Message to Love

Running time: N/A

"Rock and roll is here to stay!" And stay it does in Academy Award-Winning director Murray Lerner's film Message To Love, a film about the famous Isle of Wright concert of 1970, "-- the last and largest event of its kind." Over 600,000 fans arrived on the small island, which can only be reached by boat, to witness what was going to turn out to be the last performance of Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix. The Isle of Wright event proved to also be one of the major episodes in an age of commerce versus art. Taking place at the end of the "free love" decade, when the general mentality of music fans was that they should be able to see art for free, a battlefield sprung up and a war was waged by concert-goers who refused to pay to see the bands. The concert's organizer's answer was a wall around the amphitheater and a simple, "Shove off!". After all, it costs money to put on a show, especially one that was much larger and grander than even Woodstock. Although the Isle of Wright concert took place 25 years ago, Message To Love lets us know that history continues to have a way of repeating itself, with its depiction of power struggles. With skillful direction and finely-tuned editing, Murray Lerner (From Mao To Mozart) creates a portrait of not only a historical, ageless event, but also of a time of transformation, youth and rebellion. Cinequest is proud to present Murray Lerner's Message To Love. --Mike Rabehl