When it comes to bands that had devout followings, none rise to the level of the Grateful Dead. Thousands of fans would follow the 1960s-born jam band on tour from city to city, establishing makeshift communes to party and vibe on the songs. Combine that with the group’s long, improvisational concert sets and you got something of a spectacle every time the Dead played. If you weren’t lucky enough to see the group in its heyday, there are films featuring the band and its fans that capture the essence of the times. Here below, we dive into three of those movies.
Videos by American Songwriter
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1. Move Me Brightly (2013)
This 2013 movie includes footage from the prior year as the band commemorates what would have been founding member Jerry Garcia’s 70th birthday. (He died in 1995 at 53 years old.) The concert film, which was directed by former Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann’s son Justin, also includes interviews—many of which were conducted by actor Luke Wilson—with musicians close to the group and its fans. Check out an extended clip from the film here below.
2. Long Strange Trip (2017)
This 2017 Grammy-nominated documentary about the band premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and enjoyed a short theatrical release around major cities like Los Angeles and New York. Then it was turned into a miniseries, released on Amazon Prime Video. Featuring interviews with bandmates and other artists, the movie was co-produced by director Martin Scorsese. Check out a trailer for the work here below.
3. The Grateful Dead Movie (1977)
We’re going into the time machine for this 1977 offering. The Grateful Dead Movie was directed by Garcia and released just a dozen years into the band’s existence. It includes concert footage from the early ’70s, not long before the band took a break from doing public shows. Check out a trailer for the film here below.
Photo by RB/Redferns
