On why they chose Bernard MacMahon to bring the band's story to the big screen, frontman Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page point at the filmmaker's work on the music documentary franchise.
- May 9, 2019
AceShowbiz - Led Zeppelin are to celebrate their 50th anniversary with a comprehensive feature film documentary.
Now in post-production, the currently untitled film features new interviews with the three surviving members of the band - guitarist Jimmy Page, frontman Robert Plant and bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones - and rare archival footage of their late drummer John Bonham.
The trio chose Bernard MacMahon, the filmmaker behind "American Epic", the documentary franchise which details the history of U.S. music from the 1920s to the present day, to tell their story on screen.
Explaining in a press release why MacMahon was chosen, Plant said, "Seeing (blues legend) Will Shade, and so many other important early American musicians, brought to life on the big screen in 'American Epic' inspired me to contribute to a very interesting and exciting story."
Echoing his praise, Page added, "When I saw everything Bernard had done both visually and sonically on the remarkable achievement that is 'American Epic', I knew he would be qualified to tell our story."
Jones also said it was the "right time" to open up about the group's career, in a film which will follow their route through the 1960s British music scene to the top of the charts in 1970. It is the first and only time the band have participated in a documentary in fifty years, although behind-the-scenes footage was featured in their iconic 1976 concert documentary, "The Song Remains the Same".
They went on to become the biggest hard rock band in the world in the 1970s, before calling it quits after their drummer's death in 1980. Bonham died at the age of 32 following a binge drinking session.
The new film will be introduced to buyers at the Cannes Film Festival in France next week, beg May 13.
