Willie Nelson's 4th of July Celebration (1979) Online

I was part of the crew on the shoot. It was shot with 35 mm Mitchell BNC's fitted with the 3D Spacevision process lenses used for "Andy Warhol's Frankenstein" and hand held 16mm cameras without 3D. It was briefly available on Betamax, and has now surfaced on DVD in the UK from Oracle Home Entertainment, titled "Willie Nelson Invites You To His 4th of July Picnic" with a running time of 90 minutes. There's a very long story about the original financier, the original director, and why the movie was never released in the 3D, as well as the delayed copyright and release in the states. PS - the woman that streaks the stage in Doug Kershaw's segment was anything but spontaneous, but the rest of the talent wasn't expecting it.

The 1979 date is a little misleading because although it was apparently released theatrically that year, the actual footage came from several years earlier. I have heard a lot of conflicting opinions on this but most of the evidence points to it being filmed entirely in 1974 at the second 4th of July Picnic which was a three-day event held in College Station, TX at the Texas World Speedway. Also, FWIW, the title on the movie that I have seen is "Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic" (not "Celebration") although I have seen photos of two different posters--one calling it "Picnic" and the other "Celebration." So, unless there were two different movies, it was apparently billed under both names. Both film and TV cameras are evident on stage and part of the concert was also broadcast on Wolfman Jack's "Midnight Special" TV show on August 2, 1974 according to TV dot com. You can plainly see Wolfman milling about with Willie and the crew in a couple of shots from the film. There is also legend that the film was shot in 3-D but the only release prints I ever saw were normal flat prints that projected best at 1:1.66 (not widescreen). To further confuse things the copyright date on the film is 1977. I really have no idea why a film shot in 1974 would be copyrighted in 1977 and distributed in 1979 but based on very sketchy information, that appears correct. And, yes, as the previous reviewer noted, Leon Russell is quite drunk. The fiddle player is Doug Kershaw. Great concert film, and very hard to find. There was definitely some partying going' on! I'm a little surprised there has never been a DVD of this given Willie's popularity.

Cinematheque goes red, white and blue with a screening of Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic - a hidden gem of a concert film

by Walter Forsberg

America - who doesn't love it? Not the America of environmental and political realities, devoted reader, but the America of myth.

And, nothing quite reeks of the good old U.S.A. than a down home country picnic - just like the one Willie Nelson threw in 1974 with Waylon Jennings, Doug Kershaw, B.W. Stevenson and a very drunk Leon Russell.

Musical super stardom and inebriation are like an estranged couple in concert-film history. In legend, the two are irrevocably married, but it is a rare treat to witness their coupling in concert films of the golden era (i.e. the '60s and '70s). Neil Young's nasal residue in The Last Waltz (1978) and the infamous underground tape The Cocaine Cowboy both briefly 'blow' the cover off backstage partying, but Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic is full of it. And, if ever there was a drunken hero of the concert-film genre, it is Leon Russell.

At Willie's bash, whilst tens of thousands of Texas bumpkins party and picnic all national holiday long, Russell progressively becomes the true character and star of the show by becoming more drunk and more entertaining to watch. The toe-tapping litany of Willie's assembled musical guests perform on a red, white and blue stage sponsored by Lone Star Beer, and Russell is never seen without a can of the stuff (though he eventually graduates to Budweiser, and then, a suspiciously discreet Coca-Cola cup). Roving the stage, Russell hovers unaware of his own presence - often obstructing sight lines and pestering performers (this includes undressing some as they play). He doesn't even really make it through a whole song by himself. It's wonderful.

Willie, for his part, is still the smooth country crooner of the 1970s: handsome and heartbreakingly good; not yet the gentle stoner-Gramps of today. Those unfamiliar with his live performances will marvel at the sobering fireworks display his guitar chops light up on his beat-up Spanish guitar. The music is infectious, especially when Doug 'the Ragin' Cajun' Kershaw shows up in full Austin Powers velvet and steals the show with his brand of wild bayou fiddling. Willie's dear, dear buddy Waylon Jennings shows up, too, performing several hits, including his Willie-homage, Willie the Wandering Gypsy. As the show climaxes with the requisite 'everyone-onstage' finale, even Jennings has become pretty zonked and his half-open eyelids give him a devilish air.

