Glastonbury the Movie review – thirty years on, the sunset of a hippy dream in all its glory

Glastonbury the Movie, a documentary filmed at the 1993 festival, was rereleased this week in 4K to mark its 30th anniversary. The film captures a youth culture free from mobile phones and corporate branding, focusing on tens of thousands of attendees enjoying the event. Directors William Beaton, Robin Mahoney, and Matthew Salkeld present a chronological account of the three-day festival, interspersing scenes from the campsite with musical performances. Featured acts include Stereo MCs performing "Connected," The Verve playing "Gravity Grave," and Porno for Pyros. The documentary also includes snippets of conversations overheard among festival-goers, such as one individual humorously offering "Lark's vomit! Pig's bladders!" for sale. This contrasts with Julien Temple's 2006 film "Glastonbury," which employed a more structured, thematic approach across multiple decades of the festival's history. The 1993 footage highlights fashion trends like tie-dye and acid jazz, and notably features a young Dexter Fletcher in a significant portion of the film.