Arts Movie Reviews

Typical of cirque du soleil, this show contains performances that make your jaw gape. The opening act of four girls who contort and balance, with or without each other, is so incredible you can't not react. Next, a group of acrobats uses a see-saw to fling themselves four thousand feet in the air while doing six hundred twisting flips in a micro-second to land on human stacks, the other end of the see-saw, or anywhere else they want to land...and precisely. The next routine allows viewers some down-time while a girl floats east and west on a giant swing while winding her body through all shapes to the accompaniment of peaceful music. Next comes the guy who does stuff on a tightrope that cannot be done, while the elderly director provides comic relief as he tries to mimic, and mostly unsuccessfully, his moves. I will not go through all the acts, but I have to warn you about what happens to you after watching the oriental girls who use their feet to do tricks with umbrellas: the little section of flesh between your eyebrows will be sore if you do not try to unfurrow them some time during the act. With all this praise it may come as a surprise to know this is my least favorite cirque du soleil show. I have four of their videos and I rate this one five stars because it deserves it. It's just that Quidam deserves a hundred. The other shows fall somewhere in between. If this is your thing, you will not be disappointed with any of them and I strongly recommend you buy them all. Oh, and be ready to laugh. You'll be doing a lot of it.

Typical of cirque du soleil, this show contains performances that make your jaw gape. The opening act of four girls who contort and balance, with or without each other, is so incredible you can't not react. Next, a group of acrobats uses a see-saw to fling themselves four thousand feet in the air while doing six hundred twisting flips in a micro-second to land on human stacks, the other end of the see-saw, or anywhere else they want to land...and precisely. The next routine allows viewers some down-time while a girl floats east and west on a giant swing while winding her body through all shapes to the accompaniment of peaceful music. Next comes the guy who does stuff on a tightrope that cannot be done, while the elderly director provides comic relief as he tries to mimic, and mostly unsuccessfully, his moves. I will not go through all the acts, but I have to warn you about what happens to you after watching the oriental girls who use their feet to do tricks with umbrellas: the little section of flesh between your eyebrows will be sore if you do not try to unfurrow them some time during the act. With all this praise it may come as a surprise to know this is my least favorite cirque du soleil show. I have four of their videos and I rate this one five stars because it deserves it. It's just that Quidam deserves a hundred. The other shows fall somewhere in between. If this is your thing, you will not be disappointed with any of them and I strongly recommend you buy them all. Oh, and be ready to laugh. You'll be doing a lot of it.

After seeing the videos of 'Quidam' (unbelievable) and 'Saltimbanco' (good, but does not compare to 'Quidam'), I expected to be disappointed. Leave it to Cirque du Soleil to not allow my expected disappointment. 'Nouvelle Experience' seems to be an ancestor to 'Mystere' which I have seen twice and will see every time I visit Las Vegas. The high bar and trampoline and 'see-saw' acts can be found in 'Mystere' and are just as thrilling in this video from 1991. As always, the spellbinding music of Rene Dupre enhances the performances. The highlight, in my opinion, is the hilarious clown 'director' scene with audience participation. I had to pause the tape several times until I quit laughing. Cirque du Soleil, et al. IS the most incredible entertainment force on Earth!

This was a good DVD release. While not having as many features as Varekaki, they tried to put some good stuff on the disc.

As far as the show goes, it was so-so. I have seen every Cirque show many times, some in person, some on video. Quidam is my favorite, with Varekai and Dralion tied for a close second.

It was nice to see the show finally, as I have only seen the story-movie Alegria, and it ties in really nicely once you've seen the cirque show.

Personally, I think threre's a LOT of wasted time on this one. There are less show acts, and more theatrical stuff. Too many clown acts, and drawn out boredom (much better than some of the older ones, but still not up to par with the more current shows).

I think the Fast Tracks (long trampolines) and the Russian Bars are the best parts of this show.

I watch this last winter on Bravo and I was in absolute aww. I have always been a Cirque Du Soleil fan and have watched several of their shows live. This one is up there with along with Quidam. I highly recommend it if you are a Cirque Du Soleil fan.

Alegria is finally coming out on dvd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can tell I am really excited because Alegria (along with Quidam and Dralion) is the best cirque du soleil performance currently available on dvd. Alegria features excellent acrobatics, an interesting storyline, and fantastic performance.

As a video, Dralion is about par for the Cirque du Soleil course. The show itself is an amazing work of art. It blends sights and sounds beautifully and from them crafts a performance that can enthrall and move viewers of all ages and backgrounds. At the same time, the videos are always poorly filmed. The camera angles are often too narrow, providing a perfect view of a performer's elbow or the face of a child in the crowd. One of the great things about these shows is that there's something happening everywhere at once--not just where the camera points. Also, there is a very MTV style to the switching of camera angles. No single shot is shown for more than a couple of seconds, and the transitions are far from smooth, making Dralion seem like an 80 minute long music video. Aside from this and some "generous" editing from the live show (the scenes are thoroughly chopped up), I would recommend this video to any true Cirque du Soleil fan. If you're looking for a video to introduce you to the true nature of these shows, though, Quidam (also available here) is a much better bet.

