Murray Lerner

Directing

Murray Lerner

Born — Died

1927-05-08 — 2017-09-02

Place of birth

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Known for

Directing

Credits

28 titles

Murray Lerner (May 8, 1927 – September 2, 2017) was an American documentary and experimental film director, best known for his Oscar-winning work on the 1981 documentary feature From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China. He earned another nomination in 1968 for the documentary Festival, which featured performances, interviews and conversations at the Newport Folk Festival. He also helmed films featuring Leonard Cohen, Jethro Tull, Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis. Additionally, Lerner wrote, produced and directed episodes of the series NET Journal and produced and helmed the television documentaries Listening to You: The Who at the Isle of Wight 1970 and The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan …

Known for

Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who poster
7.1

A documentary on The Who, featuring interviews with the band's two surviving members, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey.

Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who

2007

Leonard Cohen: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 poster
7.6

Forty summers ago on a windswept island just off England's southern coastline, a young Canadian folksinger-songwriter-poet-novelist named Leonard Cohen delivered the performance of a lifetime.

Leonard Cohen: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970

2009

No artwork available
8.0

Miles Davis live at The Isle Of Wight Festival, August 29, 1970. Tracks include Bitches Brew, It's About That Time, Sanctuary, Spanish Keys, and The Theme. Featuring Miles on Trumpet, Gary Bartz on saxophone, Chick Corea on electric piano, Keith Jarrett on electronic organ Dave Holland on electric bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, Airto Moreira on percussion. Footage shot by documentary director Murray Lerner.

Call It Anything

1970

The Doors: Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 poster
7.7

Filmed on August 1970, 2AM, in front of 600,000 people, with Jim Morrison’s ongoing Miami obscenity trial still weighing heavily on the band, they traverse such staples as “Roadhouse Blues”, “Break On Through (To The Other Side)”, and “Light My Fire”.

The Doors: Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970

2018

Festival poster
6.0

Black and white footage of performances, interviews, and conversations at the Newport Folk Festival, from 1963 to 1966. The headliners are Peter, Paul and Mary, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan, who's acoustic and electric. Son House and Mike Bloomfield talk about the blues; John Hurt, Howlin' Wolf, and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee show its range. The Osborne Brothers perform bluegrass. Donovan, Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, Mimi and Dick Farina, and others less well known also perform. Several talk musical philosophy, and there's a running commentary about the nature and appeal of folk music. The crowd looks clean cut.

Festival

1967

The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan: Live at the Newport Folk Festival poster
8.1

An unvarnished chronicle of Bob Dylan's metamorphosis from folk to rock musician via appearances at the Newport Folk Festival between 1963 and 1965.

The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan: Live at the Newport Folk Festival

2007

Behind the camera

Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who poster
7.1

A documentary on The Who, featuring interviews with the band's two surviving members, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey.

Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who

2007

Leonard Cohen: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 poster
7.6

Forty summers ago on a windswept island just off England's southern coastline, a young Canadian folksinger-songwriter-poet-novelist named Leonard Cohen delivered the performance of a lifetime.

Leonard Cohen: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970

2009

No artwork available
8.0

Miles Davis live at The Isle Of Wight Festival, August 29, 1970. Tracks include Bitches Brew, It's About That Time, Sanctuary, Spanish Keys, and The Theme. Featuring Miles on Trumpet, Gary Bartz on saxophone, Chick Corea on electric piano, Keith Jarrett on electronic organ Dave Holland on electric bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, Airto Moreira on percussion. Footage shot by documentary director Murray Lerner.

Call It Anything

1970

The Doors: Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 poster
7.7

Filmed on August 1970, 2AM, in front of 600,000 people, with Jim Morrison’s ongoing Miami obscenity trial still weighing heavily on the band, they traverse such staples as “Roadhouse Blues”, “Break On Through (To The Other Side)”, and “Light My Fire”.

The Doors: Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970

2018

Festival poster
6.0

Black and white footage of performances, interviews, and conversations at the Newport Folk Festival, from 1963 to 1966. The headliners are Peter, Paul and Mary, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan, who's acoustic and electric. Son House and Mike Bloomfield talk about the blues; John Hurt, Howlin' Wolf, and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee show its range. The Osborne Brothers perform bluegrass. Donovan, Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, Mimi and Dick Farina, and others less well known also perform. Several talk musical philosophy, and there's a running commentary about the nature and appeal of folk music. The crowd looks clean cut.

