Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii

Technically excellent, this raises the question whether documentary is the most suitable cinematic form in which to present rock music. Although Pompeii and its geography are used along with split screen and rhythmic editing to evoke atmosphere, the unnecessary interviews with the group - and even the images of the band playing - tend to detract from the pleasure the music arouses, simply because the music is constructed not to conjure images of musicians but to provide scope for the listener's imagination. The film may be a brilliant visual record of the Floyd playing, but sadly the music works on you more if you just close your eyes.