Spare Bricks

The Camera Eye

by Richard Mahon

NOTE: The following concert videos are being graded as a guide to documenting the live performance history of Pink Floyd and Roger Waters. Past video reviews are posted at the following site - http://members.nbci.com/RichM66/sbarchive.htm

Pink Floyd
Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria
February 1, 1977
20 minutes of 8mm film footage

This video is shot from the floor. The picture is faded, grainy, and out of focus. There are times when the screen goes completely black. Unfortunately, this is the standard for 8mm film shot during the 1970s. In the end, this is one of only two clips that make up all of the available video footage to document the 1977 Animals tour. Some watchable footage includes Snowy White's guitar solo during "Have A Cigar." You can make out Gilmour playing a Telecaster during "Dogs" and Waters playing a Stratocaster during "Pigs (Three Different Ones.)" Of the various 8mm films of Pink Floyd that were filmed during the 70s, this is the only available film that features sound. The video saves its best shots for last as there are a nice series of close ups of Gilmour during his guitar solo for Money to close the video. I grade this video "C-" and the audio "VG."

Pink Floyd
Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, CA
May 6, 1977
9 minutes of 8mm film footage

This video is also shot from the floor but it isn't quite as dark as the Vienna film. This footage does a better job of staying in focus, which in turn provides better use of some of the stage set up and props. This makes for some nice shots when the view is unobstructed and focused. For example, there is a nice shot of the flying pig bursting into flames. The disadvantage is that this is a silent 8mm film with sound dubbed from an audience recording. These dubbed films never seem to be in synch. This is a common trait among older 8mm films. The camera is unstable when the camera operator zooms in. Other highlights include pyrotechnics on the sides of the stage and the unusual upside down umbrella shaped weather shields that cover the band. The camera pans between Gilmour and Waters for the duration of this footage. Though it is difficult to see, the Gerald Scarfe footage of the leaf that appears in "The Trial" can be seen on the projection screen for a few seconds. I grade this video "C+" and the audio "VG."

VIDEO QUALITY RATINGS

A Broadcast quality
B Very good, typically a well shot, low generation single camera recording
C Fair, watchable but with defects, color distortion or loss of clarity due to high generation
D Poor, difficult to watch

Videos are compared to broadcast quality standards. All videos are subject to loss of quality through multiple generations. Single camera recordings may be dark, obstructed, unstable, out of focus and distant. "B+" is the top rating for a single camera video though on rare occasions an exceptional single camera video may receive an "A" or "A-."

AUDIO QUALITY RATINGS

E Broadcast quality
VG Average audience recording
G Difficult to listen to

Audios are compared to FM broadcast quality standards. Audio audience recordings may lack clarity or include excessive crowd noise. "VG-E" is usually the top rating for an audience recording.

Richard Mahon is a staff writer for Spare Bricks