Costumes Movie Reviews

The quality of this DTS DVD is not at all bad, though not up to the standard of "Eagles - Hell Freezes Over". It is the only DTS DVD I have seen that also has a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack so you can make direct comparisons between the two formats. The video quality is good, with the costumes colorful. Even if you've never heard of Baaba Maal but like Youssou N'Dour or other African musicians, give it a try.

This is my favorite dvd,it is really worthy to buy it , you will love it.

Brilliant concert from one of Africa's most promising artists. Baaba is a great singer, dancer, composer and he has a clear vision of his art. The show has some beautiful initimate moments. There is quite a bit of magic between the dancers and they all seem to have a good time themselves which certainly reflects in the performance. I love the way Baaba creates a modern version of African music by combining different elements of African music in a new and unpredictable way, and all the while keeping the acoustic quality of the music alive. He shows you do not necessarely need to sell out to Western (commercial) taste in order to create a modern African sound. I never heard Baaba Maal before this DVD, but I'm certainly a fan now !

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.

In the movie Citizen Kane, auteur Orson Welles uses a variety of visual effects to make his film appealing to audiences. The film begins in medias res because Kane has already died at the start of the film. This technique is used to immediately capture the attention of the audience. The film is about a group of reporters who set out to research the life of the very rich, static character Charles Kane. Their goal was to discover the meaning behind his last words, "Rosebud." The audience learns about the life of Kane through the use of flashbacks and a nonlinear film structure. As the reporters interview different people in Kane's life, we are taken back in time to witness the relationship Kane had with those people. This style of film is much more interesting than the normal chronological structure.
The flashback to Kane's childhood shows a happy boy playing in the snow on his sled. His mother is inside making arrangements to send him away after learning Charles would be inheriting a large sum of money. The extreme close up angle of her face shows that she believes she is doing this for the good of her son. She obviously feels he would be better off away from his father, especially with all of the money he will receive. This flashback explains why later in life Kane's character is so concerned with earning the love and acceptance of others. He felt like his mother sent him away because he wasn't good enough. He spends his adult life trying to force people to love him. He marries two different women, runs for governor, and buys a few newspapers in an attempt to control what people think. Unfortunately, nothing works out as Kane would have liked, and he dies a very lonely man. In order for a film to be successful, the audience must have a connection with the main character. The flashback to Kane's childhood makes the audience feel sorry for him and understand why he is the man he is.
The direction style in this film was way ahead of its time. Fading scenes made smooth transitions, even with the nonlinear structure in which it is filmed. Filming in black and white allowed Welles to take advantage of shadows. When Susan tries to convince Kane that she does not want to sing anymore, he steps towards her and his shadow covers her face as he tells her she cannot quit. She is singing again in the next scene. The camera angles are high as Kane gives his speech during the run for governor to indict that power and presence Kane exhibits. When Susan leaves Kane, there is a close up of a bird squawking loudly, which shows the emotional turmoil Kane is suffering through as he becomes alone once again.
There is a lot of symbolism in Citizen Kane. The most important symbol is the sled called Rosebud, which represents the only time Kane was ever truly happy in his life. This symbolism technique is called value placed on an object by a character. The reporters in the film fail to uncover the meaning of Rosebud, and in the denouement it is ironically burned as junk. The snow globe also represents his happy early childhood. The palace he builds represents Kane's wealth and power, yet all the space inside represents how lonely he really is inside.
Kane's character remains static throughout the movie. Even when he realizes he is losing those close to him, he refuses to change his ways. He loses two wives and his best friend and is left to die alone and miserable. Susan's character is very innocent and naïve when she first meets Kane. After many years in an unhappy marriage, she develops the nerve to leave Kane.
The unique style of directing and great acting makes Citizen Kane a fantastic movie.

I can definately see why. It's shot perfectly. The cinematography is extradoniary, as is the story, plot, acting, music, and historical accuracy. It's incredible. The way it is told and it's just amazing. The story is about a newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane, taken from his mother as a boy and made the ward of a rich industrialist. The result is that every well-meaning or tyrannical or self-destructive move he makes for the rest of his life appears in some way to be a reaction to that deeply wounding event. The movie starts off like a documentary, and then they reveal that it is footage made up for the rememberance of Charles Foster Kane, who at that point had died. On his deathbed he uttered 2 words "Rosebud." No one knows what he meant by that, so they start interviewing and asking people who knew him to tell them everything they knew. The reporters find out about his childhood, young adulthood, his adulthood, and basically his entire life. They sadly never find out what or who Rosebud was, but the audience finds out. I'm not gonna tell you, but it so obvious that you'll kick yourself at the end of the movie for not knowing.