This concert film was long embroiled in a dispute between the director and financier, and is essentially unavailable anywhere on video. Period. A dear friend of Cinematheque has, reportedly, lent a very good condition 35mm print (one of less than a handful in existence, complete with all the R-rated topless women and streaker scenes) for Friday's 11 p.m. showing. If you find yourself uninspired by the ersatz patriotism of Canada Day, mosey on down for a rare and authentic taste of true Southern pride.

In 1974, I was a member of the MIDNIGHT SPECIAL production staff, and one of the shows that was taped (originally as a 2 parter) was the WILLIE NELSON 4th OF JULY PICNIC at College Station, Texas. The camera crew was supplied by Leon Russell's organization, but everything else, as I recall, was up to the show with the exception of the 3D production, which got 2nd rights access to preferred camera locations. The TV show ran, however, the film was unheard of until about 1982, when I was with a company called Astralvision, ie Astralvision 3D -which operated the Beverly Hills Screening Room on the Sunset strip, which was equipped to run 35mm 3D, including Spacevision, which was the system employed for the film. On/about 1982 the film's producer, Joseph Kaufman, brought a rough cut of the 3D version to screen and our group subsequently tried to get involved, to the extent to try to unravel a number of legal issues to help get the film into release. Joe claimed exclusive ownership to the rights. However, there was also another group who was cutting the film in a flat version (which ultimately got among the worst trade reviews of any concert film - one critic noting that it looked like it was "edited by a monkey" After months of trying to help, the legal costs went up too high and we had to bail. I did see the entire 3D rough cut and the footage actually looked pretty good. In fact, it was kinda mind-blowing to see the staff I worked with staring back at me in one shot from the film in very lifelike 3D. With the 3D trend now on the upswing, it may be prudent for whoever owns it, to try to bring it out for 3D Blue Ray release next year (2010) or even on any of the cable systems planning to go with some 3D programming sometime that same year. Least I forget, that streaker made it into the unviewable portion of the show that was broadcast, but viewers really couldn't see her.

Having just watched the '60s Country music revue film The Road to Nashville-with the clean cut and well dressed male and female performers who among them was Waylon Jennings-I decided to then go to YouTube to see this concert film from the '70s featuring many male bearded, outlaw Country music performers who among them was Waylon Jennings. He sang "Good Hearted Woman" among his set. Willie himself started with "Whiskey River" and ended with "Goodnight Irene" with Leon Russell accompanying backing vocals. Oh yes, Leon is the highlight of the show as he keeps ramblin' about his love of drink and is constantly on stage whether performing or not. I loved his mention of Louisiana and its various cities (including the one I currently live in, Baton Rouge) he visited and of the "Coon Ass" he intros as from the Pelican state-fiddler Doug Kershaw. Kershaw sure plays a mean fiddle, doesn't he? And what a pleasantly shocking surprise when that completely nude woman went on stage at the end of one his sets and just embraces him and Russell right there! In fact, the camera seemed to love putting the lens on several women undressed. Also enjoyed seeing musicians B.W. Stevenson, The Lost Gonzo Band, Michael Murphey, and Jerry Jeff Walker perform. It was quite an experience watching this so I can only imagine what it was like for the people that actually was there. So on that note, Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic (as the title was actually printed in the print I watched) was sure a great experience I'll never forget!

I feel very fortunate to have seen this extremely rare film. The performances are very raw, and the sound is NOT replaced. All the wonderful feedback and unintelligable lyrics are kept intact. Leon Russell gives the performance of a lifetime. Not necessarily a good musical performance, but his character is amazing. He is obviously drunk. He has THAT look. There is an incredible fiddle player dressed like Austin Powers who whales on his fiddle. The audience is filled with the best Texas rednecks that ever existed. Many shirtless women (some you wish they had their shirts on!) are sitting on the shoulders of their hairy faced, cowboy hatted, men. I did feel like this film was too short, but Leon Russell makes up for it. He is the STAR of this film!