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{{Short description|Film directed by Bernard MacMahon}}{{Italic title}}

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| runtime = | country = United KingdomUnited States| language = English| budget = | gross = }}Becoming Led Zeppelin is a 2021 documentary film directed by Bernard MacMahon which traces the formation and early years of Led Zeppelin.MAGAZINE, Reed, Ryan, Led Zeppelin Documentary to Feature Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones,weblink Rolling Stone, 8 May 2019, Penske Business Media, 2 March 2023, The film is an independent production made with the full co-operation of the bandWEB, Ravindran, Manori, Led Zeppelin Documentary, With Unprecedented Access to Band, Has Been Completed,weblink Yahoo Finance, 2 August 2021, Yahoo 2023, 2 March 2023, and represents the first time Led Zeppelin have agreed to participate in a biographical documentary.WEB, Kreps, Daniel, ‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’: First-Ever Authorized Doc About Band Acquired by Sony Pictures Classics,weblink Rolling Stone, Penske Media Corporation, 17 May 2024, A work-in-progress was screened at the 78th Venice Film Festival in 2021WEB, Becoming Led Zeppelin,weblink La Biennale di Venezia, 3 August 2021, 2 March 2023, to a 10-minute standing ovation.WEB, Amabile, Michele, Led Zeppelin Documentary Gets Standing Ovation,weblink 107.1 The Boss, 13 September 2021, Press Communications, 2 March 2023,

Synopsis

Becoming Led Zeppelin traces the journeys of Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham and Robert Plant through the music scene of the 1960s, their meeting in the summer of 1968 and meteoric ascendancy throughout 1969, culminating in 1970 when they become the No. 1 band in the world.WEB, Wiseman, Andreas, 'Becoming Led Zeppelin': Watch The First Clip From New Rock Doc About Iconic Brit Band — Venice Film Festival,weblink Deadline, 4 September 2021, Penske Media Corporation, 2 March 2023, The story is told exclusively by the band members with the late John Bonham represented by previously unheard audio interviews. The film features full performances, never-before-seen footage of the band's early U.S. and British concertsWEB, Triscari, Caleb, Watch the first teaser for upcoming documentary 'Becoming Led Zeppelin',weblink NME, 5 September 2021, NME Networks, 2 March 2023, and unseen material from the band’s personal archives.WEB, Becoming Led Zeplin,weblink Altitude Fulfillment, Altitude Film Entertainment, 2 March 2023, Becoming Led Zeppelin includes previously unreleased footage from early live performances, including the Fillmore West in January 1969, the Atlanta International Pop Festival in July 1969, and from the Texas International Pop Festival in August 1969. The film was produced by Paradise Pictures in association with Big Beach. Executive producers include Duke Erikson, Michael Clark, Alex Turtletaub, Cynthia Heusing, David Kistenbroker, Ged Doherty, and Simon Moran.WEB, Sony Pictures Classics Acquires First Authorized Led Zeppelin Doc ‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’ From Bernard MacMahon, Deadline Hollywood, Matt, Grobar, 15 May 2024, 15 May 2024,weblink

Background

Becoming Led Zeppelin is preceded by two concert films, the 1976 film The Song Remains the Same and the Celebration Day footage of the 2007 reunion concert at London's O2 Arena. Becoming Led Zeppelin was researched and written by Bernard MacMahon with screenwriter and producer Allison McGourty.WEB, La Biennale di Venezia, Becoming Led Zeppelin by Bernard MacMahon to screen out of competition,weblink La Biennale di Venezia, 3 August 2021, 2 March 2023, According to Jimmy Page, he turned down a lot of "pretty miserable" pitches over the years to make a documentary about Led Zeppelin. However he received a deeply-researched proposal focusing almost exclusively on the music and chronicling the band's birth in 1968 and its early rise. The film was developed on a storyboard and presented to the band members in a leather-bound book. Page commented, "When we first met, we were probably a little nervous of each other. But the conduit was the storyboard", adding "And I thought they’ve really got it, they really understand what it was about".NEWS, Winfield, Nicole, Jimmy Page at Venice film fest to present Led Zeppelin doc,weblink 2 March 2023, AP News, Associated Press, 4 September 2021, John Paul Jones gave his blessing, saying "the time was right for us to tell our own story for the first time in our own words" and that the time was right for the film to be made.WEB, Reilly, Nick, Whole Lotta Love! Led Zeppelin documentary announced to mark their 50th anniversary,weblink NME, 8 May 2019, NME Networks, 2 March 2023, Robert Plant praised MacMahon’s work on American Epic, the Emmy-nominated 2017 documentary that chronicled the early American roots music recordings of the 1920s and cited it as a reason for agreeing to participate in the film, "Seeing Will Shade, and so many other important early American musicians, brought to life on the big screen in American Epic inspired me to contribute to a very interesting and exciting story".WEB, White, Peter, Led Zeppelin Gets Feature Doc Treatment From Team Behind 'American Epic' – Cannes,weblink Deadline.com, 8 May 2019, Deadline Hollywood, 2 March 2023, The film was announced in 2019, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the band forming.WEB, Maxwell, Jackson, The first-ever band-sanctioned Led Zeppelin documentary has been completed,weblink Guitar World, 4 August 2021, Future Publishing, 25 February 2023,

Release

In May 2024, Sony Pictures Classics acquired distribution rights to the film in North and Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia (excluding Japan) and the Benelux. The film distribution rights were negotiated between Sony Pictures Classics, MacMahon, and Altitude Film Distribution.

Reception

Variety noted that the work-in-progress screening at the Venice Film Festival "premiered to bursts of rapturous applause across its 137-minute runtime".WEB, Ravindran, Manori, Jimmy Page Gets Whole Lotta Love at Venice for First Led Zeppelin Documentary,weblink Variety, 4 September 2021, Variety Media, 2 March 2023, Rolling Stone described the rough cut of the film as "revelatory",MAGAZINE, Fear, David, 'Becoming Led Zeppelin': What's In The Authorized Documentary?,weblink Rolling Stone, 5 September 2021, Penske Business Media, 25 February 2023, and The Hollywood Reporter described it as "an eye-opening delight", adding that sections of the rough cut "could be cut without damaging the film".WEB, DeFore, John, Becoming Led Zeppelin: Film Review -Venice 2021,weblink Hollywood Reporter, 4 September 2021, Penske Media Corporation, 25 February 2023, Steve Pond of The Wrap described the rough cut as "potent as hell and as excessive as Physical Graffiti, the 1975 album whose excess was pretty much inseparable from its power".WEB, Pond, Steve, 'Becoming Led Zeppelin' Film Review: Like the Band, the Movie Is Potent and Excessive,weblink The Wrap, 4 September 2021, 2 March 2023,

References

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