Pluskylang Great Film overall

Plustown A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

Donald Seymour This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Lauren Griffin This is an excellent documentary about an influential, although relatively unknown, band. My husband and I were fortunate enough to see it at a one-night-only showing at an Atlanta rock club. Wayne Kramer, the MC5's guitarist, originally said it was a "wonderful film" and John Sinclair, the band's one-time manager, said Thomas had done "a fine job". However, in April 2004, Kramer sued the producer and director of the film (Laurel Legler and David C. Thomas, respectively) alleging that Legler and Thomas had promised he would be the film's music producer. Legler and Thomas denied this but distribution of the film ended and plans for a DVD release were canceled. In March 2007, the court ruled in favor of Legler and Thomas and the Court of Appeals upheld the decision. Even so, as of June 2010, MC5* A True Testimonial has not been released on DVD.

Ken Olson This is an excellent film that should be seen by all fans of rock music, as you will find the source of the roots of much of what is good in today's rock music. This is the best story you will get about the mighty MC5 and the working class kids that refused to become factory rats in the Motor City. The political stance matched the politics of the times and the political intensity matched the intensity of the music. Unfortunately, the flame of the NC5 burned bright, but fast. The in-fighting and controversy that marked the end of the 5 has spilled over on this film. If the court cases ever get resolved, we may yet see the legitimate release of this fine documentary - but don't hold your breath.

Russ Mallen This is one of my 10 favorite films of all time. In the "truth is stranger than fiction" vein, this documentary was more like a narrated movie for me. The MC5 was your stereotypical 60's band that imploded due to various abuses. The stories range from hysterical to tragic. The Greek tragedy continues, as apparently the filmmaker and wayne kramer are at odds over rights to the film. The public is being denied a 4 star DVD with hours of deleted footage from some rock 'n roll greats giving testimonials on the MC5's influence. It amazes me that this movie got no fanfare at the academy awards for best documentary - proving what a sham the academy is. For classic rock fans and punk fans, this is a must see - if the DVD ever sees the light of day.

hectomatic999 This long overdue documentary tells the (abridged) tale of one of the most threatening and dangerous bands ever to grace the American music scene. Sporting the level of desperation only recognized by true cast-out socially degenerate miscreants, The MC5 proved over their short existence that even the most lost and hopeless souls will have a voice.And it's a voice that absolutely refuses to be ignored.While still widely hailed in the underground scene as the 'Grandfathers of Punk Rock' (though often just mentioned as a footnote to Iggy Pop and the Stooges, a band that would never have existed had it not been for the MC5), few people know much of the history that has earned The 5 such acclaim.This film aspires to correct that little disparity. From their humble Lincoln Park, MI beginning (where working in an auto factory was 'a birthright') to their ironic coup de grâce (back in the Grande Ballroom, the same theater that gained them what little notoriety they achieved during their being), 'A True Testimonial' manages to seamlessly reinforce the urgency of the music with the urgency of day-to-day life in Detroit at that time. Here we stretch from a bunch of high school kids playing VFW halls to a slightly older band so associated with the threat of a 'revolution' that the FBI actually videotapes their performance at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Later, we see the band's first album rejected from a prominent Detroit department store because of 'objectionable content' (kinda like Wal-Mart does now, 35 years later). The band's reaction is true and the rest is another glorious chapter of rock n roll history.This film is above all a classic example of the connection (and, more importantly, the discrepancy) between rock n roll and political activeness. Differences between the band and the management (not to mention the band members themselves) ultimately over-power the spirit that brought the MC5 into existence in the first place.8.5 out of 10