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.

This film represents the work of people who obviously both did their homework and then produced a fair representation of the career of the influential band, the MC5. In the space of two hours they provide substantial insight into the genesis, the career path, and the influence of the MC5. Anyone curious concerning the intersection of rock music and politics, or the evolution of "punk rock," or concerning the counter-culture movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s would be well advised to have a look at this film.Those even more curious would be well advised to go have a look at the Labadie Collection at the University of Michigan and begin their own delvings into this historically significant era. There examine the collection of period publications like "The Ann Arbor Argus," "The Ann Arbor Sun," the papers of Lawerence Plamondon, and more that await serious exploration. Anyone curious about how that earlier anti-war movement progressed could begin the inquiry there.

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

Forget the fact that this documentary has your typical "rock band" story arc: friends start band, band gets big, band takes drugs, band declines artistically, band breaks-up, 30 years later band fondly recalls the fun times and laments the bad.Forget the fact that this movie painstakingly recounts those heady days of revolution, street riots, and domestic political oppression.Forget the fact that this movie makes us believe that the MC5 is just as relevant today as they were 30 plus years ago.Forget the fact that you get to meet such timeless characters as Wayne Kramer, Fred "Sonic" Smith, Rob Tyner, John Sinclair and the White Panther Party, among many many others.Forget the fact that you'll get to see this band live in concert, the Grande Ballroom in its glory, and the battle for Michigan Avenue.Forget all the that because the reason you will want to see this great documentary is because the music just kills!! We are talking almost 2 hours of pure MC5 MF'en jam kickin' folks.A true testimonial indeed!