Co-directed by Peter Clifton and Joe Massot (the latter went on to direct the 1981 cult 2-Tone concert montage DANCE CRAZE), THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME is a part fantasy homage, part concert presentation showing Led Zeppelin at the height of their success in the 1970s.
Opening with a series of tranquil moments, livened up by a quick burst of violence, the film then cuts to the band of John Bonham, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Robert Plant playing some of their iconic releases like WHOLE LOTTA LOVE, ROCK AND ROLL and STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN.
Some of the concert footage was actually shot on a London studio.
Bonham tragically died in 1980, prompting the band to not continue, although they reformed on occasion for an ill-fated performance at Live Aid and their one-off 2007 gig at the O2 in London, chronicled in the excellent CELEBRATION DAY Blu-Ray).
Although the film over the years has been criticised from all fronts, it remains a potent reminder of the band’s power and your appreciation of the film depends on your own personal appreciation of the band itself.