Festival

1967

Festival poster
6.0

Black and white footage of performances, interviews, and conversations at the Newport Folk Festival, from 1963 to 1966. The headliners are Peter, Paul and Mary, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan, who's acoustic and electric. Son House and Mike Bloomfield talk about the blues; John Hurt, Howlin' Wolf, and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee show its range. The Osborne Brothers perform bluegrass. Donovan, Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, Mimi and Dick Farina, and others less well known also perform. Several talk musical philosophy, and there's a running commentary about the nature and appeal of folk music. The crowd looks clean cut.

Festival

1967

Festival poster
6.0

Black and white footage of performances, interviews, and conversations at the Newport Folk Festival, from 1963 to 1966. The headliners are Peter, Paul and Mary, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan, who's acoustic and electric. Son House and Mike Bloomfield talk about the blues; John Hurt, Howlin' Wolf, and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee show its range. The Osborne Brothers perform bluegrass. Donovan, Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, Mimi and Dick Farina, and others less well known also perform. Several talk musical philosophy, and there's a running commentary about the nature and appeal of folk music. The crowd looks clean cut.

Festival

1967

The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan: Live at the Newport Folk Festival poster
8.1

An unvarnished chronicle of Bob Dylan's metamorphosis from folk to rock musician via appearances at the Newport Folk Festival between 1963 and 1965.

The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan: Live at the Newport Folk Festival

2007

Miles Electric - A Different Kind of Blue poster
7.0

Documentary about Miles Davis' legendary gig at the Isle of Wight Festival, August 1970. Includes full live footage and recent interviews with band mates and others.

Miles Electric - A Different Kind of Blue

2004

Listening to You: The Who Live at the Isle of Wight poster
7.4

Mod rockers the Who are captured live by director Murray Lerner at the legendary Isle of Wight festival in 1970, attended by 600,000 people. All the old classics are included in a typically energetic set; Moon the Loon, Roger the Dodger and Pete... the guitarist. And John Entwistle on bass. This is the first DVD release, without the extra material found on the DVD/Blu-ray re-release of 2006.

Listening to You: The Who Live at the Isle of Wight

1998

Listening to You: The Who Live at the Isle of Wight poster
7.4

Mod rockers the Who are captured live by director Murray Lerner at the legendary Isle of Wight festival in 1970, attended by 600,000 people. All the old classics are included in a typically energetic set; Moon the Loon, Roger the Dodger and Pete... the guitarist. And John Entwistle on bass. This is the first DVD release, without the extra material found on the DVD/Blu-ray re-release of 2006.

Listening to You: The Who Live at the Isle of Wight

1998

Message to Love - The Isle of Wight Festival poster
6.8

In August 1970, 600,000 fans flocked to the Isle of Wight to witness the third and final festival to be held on the island. Besides the music, they also got a look at the greed, cynicism and corruption that would plague the music industry for years to come. They also witnessed the final, drugged out performance of Jimi Hendrix in England just two weeks before he would meet a tragic death. When it all was over, the fans view of rock and roll was never the same.

Message to Love - The Isle of Wight Festival

1996

Message to Love - The Isle of Wight Festival poster
6.8

In August 1970, 600,000 fans flocked to the Isle of Wight to witness the third and final festival to be held on the island. Besides the music, they also got a look at the greed, cynicism and corruption that would plague the music industry for years to come. They also witnessed the final, drugged out performance of Jimi Hendrix in England just two weeks before he would meet a tragic death. When it all was over, the fans view of rock and roll was never the same.

Message to Love - The Isle of Wight Festival

1996

The Who:  Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 poster
8.3

Mod rockers The Who are captured live by director Murray Lerner at the legendary Isle of Wight festival in 1970, attended by 600,000 people. All the old classics are included in a typically energetic set; Moon the Loon, Roger the Dodger and Pete... the guitarist. And John Entwistle on bass.

The Who: Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970

2009

Jimi Hendrix - Live at the Isle of Wight poster
NR

His “Isle Of Wight” concert, which is presented on this disc, features many of Jimi’s best material, supported by his “Experience” band, with Billy Cox on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums. “Freedom”, “Voodoo Chile”, “All Along The Watchtower”, “Red House”, and “Machine Gun” are only a few of the highlights on this disc. During this infamous concert, Jimi was also playing “New Rising Sun” and “Lover Man”, both of which are unfortunately missing from this recording for some reason.

Jimi Hendrix - Live at the Isle of Wight

1970

Jimi Hendrix - Live at the Isle of Wight poster
NR

His “Isle Of Wight” concert, which is presented on this disc, features many of Jimi’s best material, supported by his “Experience” band, with Billy Cox on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums. “Freedom”, “Voodoo Chile”, “All Along The Watchtower”, “Red House”, and “Machine Gun” are only a few of the highlights on this disc. During this infamous concert, Jimi was also playing “New Rising Sun” and “Lover Man”, both of which are unfortunately missing from this recording for some reason.

