Street Survivors: The True Story of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash never hit the big screen in my area, but Cleopatra has released a pretty awesome Blu Ray version of the movie.
The 1977 airplane crash that killed lead singer Ronnie Van Zant and two other band members and both pilots has been etched into rock and roll history forever, but the real story has never been told. That is until now. Spearheaded by a survivor of the crash, drummer Artimus Pyle, the movie is a realistic look at the excess of alcohol, drugs and sex during the 1970’s, The filmakers don’t candy coat the reality whatsoever.
Pyle was one of the few able to move after the crash, albiet on a leg that was torn to pieces. But he knew he had to go and get help, so he did, hobbling on foot through the backwoods until he found the farm of Johnny Mote, where he immediately called his wife Pat to tell her he was okay instructing people at the house to call the police while he got into the truck with Mote to ride out to the crash site.
The crash is heart wrenching, especially for those of us who remember it like it was yesterday. (This writer was at the final Skynyrd concert with Ronnie and met the band backstage that night). It’s a very emotional movie, withe Artimus discovering the lifeless bodies of both Van Zant and Cassie Gaines.
The package includes a BluRay version of the film, as well as a standard DVD and a soundtrack CD. Speaking of, although there is no Lynyrd Skynyrd music, the soundtrack boasts some outstanding Southern Rock originals, written and played by Pyle and his sons Marshall and Chris among others, The title track was co-written by Warren Haynes and is sung by APB vocalist Brad Durden.
Street Survivors is a movie we needed. A celuloid memorial to Ronnie, Steve, Cassie and Dean, told with love and heart.
-Michael Buffalo Smith
The 1977 airplane crash that killed lead singer Ronnie Van Zant and two other band members and both pilots has been etched into rock and roll history forever, but the real story has never been told. That is until now. Spearheaded by a survivor of the crash, drummer Artimus Pyle, the movie is a realistic look at the excess of alcohol, drugs and sex during the 1970’s, The filmakers don’t candy coat the reality whatsoever.
Pyle was one of the few able to move after the crash, albiet on a leg that was torn to pieces. But he knew he had to go and get help, so he did, hobbling on foot through the backwoods until he found the farm of Johnny Mote, where he immediately called his wife Pat to tell her he was okay instructing people at the house to call the police while he got into the truck with Mote to ride out to the crash site.
The crash is heart wrenching, especially for those of us who remember it like it was yesterday. (This writer was at the final Skynyrd concert with Ronnie and met the band backstage that night). It’s a very emotional movie, withe Artimus discovering the lifeless bodies of both Van Zant and Cassie Gaines.
The package includes a BluRay version of the film, as well as a standard DVD and a soundtrack CD. Speaking of, although there is no Lynyrd Skynyrd music, the soundtrack boasts some outstanding Southern Rock originals, written and played by Pyle and his sons Marshall and Chris among others, The title track was co-written by Warren Haynes and is sung by APB vocalist Brad Durden.
Street Survivors is a movie we needed. A celuloid memorial to Ronnie, Steve, Cassie and Dean, told with love and heart.
-Michael Buffalo Smith