This is a great DVD set for any fan of Citizen Kane... it was ranked best film of all time by AFI. It was also nominated for 9 academy awards and won for best original screenplay. This box set includes 3 discs as I have listed below...

Disk #1 - Citizen Kane (the Feature Length Film including the Movie Premiere Newsreel, Rare Production Photographs, Storyboards, and more)

Disk #2 - The Battle Over Citizen Kane (the Academy Award Nominated Feature Length Documentary detailing the bitter struggle between film director Orson Welles and newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst)

Disk #3 - RKO 281 (Golden Globe Nominee for Best Mini-Series, Best Actor, and Best Actress, this HBO drama is filled with exciting performances from some of Hollywood's greatest stars)

In addition, this box set includes a collectible senitype with an image from the motion picture and its corresponding 35mm film frame. Plus, a 16-page commemorative booklet is included that also features images from the motion picture.

The one negative about this box set is that (although you see it in Amazon.com's picture)... the theatrical poster is not included. I suppose this is because it would have to be folded and then would not be in good condition for framing or hanging. Therefore, they include a "free" mail-in offer to get it sent to you... the catch... there is a shipping and handling charge. I was disappointed by what I consider to be an outrageous shipping fee, especially after shelling out the $$$ to buy this set.

I still gave this set 5-stars because it is such a great movie!

This is a great recording. The artists performance are excellent. Sutherland is excellent despite she isn't in her glorious days. The only problem: the sound is not that excellent thing. There is an inconvenient (high)background noise in the whole recording.

People on here constantly say JS should have retired years before she did. I for one am glad she did not. I saw here three times in the late eighties, twice in concert, once in Anna Bolena and she did not disappoint. The minute she opened here mouth you knew who u were listening to; her voice is unique.

I remember watching this performance for the first time some years ago; it was broadcast on satellite in the Uk by BSB. I remember thinking it must have been a recording from the late seventies and was amazed on finding the date of the performance was 1986.

Sutherland's voice is incredibly fresh; you won't hear a better Lucia; her opening scene and the following Regnava etc is amazing; and would have been amazing is he were 30 at the time of recording rather than 60.

I have all the vidoes and dvd's of JS. This without a doubt (although Lucrezia, Anna Bolena and Norma are close); is the best I have heard her sing on visual media. Her acting is credible; her voice, for a grandmother, is startling.

Buy this!

Sutherland is superb as Lucia. The production was as good as I have seen. It lent it self well to experiencing it via DVD.

George Carlin is a funny little (bleep), but not for little (bleep) kids, you know? Because George Carlin isn't for kids. His most famous routine is updated as he adds more words you can't say on TV. Very funny man!

These two, are by far the best he has done since the 7 bad words.
No fan will be the slightest bit dissappointed in these two selections. I was there for the taping of one, and it still gets better every time I here it (CD) or watch.

George is at his best in the now classic performance at Carnegie Hall. It starts off with his one liner about abortion, then moves on through hilarious routines about food, dogs, cats, and much more. It includes several outrageous observations, and the grand finale about dirty words will have audiences clutching their sides and falling off their chairs. The hilight of the show is when Carlin performs a headline news skit. This is highly recommended for all Carlin fans.

If so watch the incredible documentary on this DVD. You get to see Jim get lost on the road, kill in a comedy club, bomb in a comedy club, and everything in between. He tells his version of why he left Saturday Night Live. While the actual performance on the disc is great as well, it is the documentary that makes this a must own.

Jim Breuer's Heavy Metal DVD is hilarious! His stand up is amazing and the documentary is SUPERB! I love to watch comedy and there are so many awesome comedians out there but Breuer is hilarious in this DVD plus the documentary is the icing on the cake. It has footage of him on the road doing his stand up thing and having fun with fans! If anything, I would watch it for the documentary ONLY because you see inside "Jim Breuer's World" on the road and it's quite humorous. But what's up with the peanut butter infatuation? I like peanut butter but to go to extremes? Watch the DVD and let me know....

If you love to laugh your A** off and music as well this is a must have for anyone! Within 5 minutes of watching this dvd I was rolling on the floor and gasping for air to breathe between jokes. Jim's gestures and real life comediac scenerios that I lived through as a teen in the 80's made it that more funny. This guy ROCKS!

Although known for doing his "Goatboy" skits on SNL, which were very funny, this is by far his least best talent on this video.

If you enjoy great stand-up this is the best money spent for a laugh.

The only thing funnier than this DVD would be to see him live which I plan to if he comes to town.

And last but not least, If you enjoy heavy metal the band rocks too.

This was taped the same year as the Three Tenors performed, also celebarting the same occassion. Luciano sounds fresh and healthy.

Here he sings Puccini, Donizetti, and Neapolotan songs. Dare I say, I have some complaining to do. Could Pavarotti survive if he sung much more Verdi? (Di quella pira, Quest o quella, or La donna e mobile) And also, perhaps, some Rossini? (Ecco rident in cielo, or something from William Tell) The conductor, Leone Magiera, was not the greatest choice ever made. Why not Zubin Mehta or James Levine?

Anyhow, here is La Grande Tenor at his best. Enjoy!

An excellent selection of arias; Wonderfully performed by the great Pavarotti. This is a must-have for any Pavarotti fan, and any fan of opera and wonderful singing.

This is a really good DVD. It was taped during the 1990 World Cup, and in my view it is far superior to the Three Tenors Concert taped a couple of months later in Rome. Those who have read my previous reviews will probably realise that I am a complete unashamedly Pavarotti addict - and this will please all his millions of fans around the globe.

All his standard repertoire pieces are here, including an excellent "Pourquoi me reveiller" and a quite electrifying "Vesti la guibba". The encores are outstanding, and the whole programme has been put together thoughtfully. It is a shame that he couldn't have been persauded to sing "Ch'ella mi creda" or "Che gelida manina", or dare I say, a little bit more Verdi?

Anyway, this is Big Lucy at his best - and the audience love it, as will you if you invest in this DVD. When it arrived, we all settled down to watch it with a glass of wine after dinner one Saturday night. You know, my mother in law insisted that I order her a copy from amazon.com immediately. Which I duly did. Is there a better recommendation that that?

I am not a long time Kun Qu fan. I got interested in it about 3 years ago. It was not an easy task to learn to appreciate the beauty and excitement of Kun Qu. But once I learned something about Kun Qu, I was totally obsessed with it. People who publish this DVD might think this way: since it is hard to appreciate Kun Qu, let's put lots of bells and whistles in this production to make it "exciting." Well, succeed indeed they. A lot of scenes are selected for this DVD simply because in these scences the stage is crowded with acrobats, exotic costumes, or fashionable stage design. I am not against those stage elements per se. But where is the performance? I want the performance! I really wish I could say something good about this DVD. I heard that the original 19-hours production was quite an achievement. Unfortunately, they picked up the dessert but left out the main dishes to produce this DVD.

This review is written by someone who is familiar with Western Opera, but who has never seen a Chinese Opera until given a copy of "The Peony Pavilion." A suggestion for prospective listeners with a similar musical background: initially you might be overwhelmed by the color, the odd (to the Western ear) falsetto singing and speaking, and the stylized movements and acrobatics of the opera itself, so it might be best to watch the add-on, "The Making of The Peony Pavilion" before attempting the actual opera. It will introduce you to the singers, explain how the opera finally arrived at Lincoln Center, and show you many of the details that went into the production, e.g. the silk embroidery, the musical instruments, and the origin of the 300 or so songs in the opera. There is also a quick plot summary and an introduction to the main characters: Du Liniang (Beautiful Du), the heroine who dies of love and returns from the grave to marry her scholarly lover; the handsome young scholar, Liu Mengmei (Willow Dream of Plum); Du's parents; her pert little maid; her gabby old tutor; the King of the Underworld; the old nun, Sister Stone (one of my favorites). And many others--many, many other characters, all fascinating, including a fierce woman warrior (a role always played by a cross-dressing, falsetto-singing male).

The nineteen-hour adaptation of "The Peony Pavilion" that was performed at Lincoln Center is condensed to two hours here. (For all I know, the nineteen-hour opera is an abbreviated version of the 1598 original by master dramatist Tang Xianzu, that had over fifty scenes and took days to perform.) English subtitles are available, and an English narrator explains the parts of the plot that were left out of the recorded version. If this is not enough for you, I think you must travel to China before you can see the entire opera. I don't believe it is scheduled to return to Lincoln Center.