I was lucky enough to have been invited to see Dralion under le grand chapiteau, front row seats nonetheless. It was absolutely fantastic. I've been a fan of Cirque du Soleil ever since I saw a sample performance on TV, and had made it a life goal of mine to see them live. It was everything I had dreamed of and more.

The Dralion DVD captures some of that magic, but nothing is like seeing it live. Even still, it's a great DVD. There are times where I think they could have done a better job framing a particular act or whatever, but it's still a fantastic show. Everyone I've shown it to has been mesmerized by the amazing performances and music, which has turned them into Cirque fans.

I have owned the original Dralion DVD for some time. I also own the DVD's of Quidam, Alegria (the show filmed in Sidney not the film) and Varekai, which I purchased toguether with this new Dralion Superbit version. Until now Dralion had been my least favorite of the four shows. Not that it was bad but its just that Quidam was so much better. My problem was that as much as I tried I could never get the same sound from my original Dralion DVD. The Dolby Digital 5.1 track was so bad that at first I returned the DVD because I guessed I had a damaged product, and it was not. However, this new Superbit version with DTS sounds so crisp and powerfull that I have just rediscovered the show in a whole new way. If you already own Dralion...the new DTS track on the Superbit version is so good that alone makes the purchase worth it. Its a completely new experience. In terms of image quality, both versions are presented in beautiful widescreen anamorphic video, however, the new Superbit version seems at times more crispier, sharp and alive with excelent color presentation. The original version has also great colors, but most of the time this new Superbit version seems to have the edge in terms of definition when compared to the original.

Dralion is a fantastic show, with this new version I cannot say that Dralion is not as good as the other four. They are completely different shows, if you buy one...eventualy you will end up owning the others, yes, they are that good.

As a video, Dralion is about par for the Cirque du Soleil course. The show itself is an amazing work of art. It blends sights and sounds beautifully and from them crafts a performance that can enthrall and move viewers of all ages and backgrounds. At the same time, the videos are always poorly filmed. The camera angles are often too narrow, providing a perfect view of a performer's elbow or the face of a child in the crowd. One of the great things about these shows is that there's something happening everywhere at once--not just where the camera points. Also, there is a very MTV style to the switching of camera angles. No single shot is shown for more than a couple of seconds, and the transitions are far from smooth, making Dralion seem like an 80 minute long music video. Aside from this and some "generous" editing from the live show (the scenes are thoroughly chopped up), I would recommend this video to any true Cirque du Soleil fan. If you're looking for a video to introduce you to the true nature of these shows, though, Quidam (also available here) is a much better bet.

I was lucky enough to have been invited to see Dralion under le grand chapiteau, front row seats nonetheless. It was absolutely fantastic. I've been a fan of Cirque du Soleil ever since I saw a sample performance on TV, and had made it a life goal of mine to see them live. It was everything I had dreamed of and more.

The Dralion DVD captures some of that magic, but nothing is like seeing it live. Even still, it's a great DVD. There are times where I think they could have done a better job framing a particular act or whatever, but it's still a fantastic show. Everyone I've shown it to has been mesmerized by the amazing performances and music, which has turned them into Cirque fans.

I have owned the original Dralion DVD for some time. I also own the DVD's of Quidam, Alegria (the show filmed in Sidney not the film) and Varekai, which I purchased toguether with this new Dralion Superbit version. Until now Dralion had been my least favorite of the four shows. Not that it was bad but its just that Quidam was so much better. My problem was that as much as I tried I could never get the same sound from my original Dralion DVD. The Dolby Digital 5.1 track was so bad that at first I returned the DVD because I guessed I had a damaged product, and it was not. However, this new Superbit version with DTS sounds so crisp and powerfull that I have just rediscovered the show in a whole new way. If you already own Dralion...the new DTS track on the Superbit version is so good that alone makes the purchase worth it. Its a completely new experience. In terms of image quality, both versions are presented in beautiful widescreen anamorphic video, however, the new Superbit version seems at times more crispier, sharp and alive with excelent color presentation. The original version has also great colors, but most of the time this new Superbit version seems to have the edge in terms of definition when compared to the original.

Dralion is a fantastic show, with this new version I cannot say that Dralion is not as good as the other four. They are completely different shows, if you buy one...eventualy you will end up owning the others, yes, they are that good.

