Runnin' Down a Dream (film)


Runnin' Down a Dream is a 2007 documentary film about Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, directed by Peter Bogdanovich. The 4-hour documentary chronicles the history of the band, from its inception as Mudcrutch, right up to the 30th-anniversary concert in Petty's home town of Gainesville, Florida, on September 21, 2006, at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center, University of Florida. The film features interviews with George Harrison, Eddie Vedder, Stevie Nicks, Dave Grohl, Jeff Lynne, Rick Rubin, Johnny Depp, Jackson Browne and more. Petty's solo career is also touched on, as is his time with The Traveling Wilburys.
The film was commercially released as part of a four-disc box set. The film spanned the first two discs, while the 30th anniversary concert and a CD of rare tracks were the components of the remaining two discs. On October 28, 2008, a two-disc version set of the film, featuring previously unreleased bonus performances, but not the Gainesville concert or audio CD, was released to the public. Runnin' Down a Dream was released on Blu-ray Disc on November 15, 2010.

DVD track listing

Disc 1

"Main Feature DVD "
  1. Gainesville 2006
  2. Elvis
  3. What's in a Name
  4. Mike
  5. Benmont
  6. B.Y.O.F.
  7. Fast Forward
  8. Deals
  9. A Broken Bond
  10. Ron & Stan
  11. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
  12. Third
  13. Fuel
  14. Howie
  15. Poet

    Disc 2

"Main Feature DVD "
  1. Bob Dylan
  2. Strange Coincidences
  3. Scott
  4. The Bottom Line
  5. Steve
  6. John
  7. Round Trip
  8. Rock & Roll Heaven
  9. Runnin' Down a Dream

    Disc 3

"One 30th Anniversary Concert DVD"
  1. "Listen to Her Heart"
  2. "Mary Jane's Last Dance"
  3. "I Won't Back Down"
  4. "Free Fallin'"
  5. "Saving Grace"
  6. "I'm a Man"
  7. "Oh Well"
  8. "Handle with Care"
  9. "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around"
  10. "I Need to Know"
  11. "It's Good to Be King"
  12. "Down South"
  13. "Southern Accents"
  14. "Insider"
  15. "Learning to Fly"
  16. "Don't Come Around Here No More"
  17. "Runnin' Down a Dream"
  18. "You Wreck Me"
  19. "Mystic Eyes"
  20. "American Girl"

    Disc 4

"Bonus Soundtrack CD"
  1. "Breakdown" – Rehearsal 1977, Los Angeles, CA
  2. "Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll" – Top Of The Pops, UK, June 16, 1977
  3. "Fooled Again " – Old Grey Whistle Test, UK, June 20, 1978
  4. "American Girl" – Fridays, June 6, 1980
  5. "Shadow of a Doubt " – Fridays, June 6, 1980
  6. "Stories We Could Tell" – Recorded at the Record Plant, Hollywood, CA, 1982
  7. "Keeping Me Alive" – Recorded at the Record Plant, Hollywood, CA, 1982
  8. "Honey Bee" – Saturday Night Live, November 19, 1994
  9. "Lost Highway" – Rehearsal at CenterStaging, Burbank, CA, May 19, 2006

    Reception

The film received mostly positive feedback from film critics. The film won a Grammy for Best Music Film. The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes reports that 100% of critics gave the film a positive review based on 5 reviews, with an average score of 8.1/10. Nick Schager of Slant Magazine reviewed the documentary saying, "Employs a warm and leisurely, though never sluggish, pace that's upfront about Bogdanovich's intention to take his sweet time tackling every topic of relevant interest." Ronnie Schreib of Variety, reviewed it saying: "A feast for Petty fans and a joyous confirmation of the vitality of the collective creative process." Dan Lybarger, of eFilmCritic.com, said: "Peter Bogdanovich's new documentary about the life and career of Florida-born rocker Tom Petty runs nearly four hours and never fails to engage or entertain."

Personnel