The Way of The Wally

[@-Atmos1]

Thanks Wally Dean for this story , very articulate & thought provoking .

[@daviddarkins1514]

Jolly good talk that. Thank you, thanks very much.

[@stephennicolay1940]

Went to Henge in '83 and saw the sun come up and watched Hawkwind. A great film!

[@brianwatson988]

An important episode in British history. Let this story be told.

[@sweetbeat7]

Yes very insightful and well narrated. Fascinating stuff !! Thank you for keeping the real history alive and reminding us of the true story... !!

[@psymonfallowfield-cooper6207]

Wicked film Al... and many many thanks to Wally Dean for keeping Wally Hope's memory alive... not that any of us forget him... I first went to the Festival in 77 aged 19 and went every year until 84... I couldn't make 85 as other things going on, but heard it on the radio as events unfolded... a group of us who couldn't make it, we sat there in stunned silence... I used to organise Cissbury Ring Free Festival from the late 70's through until 83... a lesser known one on the circuit, but by the time I had to move on from there were getting about 2,000 people and it would have grown, but the annual fight became too much... It's sad that we have to look back at this as part Ourstory (my term for history) from the past, even though the free party scene keeps a modicum of what was, going... I'm going to do my damnedest to be at the Stones for this years anniversary... Wally's forever! Peace and Love Wally Psymon...

[@tubthumper42]

Where i came from and all the things i hold true in life. Knew of this story through CRASS, Living on the road and all that jazz ATB you lot you know whats what and who you are. Andy.

[@napiermarten]

Thank you, for the reminder. I watched twice. An early voice which would have found great resonance today.

[@waltermatthews1155]

Great insight, met Wally Dean, 22/9/21 Stonehenge.

[@marius712000]

Really insightful, what a fascinating story

[@gaz1tinsley]

Thank you Wally Dean ! Beautiful story, so sad how people are treated by the so called elites ! R.I.P. Wally Hope

[@alstokesveteranfilmmaker913]

Thanks for your comment, Gaz Tinsley

[@myboythom]

great film mate,a story i sort of know but this really tells it...a good days work sir

[@alstokesveteranfilmmaker913]

Thanks for you comments, myboythom; been meaning to make this doco for a couple decades but the opportunity didn't arise until last month. The main credit for this should go to Wally Dean without whom this vid' wouldn't have been made.

[@myboythom]

it just struck me that its 40 years since the original stonehenge 'sit in' and 30 since the last fest at salisbury plain...surely not coincidence that this vid got made now al? i was at the fest in 1984 and as everyone sez it will stay with me...anyway as i say good work geeza

[@alstokesveteranfilmmaker913]

No, t'is not a co-incidence. The film wasn't produced because of the 40th / 30th anniversary, but it was a darn sight easier to get made. Folk from back in the day are aware none of us are getting any younger and by the next decade anniversary most of us are going to be pretty doddery. In 1984 I was in my thirties and I was considered a young un'. Although I have a feeling many Stonehenge Festival folk won't live as long or as well as the D-Day heroes. So it goes.

[@myboythom]

so you think there will be a big presence this year...damn i'm in angelsey for solstice this year and won't be able to get to stonehenge....still i do not think we will see the like of 1984 festival again...even castlemorton in 1992 which was great still wasn't a stonehenge....i was young in 84 like 16 and it set me off as it did lots of us on that fest travel fest..thing...so anyway if you're there av a good un...and as i say cheers for the film work tophole mate

[@alstokesveteranfilmmaker913]

And a very Merry Summer Solstice to you all - love & peas!

[@littleianthefirst]

a truly decent fella, and a great epitath, very moving, good work, thankyou.

[@Psymon-F-C]

And from my real account... lol... Wicked film Al... and many many thanks to Wally Dean for keeping Wally Hope's memory alive... not that any of us forget him... I first went to the Festival in 77 aged 19 and went every year until 84... I couldn't make 85 as other things going on, but heard it on the radio as events unfolded... a group of us who couldn't make it, we sat there in stunned silence... I used to organise Cissbury Ring Free Festival from the late 70's through until 83... a lesser known one on the circuit, but by the time I had to move on from there were getting about 2,000 people and it would have grown, but the annual fight became too much... It's sad that we have to look back at this as part Ourstory (my term for history) from the past, even though the free party scene keeps a modicum of what was, going... I'm going to do my damnedest to be at the Stones for this years anniversary... Wally's forever! Peace and Love Wally Psymon...

