Love Story (UK)

This is one of the best rock docs since the Beatles' Anthology. In fact, like the MC5's A True Testimonial, the amazing thing about Love Story is that it's even mind-blowing for old fans who know the music and story already -- never mind that there's a multitude that needs enlightening. (Unlike the Beatles and other titans, Love remains an underground legend.) The DVD is made more poignant by lengthy, revealing, final interviews (and vintage ones) with star, singer/songwriter/guitarist Arthur Lee before his death August 3, 2006, aged 61, and guitarist/secondary songwriter Bryan MacLean, deceased in 1998, aged 52. It also amazingly digs up the other, still-living members (original guitarist Johnny Echols, who rejoined Lee's extraordinary 2000s touring version of Love with Baby Lemonade, is a particularly cool cat) and others involved such as Elektra head Jac Holzman (plus a gaggle of British admirers like Primal Scream's Bobbie Gillespie, who contributes liner notes). Also like the MC5 film, the movie puts a lesser-known revolutionary band in the context of its traumatic Vietnam-era times ("it wasn't all peace and love!") and highlights drug problems that helped sink them. There are copious photos and 1966 TV footage (wow!) of the lineup that made their first three LPs, including 1967's classic Forever Changes -- unknown beyond collectors. If you never heard Love, this ought to whip your interest sky high. Even without an hour of bonus material, any rock fan needs this. Any. ~ Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover|