The Song Remains the Same isn't the landmark in rock cinema Led Zeppelin would like it to be. In fact, it's barely a movie at all, just some concert footage interspersed with trick photography (in a fantasy sequence devoted to each member). This technique is meant to unify the best qualities of A Hard Day's Night and Gimme Shelter, but it doesn't work: there's none of the Beatles' wit, and the horror is phony. Still, in its misguided way, this blurry, pretentious monolith does offer some insights into what makes the most popular heavy-metal band tick. (p. 19)

Parsimony is one of the movie's themes, albeit accidentally. When a telegram arrives notifying Robert Plant of the impending tour, he stands and smiles at the waiting messenger. Finally, the kid shrugs and leaves: these rock stars don't even tip.

The other theme is sadism, principally expressed in the fantasy sequences...