Why ‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’ Left Jimmy Page Lost For Words
Jimmy Page said he was left speechless after attending the recent premiere of the first-ever official Led Zeppelin documentary.
Becoming Led Zeppelin focuses on how the band formed and rose to fame, and surviving members Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones were careful to ensure that it focused on their musical endeavors rather than their personal lives.
Page was the only band member present when it was initially screened on the afternoon of Sept. 4 at the Venice Film Festival in Italy, and he came prepared to welcome the full-capacity audience. The guitarist was forced to wait.
“There was a 10-minute standing ovation before a word was said,” Page via Facebook. “The audience bestowed such affection before the viewing, it was quite overwhelming. As the film progressed, the enthusiasm intensified and certain sequences were followed by applause.
"The audience were really connected and it was interesting to witness the communication and enthusiasm the event and the film were generating," Page added. "After the closing credits, the audience rose to their feet and gave us another standing ovation, a thank you that I can’t convey in words … but boy did I feel it."
Page decided to attend a second screening, which took place at midnight. There were similar results: He and director Bernard MacMahon “introduced the film to another enthusiastic audience and another standing ovation,” Page said.
“It was so energizing to feel the love, joy and anticipation from the public. The world press from the next couple of days was equally encouraging,” he said. “They had had a private viewing, so the questions were totally relative to the documentary. The film had clearly touched the hearts of both audience and critics alike.”
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