Product Description

The war in Iraq is the backdrop as the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young "Freedom of Speech Tour" crisscrosses North America. Echoes of Vietnam-era anti-war sentiment abound as the band connects with today's audiences.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9399 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-09-29
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 96 minutes

Synopsis
Despite its title, CSNY DEJA VU is no baby-boomer nostalgia exercise. Chronicling Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's 2006 tour, the film is a not just a concert movie but an engrossing exegesis on the myriad ways that entertainers, fans, soldiers, their families, right-wing radio hosts, and red- and blue-staters alike can feel about the Iraq War. Neil Young, who had just released the scathingly anti-war album LIVING WITH WAR, asked his sometime bandmates to join him for a set combining these new songs with the quartet's topical classics. As captured here, the band not only successfully reclaims its former protest mantle but tests the viability of such music in the 2000s. One of the film's dramatic highlights is a show in Atlanta where an encore featuring Young's blunt anthem, 'Let's Impeach the President,' sends a large swath of the crowd to the door in disgust. The footage brings to mind Dylan in 1966, except this time the issues concern blood and oil and not electricity and folk music. To his credit, Young--whom David Crosby calls 'a benevolent dictator'--probes a truly raw nerve in mainstream American entertainment. The documentary was produced and directed by Bernard Shakey--aka Young himself--but the presence of ABC News' Michael Cerre lends a credibility that pushes the film beyond the realm of self-promotion. Cerre is an admitted fan of CSNY, but as a journalist several times embedded with American G.I.s in Iraq he provides a needed insider's perspective. Politics aside, the film captures the aging quartet, warts and all. Riveting musical moments such as ripping guitar duels between Young and Stephen Stills or the ever-stellar harmonizing of Crosby and Graham Nash are humorously undercut by the image of Stills tripping over a monitor onstage. Intimate backstage footage reveals a charming camaraderie that has clearly kept this band ticking for so many years--even when the fans are walking out.

Review
This exceptional rockumentary chronicles the 2006 reunion of the troubadors who - despite a name like a law firm, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young - provided great anthems of dissent for the Vietnam War generation. It's no nostalgic road trip, but a rivetting topical political debate with good tunes. When the impassioned Young backed up his Living With War album by rounding up the hippy millionaire grandpas for the Freedom of Speech tour, he brought along veteran war correspondant Mike Cerre to record the gamut of heated reactions to Bush, the Iraq War and the boys among the band among inspired, aroused and absolutely furious audience members across the USA. Woodstock survivors will weep to see how old the Sixties' town criers are, but thrill with pride that they still kick ass and won't shut up. **** --Empire Magazine

Customer Reviews

After the garden
Rock documentaries always take the risk of becoming sad Spinal Tap-esque unintentional spoofs.Revealing bloated egos and character traits of your musical heroes that determine that you would actually cross the street to avoid this odious excuse for a human being. They can also be so sycophantic and grovelling that you want to throw up!
Thankfully 'Deja Vu' is a million light years from the either rockumentary. Instead, revealing Neil Young as THE main man and driving force of the quartet, surrounded by three equally committed friends who,tired of waiting for new young protest performers to rise from the streets,gave up waiting and took the anti war message on the road themselves.
It's very moving seeing CSN&Y as aging hippies who have crossed the great divide,from the sixties Vietnam years to the new century and still be as committed as ever to peace.
Time hasn't been so kind to David Crosby and Stephen Stills who have both ballooned out to Michelin Man proportions. However, Neil and Graham look healthy enough for sixty somethings and despite Father Time's cruel redrawing of the former pair's waistlines and features,as musicians they can still do the business.
Their tour across the States which ventured into Christian redneck heartlands of Republicanism was both bold and revealing. It revealed that in that central swathe of America known as 'Godland' there really is an undercurrent of vicious bigotry,ignorance and racism. Despite this,many of these rednecks were lifelong CSN&Y fans. Most of whom stayed the course until 'Let's impeach the president' was performed. Naturally the liberals in the audience loved it !
If my appreciation of the music of Neil Young was strong before,my appreciation of him as a human being is off the Richter scale after watching this.

no more war!
This documentary follows CSNY round the U.S on their 'Freedom of speech tour'.Neil young had recently written an album of protest songs called'Living with war'.War correspondent Mike Cerre films the reactions of the audiences and provides his own footage of Iraq.
The title 'Deja vu' says it all,Vietnam/Iraq they're the same.
The interviews with Iraq vets,families of dead servicemen,all linked in with CSNY's protest songs young and old, provide riveting viewing.
CSNY are an inspiration.LOVE AND PEACE!

Brilliant
The interviews with Iraq vets,families of dead servicemen, not only is riveting viewing, but some of the most moving film I`ve seen for years, touching all your emotions - brilliant.