Jimi Hendrix - Live at the Isle of Wight

1970

From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China poster
5.9

A beautiful expression of two differing cultures brought together by the warmth and dedication of a great musician and humanitarian. In 1979, as China re-opened its doors to the West, virtuoso Isaac Stern received an unprecedented government invitation to tour the country.

From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China

1981

From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China poster
5.9

A beautiful expression of two differing cultures brought together by the warmth and dedication of a great musician and humanitarian. In 1979, as China re-opened its doors to the West, virtuoso Isaac Stern received an unprecedented government invitation to tour the country.

From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China

1981

To Be a Man poster
NR

Director Murray Lerner’s hour-long “educational film about education,” began as a commissioned piece for Yale University, and was eventually broadcast on more than 60 local television stations across the country. The film captures students and faculty grappling with the meaning and purpose of education, and is a time capsule of Yale in the mid-1960s. -Yale Film Archive

To Be a Man

—

Blue Wild Angel: Jimi Hendrix Live at The Isle of Wight poster
NR

Jimi Hendrix's last UK performance was a memorable one, taking place at England's answer to Woodstock: the Isle of Wight rock festival. This video features the entire set, which includes incendiary versions of 'All Along the Watchtower', 'Voodoo Chile' and 'Message To Love'.

Blue Wild Angel: Jimi Hendrix Live at The Isle of Wight

2002

Magic Journeys poster
7.0

Formerly showcased at various Disney parks around the world, Magic Journeys presents an abstract look into the mind of a child.

Magic Journeys

1982

No artwork available
7.0

A BAFTA award nominated underwater documentary exploring the life of the ocean-bed inhabitants off the Florida coast.

Secrets of the Reef

1956

No artwork available
7.0

A BAFTA award nominated underwater documentary exploring the life of the ocean-bed inhabitants off the Florida coast.

Secrets of the Reef

1956

Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now - Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 poster
7.5

Directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker Murray Lerner, Both Sides Now: Live At The Isle of Wight Festival features new interviews with Joni, discussing her recollections of the event intercut with festival footage, both onstage and behind the scenes, offering a fascinating insight into a now legendary concert from the artists point of view and putting the events of the day into context. Alternatively, fans can enjoy the uninterrupted live concert footage featuring classic songs such as "Woodstock", "Both Sides Now" and "Big Yellow Taxi". This was the final film from Murray Lerner, who sadly passed away not long after the films completion.

Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now - Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970

2018

Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now - Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 poster
7.5

Directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker Murray Lerner, Both Sides Now: Live At The Isle of Wight Festival features new interviews with Joni, discussing her recollections of the event intercut with festival footage, both onstage and behind the scenes, offering a fascinating insight into a now legendary concert from the artists point of view and putting the events of the day into context. Alternatively, fans can enjoy the uninterrupted live concert footage featuring classic songs such as "Woodstock", "Both Sides Now" and "Big Yellow Taxi". This was the final film from Murray Lerner, who sadly passed away not long after the films completion.

Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now - Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970

2018

The Moody Blues: Live at the Isle of Wight Festival poster
9.0

In late August 1970, shortly after the release of their album "A Question Of Balance," The Moody Blues took to the stage of the Isle of Wight Festival in front of an audience estimated at over half a million. The band were at their creative and commercial peak after a succession of albums that had enjoyed unprecedented global success. This film from award winning director Murray Lerner combines the band's live performance from the 1970 festival with archive footage and new interview with Graeme Edge, Justin Hayward, John Lodge and Mike Pinder setting the band's performance in the context of the time. Tracks include: - Gypsy - Tuesday Afternoon - Never Comes The Day - Tortoise And The Hare - Question - The Sunset - Melancholy Man - Nights In White Satin - Legend Of A Mind - Encore: Ride My See Saw

The Moody Blues: Live at the Isle of Wight Festival

2009

Jethro Tull - Live at Estival Jazz Lugano 2005 poster
1.0

Jethro Tull performs live at Estival Jazz, Lugano Switzerland, July 9th 2005.

Jethro Tull - Live at Estival Jazz Lugano 2005

2005

Jethro Tull: Nothing Is Easy - Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 poster
5.8

Just three years into their career and just months before the release of the their acclaimed album "Aqualung," Jethro Tull performed on the final day of the 1970 Isle of Wight festival. Aware-winning director Murray Lerner captures tension between the hippie audience and show organizers, and audio commentary by from man Ian Anderson provides intimate perspective into the band's festival experience. Songs include "Nothing is Easy" and "My God."

Jethro Tull: Nothing Is Easy - Live at the Isle of Wight 1970

2005