D.A. Pennebaker

The Profile

D.A. Pennebaker (Donn Alan Pennebaker, 1925–2019) was an American documentary filmmaker noted for music documentaries and direct-cinema / cinéma vérité work.

Pennebaker directed influential music documentaries such as Don't Look Back and Monterey Pop; he is widely regarded as a pioneer of cinéma vérité and direct cinema in documentary filmmaking.

The available review praises Pennebaker's Monterey Pop set as an essential document of the 1967 festival. It highlights the quality of performances and the value of the triple-DVD with full performances and outtakes. The review calls the DVD the best available record of the event.