This is the Kirov film made for TV. The cover inexplicably says "Bolshoi Collection," though the credits correctly identify the production. Dancing is very good, but picture quality mediocre at best.

If you are a die hard Cirque Du Soleil fan and must have everything they put out, like me, then by all means go out and buy this DVD. If not, I would strongly recommend you pass on this one.

Why you ask? Well, lets start with the fact that it is (dollar amount)and is only 35 minutes long, and it's not even in widescreen. There are only a few acts and they are very short. There are no acts in this show that aren't available in their full length in other videos or DVDs. Even the soundtrack is copied from other shows, with the exception of "Journey of Man", which is a great song, but is much better (and is complete) on the audio CD.

There are a couple of pros, though. The audio seems to actually be 5.1, not 5.0 as specified on the box, and the quality of the video is quite good, once you get past the fact that is in 4:3 format. The scenery is spectacular, it is nice to see a rich background to the acts (as apposed to the scafolding of the big top). And it is a cute story...

With a little more effort, this could have been great. Unfortunately, it's, well... not...

Cirque du soleil is one of the most intriguing artistics statements in our society today. This particular piece, as seen in 3-D Imax, makes a provocative, tasteful introduction to what Cirque represents. The scenes are wildly colorful and poignantly dramatic, so much so that it brought tears to my eyes! My only wish is that the DVD would ship as 3-D as well. If you have a chance to see this in IMAX do so before you watch the DVD. You will NOT be disappointed.

What a beautiful experience. I felt as though peace had entered my heart and my soul had been lifted to th highest peak of floating freedom and danced with the grandest love. I recommend this DVD to all peoples. Even in typing this review, I feel the music still stirring my soul and filling my being with love and peace.

It is pretty audacious for the 25-member Canadian troupe called Cirque du Soleil to claim they reinvent the circus, but after you enjoy this hour-long tape you will not be particularly inclined to disagree. Here is the traditional big-top assortment of clowns, wire walkers, aerialists and balancing acts that will remind you a lot more of modern ballet more than traditional Barnum & Bailey. You will see astounding feats and you will remember not only them but the great flair with which they are performed. If you do not get to see Cirque Du Soleil in person, then have the circus in your own living room by watching this or any of their other tapes. Enjoy this with your kids (even if you don't have any, you were one once, right?)

Direct contrast to the previous one- it's not a "freak show". Cirque had to start somewhere, and Cirque Reinvente is it. At the time, Cirque du Soleil was considered daring and avant-garde, even though Reinvente has fallen by the wayside of newer Cirques such as Dralion, Quidam, and O. The comedic acts are still there, and these are some of the funniest moments ever recorded. Have *you* ever tried to direct the 1812 Overture while your feet are strapped to a small trampoline?

Its easy to tell who the real CIRQUE fans are. I am 30 yrs old now, but saw Cirque in Cali. in 1987 when they first started. A live, small, big-top show on the Santa-monica pier. This Vegas razzle dazzle Cirque is not better. the old show is best. youd watch the show and actually get goose bumps. grow up. this is the best of all of em.

If you saw Quidam and Dralion don't buy La Magie Continue. It cost the same but believe me, it is so boring.

If you are not familiar with the Cirque, be aware this is not a DVD about a standard circus that will make happy a 5 years old boy/girl. This is for more mature audiences. It is a piece of art, but not appealing for everyone. It is a mix of theather, circus and state of the art street performances. This is nota David Blaine or David Copperfield DVD! Not for young kids.

Before Cirque Du Soleil became known with the Le Cirque Reinvente tour (their 3rd production), they only toured across Canada with their first two shows (Le Cirque Du Soleil and Le Magie Continue). This show, their 2nd, is very early Cirque. It toured Canada in 1986. It is a must for any Cirque fan. It's understood that it was released on video in Canada only during the 80's. This is the first time it's being available in America. It's a must for any hard core Cirque fan.

This is not what you want to buy if you want to see action, art or music. This is a documentary that doesn't do justice to the spectacular group. Hardly any sequence represents the true escence of the acts because they are very few and interrupted. The editing is poor. The content is mostly interviews.

Video only fair to average, audio fair, content interesting for one viewing but not a DVD which one would view over & over. We anticipated more action but only saw snippets.

The cover notes are both incorrect and misleading. It claims "Full screen" implying to me it is 16:9 format. It is not, it is 4:3 and should have clearly said so. It also displays the "Dolby Digital" logo implying it is 5.1. It is not, it is very ordinary stereo and should have said so. The Amazon description is accurate and clearly states the format and the audio configuration so these notes are a criticism of Columbia Tristar - buyers in shops could be easily misled.

John

A documentary of Cirque's first 10 years. From when Cirque was started by street performers to their 10th anniversary. An interesting historical documentary that no Cirque fan should be without. Get it.