[@hawkmoon4459]

Nice one :)

[@alstokesveteranfilmmaker913]

Reply to Womble Dung: Sorry you don't like the intro to my film and here is my excuse. This film was the first project I undertook after switching from Mac / Final Cut Pro to PC / Premier Pro and hadn't quite made a seamless transition from one to t'other, even though PP was the first digital system I learned after 30-years of Eastman Colour sprocket holes. Someone had changed all the knobs (functions) in the meantime. However, I make it rule never to go back and fiddle about with a completed production because once a project is deleted from you tube folk think it's gone forever and don't return to see the new version. What I had to say in the intro is nowhere near as important as what Wally Dean had to say about the short life and tragic life of Phil Russell. I always edit out my questions pretty much for that reason, so people can tell the story in their own words. That's old time documentary style which seems to be lost on 21st century (graduate) TV programme makers. Hey-ho.

[@koont666]

I find your version of this story easier to take in than penny's must be the way you tell it thanks.

[@alstokesveteranfilmmaker913]

Thanks but I try not to tell 'stories' in documentary film making and especially not to hold 'views' on a subject in which I was not involved. The film came about because I was visiting Wally Dean, we went for a walk up Glastonbury Tor and I casually asked what happened to Phil. This was his take on the subject. Subsequently, I have been told so many versions of events I have no idea who is right or wrong. One person once alleged (to me) Phil was a 'kiddy fiddler' and it was his mother who dobbed him into the coppers to either protect the family name or to get treatment for Phil - which went horribly wrong. Since there was no actual proof either way I couldn't use the allegation in the film. Mind 'ow you go.

[@robinaggus5050]

In 74 I spent a night with the Wallies at Stonehenge. They were sheltering under plastic sheets and surviving by scrounging in local communities. They showed me how they were going to make a hot air balloon from the plastic sheets as they held one over a fire of straw and watched it float up and blow away. While eating an apple after setting up my tent beside their encampment one of them came over and asked for a bite. Being young and innocent I handed him the apple - which he finished. That was it for me. Rather than accepting their offer to join them to feel the vibes in the stone ring that night I stayed put in my tent lest it and my meagre gear should disappear while I was out of sight. I packed up and left very early in the morning. I regret missing the opportunity to spend time at night in the stone circle but do not regret losing my gear.

[@gratefulkm]

"You have to let go or you stay"

[@DookLeto]

weird, was watching this and realised its the solstice today.

[@marius712000]

Zorch....great band but so hard to source their cd

[@deejannemeiurffnicht1791]

the audio mixing is rather unfortunate at the introduction. not that the music is bad. far from it. it is nice, but is mixed too high, and is of a better, "fatter" quality than the rather thin high pitched mixing/recording of the voice audio. made for difficult listening to the narator, as basically the music is more "in focus" than his voice is. nothing a little re-edit of the audio track couldnt fix, i'm sure. however, what a great idea to make this film. wally dean does Wally's biography rather well. with a graceful humilty and love that is felt, by myself, as a listener. Al did a wonderful job by not getting in the way of the satory telling. which ios a fault some film makers can have. Al simply seemed to make things easy for his subject, in this case, wally dean, and of course, weally hope's story.

[@alfonzobonzo3020]

Wally sounds like a legend 😎🌈

[@gratefulkm]

I have heard so many stories .most i have trouble comprehending but I try, the source of the stories is mostly drunk, so it was hard to truly believe they were true so i watched this, and at the interval, i finally understood that every word i have been told is true ,

[@mukhumor]

Yeah remember Wally. I was in all of that. Windsor Great Park , Stonehenge, Roundhouse, Watchfield... Lemmy opted for the Hell's Angels and their speed. Didn't like Acid... too much baggage. That is where Heavy Metal came from. Lemmy, speedfreak motorhead.

[@gratefulkm]

There was so much that was not understood back then, as to what was actually occurring But in recent times mush as been revealed and the Deadheads were right about everything

[@jasonnoxen4099]

An al stokes

[@blahblahoink]

Wally administered plenty of mind altering drugs to himself. Where's Wally?

[@lw1zfog]

the uk state apparatus murdered Wally Hope

[@thewhaj]

And now the Age of Aquarius...

[@taylordrake111]

SPIT THE PILLS OUT!

[@daviddarkins1514]

No