: Taking Woodstock: a true story of a riot, a concert, and a life
- Tom Monte .... Screenwriter
- James Schamus .... Screenwriter
- Ang Lee .... Director
Cinematic intelligence sources
- Taking Woodstock official movie sites:
- Australia
- International
- Taking Woodstock film production notes
- Taking Woodstock movie trailers:
- Awards and film festivals:
- *
- See also Woodstock
- Studios and distributors:
Intelligence analyst
Special Agent Matti
Theatrical report
I don't remember the sixties, which proves that I was there. If you've seen the documentary of Woodstock then you'll recognise a lot of the imagery in Taking Woodstock: Ang Lee has gone to a lot of effort in recreating the look and feel of the festival and the times. It's a happening thing. As for the story, well, who knew it was all a Jewish conspiracy to undermine the government by making people happy? I tell ya, this whole Free Love™ thing is a blast!
The rest of the film is an excuse to make the above, but it's a good excuse. Imelda Staunton is a hoot.
The Elliot Tiber biography movie Taking Woodstock is directed by Ang Lee and stars Demetri Martin, Liev Schreiber, Emile Hirsch.
Government security censorship classification
MA 15+ (Strong drug use, nudity and coarse language)
Surveillance time
120 minutes (2:00 hours)
Not for public release in Australia before date
Film: 27 August 2009
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