Did you know that the history-making documentary Woodstock was made possible by funds from 1960s talk-show host Merv Griffin? An innovative TV special featuring Griffin (and earnings of $23,000) allowed filmmaker Michael Wadleigh and his partners at Paradigm Films in New York to push the boundaries of filmmaking technology--and their considerable skills--by creating the epic documentary chronicling Woodstock, the 1969 musical celebration of peace, love, and rock & roll that attracted "half a million strong" to Max Yasgur's idyllic farm in upstate New York.

Published to coincide with the film's 30th anniversary, this delightful book--aptly described by editor and Woodstock associate producer Dale Bell as "our Rashomon story"--is an oral history composed of recollections from more than 40 of the film's primary crew members and festival musicians. This rich tapestry of memory creates a rush of affection, fascination, and deepened appreciation for the film and its creators, all of whom (including Martin Scorsese and now-legendary editor Thelma Schoonmaker) remain deeply moved by the lasting influence of their efforts. The suspense is palpable as participants describe the rush of preparation, the frenzy of filmmaking, an exhausting marathon of editing and Warner Bros.-funded postproduction (165 hours of footage whittled down to a four-hour director's cut!), and, finally, a well-deserved Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Bell guides us chronologically through this phenomenal tale of brilliant collaboration, cooperation, frustration, and astonishing achievement. (From multiple-image editing to the first-ever use of Dolby noise reduction for a feature film, Woodstock was technologically ahead of its time.) What's amazing is that the film almost wasn't made at all. But in this engaging book, we see why Woodstock had to be made--as revealed by the crew members' proud recollections of making a film that shall forever remain one of the pivotal visual documents of the 20th century. --Jeff Shannon