Have you ever watched the video on Instagram of a dog running around while a song with a banger rock beat and war-song-like vocals played in the background? That’s Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song.” Ever heard a rock song on the radio with an ultra-suspenseful lead up and an epic orchestral climax? That’s Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” You most likely know this band better than you realize, as its songs have been part of pop culture for years. Recently, the documentary film “Becoming Led Zeppelin” came out exclusively in IMAX theaters on February 7. My mother and I went to see it on opening weekend, and believe me when I say, it’s perfect for die-hard and new fans alike. Even though the film only covered the beginning and early years of the band, it expertly incorporated the best of the band in a two-hour movie format. Here’s why you should watch “Becoming Led Zeppelin,” whether it’s at an IMAX theater or at home on Netflix this summer.
It’s authentic at its very core: It’s the first-ever authorized documentary about the band, offering the viewer a rare glimpse into the band and its members. This includes previously unseen footage, personal stories, and insightful interviews. For example, the film includes a never-before-heard interview with John Bonham, who seldom gave interviews at all. This interview is so rare that the surviving band members heard it for the first time during the making of the documentary itself.
It deep dives into the band members at their origins: It’s one thing to give credit to the band as a whole. It’s entirely another thing to delve into the various musical influences that made each member so characteristically talented. The film began at the beginning and chronologically worked its way through the events and people that led to the band’s formation. The perspective the movie has on the band’s origins is sort of like the world’s most ideal science experiment. Each event and artistic/cultural movement came about at just the right time to catalyze a gathering that would take the world by storm.
It makes you feel as if you’re inches away from the band: From the one-on-one interviews to the full-length archive footage, viewers have the opportunity to experience the band like never before. As each of the members goes through their account, you feel as though you know them on a personal level. For a music history aficionado, or someone who just appreciates rock and roll, this documentary takes you back in time and makes you think you’re living in the late 60’s/early 70’s. As a 17-year-old, this even took me back in time. This goes to show how transformative the entire experience was and why they still continue to sell music and be relevant to this day.
What I love about Led Zeppelin is the timeless nature of the songs. I didn’t realize how many songs I heard in this documentary that I’ve heard on Instagram, on the radio, or in movies. I did a quick Google search of Led Zeppelin in the movies and was shocked to see how many of their songs were used and so frequently. For fans of Led Zeppelin such as my mother, you walk away from the documentary feeling nostalgic. She even commented that there were things about the band that she never knew and learned through this documentary. It truly has something for everyone to enjoy. You walk away feeling like you had just sat through a Led Zeppelin concert – 55 years later, that is.