Viewers have been left outraged after seeing women being 'molested' on-screen in Netflix's new documentary about the an anarchic festival that was burned to the ground.
Trainwreck: Woodstock ‘99 demonstrates the stark contrast between the famed music event in 1969 and 1999, which went from being a historic love-in of peace and music to a four-day descent into sheer chaos.
As is shown throughout the three episodes, the peaceful picture painted by the original festival became a distant memory as the mood was replaced by a heady mix of violence and arson - not to mention the 'tinted' water supply, which ended up being contaminated by faecal matter.
But what's really left viewers angry is the misogyny that was on display, with the series also highlighting four reported rapes and alleged cases of sexual assault that unfolded at the event.
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Taking to Twitter, one person wrote: "Watched the Netflix Woodstock ‘99 docuseries last night and I gotta say that interspersing dozens upon dozens of uncensored images of topless women being assaulted with only brief, passing discussion of the prevailing cultural attitudes that led to such instances was…a choice."
Another said, "Oh how fun, we get two Woodstock 99 documentaries in the span of a year that are made by mostly white men showing graphic footage of young women being assaulted while they try to intellectualize what factors could have led young white men to do such a thing."
A third added, "Three people died at Woodstock ‘99 as well on top of women being raped, molested, sodomized, drugged, people being trampled beat up, riots, anarchy overdoses etc.
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"Respect to the dead and the families effected but Woodstock ‘99 was insane."
Others fumed about the organisers' apparent reluctance to take responsibility for what happened, including promotor John Sher, who has come under fire for comments he made in the docuseries about the festival's four reported rapes.
“Woodstock was like a small city, you know?” he said. “All things considered, I’d say that there would probably be as many or more rapes in any sized city of that… but it wasn’t anything that gained enough momentum so that it caused any on-site issues, other than, of course, the women it happened to."
Reacting to his comments, one person wrote on Twitter: "Listening to that promoter of #Woodstock99 excuse away the rape of four women at Woodstock 99 is sickening. Absolutely no responsibility taken or fucks given over what happened there by those in charge."
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A second said: "Tainted water isn’t the worst thing you’ll see in ‘Trainwreck’ the #Woodstock99 doco, John Scher is. Suggesting the same amount of r*pes would’ve happened in a town of a similar population and it didn’t ‘cause reason for concern’ and that ‘kids are entitled’? Take ownership!!!"
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Trainwreck: Woodstock ‘99 is available to watch on Netflix now, but be warned that it contains content some viewers may find distressing.
Sexual assault referral centres provide a safe space and dedicated care for people who have been raped, sexually assaulted, or abused. If you want more information on what help is available after rape, sexual assault or abuse, search 'sexual assault referral centres' or visit www.nhs.uk/SARCs to find out more.
Topics: Netflix, Film and TV, Documentaries, Music