The Song Remains the Same

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The Song Remains the Same

PG

Released Oct 21, 1976

2h 16m

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

38%

Tomatometer

34 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Filmed in 1973 over the course of a three-night stand at New York City's Madison Square Garden, this concert film shows Led Zeppelin at the apogee of their hard-rocking glory. In addition to featuring such indelible hits as "Dazed and Confused," "Whole Lotta Love" and "Stairway to Heaven," the live footage is interspersed with elaborate fantasy sequences, backstage shenanigans and a glimpse of what the business side of such a large touring operation entails.

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Critics Consensus

While its concert segments are presented with a whole lotta love, The Song Remains the Same gets trampled underfoot with its dull fantasy segments and middling insights into the band.

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Kathleen Carroll

New York Daily News

"The Song Remains the Same" is a hopelessly pretentious piece of trash.

Rated: 0/4

Feb 19, 2025

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Wayne Robins

Newsday

Despite some artsy cinematic touches the film does little more than try to capture on film whatever magic may be present at a Led Zeppelin concert.

Rated: 2/4

Feb 19, 2025

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Jon Bream

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"The Song Remains the Same" seems pointless and without catharsis.

Feb 19, 2025

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Vern Stefanic

Tulsa World

For Led Zep fans, this is all very interesting. For the general public, however, what's the point? The filmmaker's motives, also are never consistent.

Feb 19, 2025

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Bob Ross

Tampa Bay Times

A colorful spirit of excess permeates the Zeppelin film.

Feb 19, 2025

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George Anderson

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A blend of live concert footage by Led Zeppelin and backstage glimpses of the group and fantasy sequences illustrating some of their songs, it is what is sounds like -- a hodgepodge.

Rated: D+

Feb 19, 2025

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Jill C

If you really love LedZep, totally recommend. But there are some really naff fantasy sequences, the beginning is totally disjointed and makes you wonder if you're in the wrong theatre. And there are some overindulged extended sequences even in the great concert parts. But the capture of that era and Jimmy Page makes it unmissable.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/06/24

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Andree W

Very trippy film. Brought back memories of the 1970's. The band was phenomenal. The music all-encompassing and magnificent!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/04/24

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Alan T

The cinematography quality was God awful. Looks like a bad home movie. You think they could do a better job. This shouldn't be a DVD it should be on the radio.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

04/14/24

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Audience Member

The amateurish and somewhat silly fantasy sequences work against this concert film overall, plus even for a Zep fan, the version here of "Dazed and Confused" goes on just a tad too LONG and could have used some judicial editing. Other than that, I think the group is in good form and plays some killer versions of their classic songs. Just watch it for the performance footage and backstage shenanigans

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

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Audience Member

Heaven for Zep fans. The fantasy sequences are clunkily tongue in cheek so shouldn't be taken too seriously. The music is wild and thrilling but heavily improved in post production so it isn't really a live performance imo. Wonderful 70's bombastic indulgence from a stellar band of top-tier players. Loved it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

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jon c

A simple straightforward concert movie Led Zepplin plays some of their most memorable hits from back in the day mixing the songs with fantasy scenarios Not much is really learned about the band members But for fans it feels like you're part of the experience

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Peter Clifton

Director

Joe Massot

Director

John Bonham

Self

Jimmy Page

Self

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Synopsis

Filmed in 1973 over the course of a three-night stand at New York City's Madison Square Garden, this concert film shows Led Zeppelin at the apogee of their hard-rocking glory. In addition to featuring such indelible hits as "Dazed and Confused," "Whole Lotta Love" and "Stairway to Heaven," the live footage is interspersed with elaborate fantasy sequences, backstage shenanigans and a glimpse of what the business side of such a large touring operation entails.

Director: Peter Clifton, Joe Massot
Screenwriter: Peter Clifton
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Swan Song
Rating: PG
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 21, 1976, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 20, 2016
Runtime: 2h 16m
Sound Mix: Surround

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