The cinema release of Pink Floyd At Pompeii – MCMLXXII has been announced.
A newly restored version of the iconic 1972 film will be released in cinemas & IMAX worldwide from April 24. Tickets go on sale from March 5, and you can click here for more information.
Pink Floyd remain one of the most influential bands of all time due to their experimental style and beloved albums like ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ and ‘The Wall’. The film Pink Floyd: Live At Pompeii is considered a seminal work in music history, offering a look at the band prior to their global stardom, and given the unique circumstances of the performance.
The setting is the ancient Roman amphitheatre in Pompeii, Italy. The band play a typical set from that point in their career, although no audience is present apart from the basic film crew. The performance used the band’s regular touring equipment, including a mobile 8-track recorder.
It has influenced a number of music videos and performances, with Beastie Boys, KoRn, and Radiohead said to be fans of the movie. Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour returned to the amphitheatre in 2016 to play two concerts in front of an audience.
The press release reads: “Pink Floyd At Pompeii pre-dates the release of ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’. The film documents what Pink Floyd did before they became giants of the album charts on both sides of the Atlantic – where their music remains celebrated to this day.
“Set in the hauntingly beautiful ruins of the ancient Roman Amphitheatre in Pompeii, Italy, this unique and immersive film captures Pink Floyd performing an intimate concert without an audience”.
“Filmed in October 1971, the performance marked the very first live concert to take place at Pompeii, and features the vital ‘Echoes,’ ‘A Saucerful of Secrets,’ and ‘One of These Days.’ Additionally, the film includes rare behind-the-scenes footage of the band beginning work on ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ at Abbey Road Studios”.
The film was restored from the original 35mm negatives used at the time, which were discovered recently. It will also be accompanied by a live album of the performance.
“Since 1994, I have searched for the elusive film rushes of Pink Floyd At Pompeii, so the recent discovery of the 1972 original 35mm cut negative was a very special moment” said Lana Topham, Director of Restoration for Pink Floyd. “The newly restored version presents the first full 90-minute cut, combining the 60-minute source edit of the performance with the additional Abbey Road Studios documentary segments filmed shortly after”.
Recently, it was announced that a film about the band’s late founder, Syd Barrett, was being worked on by the producer of A Complete Unknown.