In spite of (or because of?) the stylized costumes and gestures, and in spite of the fact that they're singing in Chinese, the characters come vividly alive on the stage. "The Peony Pavilion" experience seemed more like watching one of Shakespeare's bawdier plays, rather than listening to a Western-style opera.

I recommend the excellent "Chinese Opera: Images and Stories" by Siu Wang-Ngai (with Peter Lovrick) if you'd like a written introduction to Chinese Opera--lots of gorgeous photographs, too.

If you love Chinese opera, don't miss this classic tale, written in 1598, and brought to life by director Chen Shi-Zheng, with genius, hard work, and a lot of determination.

Tape # 1 has an introduction which includes interviews with the cast and director. There is also a man who speaks in French (with no subtitles) who is never introduced, but perhaps if one understands French, who he is becomes clear.
Then the opera begins ! This epic production was 19 hours long, and in this abridged version, one gets a taste of its magnificence. Narrated in parts to make the plot more understandable in its condensed form, actor Robert Powell does a fine and unobtrusive job.

The delicacy and complexity of the movements (taking years of training), make this a visual as well as a musical treat. The costumes are sumptuous, and the set, with its pond in front of the stage (with ducks !), is lovely.

Quan Yi in the lead is exquisite, from her singing to every movement of her hands. She glides along the stage as if she had wings on her dainty slippered feet. It's a remarkable performance, and the rest of the cast is also superb. This amazing piece of theater has poetry, humor, some very subtle eroticism, and much beauty from beginning to end.

The hour long second tape has a quick synopsis of the opera, as well as an explanation of how this production was made...the casting, the 400 artisans who created the spectacular costumes, and the difficulties of getting it out of China, as well as a history of the art form. It's very educational, and I recommend seeing this before tape # 1...I think it will add much to the appreciation of it.
Bravo to everyone who contributed to this massive effort, and especially to Chen Shi-Zheng, who's labor of love finally came to fruition, and one sees the satisfaction of it in his eyes as he takes the curtain calls in the end.

There really isn't a lot to compare this production to, as I don't know of any other filmed versions of "The Seagull" available. This is Checkov's third-most-often produced play, after "Uncle Vanya" and "The Cherry Orchard," though it is equally powerful, dramatically.

Actors and actresses run, rather than walk, to be cast in Checkov plays. It's easy to understand why, as he consistently wrote scripts that allow for character reinterpretation. His are also wonderfully cadenced lines, even in translation. His plays have depth and weight to them, even though the surface themes may appear ephemeral. "The Sea Gull" is no exception.

The reason I can't quite give this production four stars (but I would give it 4 1/2) boils down to personal tastes. I prefer my Checkov, as I prefer my Shakespeare, performed by British casts. Something about the training, and the innate ability to get at the essence of a character more convincingly. As American casts go, however, this one is nothing to sneeze at. A look at the roster will show you that these are all actors that have had a marked impact on the Broadway stage. This is a well staged, thoughtfully directed production, and is the best representation available to the home audience.

The actress Blythe Danner is Gwyneth Paltrow's mother, and some of us think she could have been just as big a star. Here is one of her very best performances in this PBS version from the 1970's of Anton Chekhov's classic play, "The Seagull." She plays Nina, a country girl who falls in love with the dissolute novelist Trigorin (Kevin McCarthy). She is the very incarnation of innocence and happiness in the first three acts. She uses that throaty voice, enormous eyes and piercing sweetness to make us care deeply about the character. Then in act four she transforms herself into Trigorin's destroyed victim and the result is heartwrenching. A great performance by a sadly neglected great actress. This video is part of the "Broadway Theatre Archive", a collection of plays taped for PBS as part of their "Theatre in America" series. Every drams buff should seek them out.

A dream cast doing one of the world's finest plays. A wonderful portrayal of the Russian aristocracy, in all their pomp and silliness, before the revolution. Each character is so self-centered that they aren't quite able to understand or have compassion for those around them, and, ultimately, that shortcoming brings tragedy. Does it sound grim? Not so. This production is rich with warmth and humor, and while each character is gravely flawed, the viewer can't help to love them all. The vivid acting of the film's amazing ensemble makes this production nearly jump off the screen. Treat yourself to this film. Its one you'll treasure.

These guys really play well together. The first movement of the 40th symphony has moments that are breathtaking. I was very impressed with this orchestra - they really play admirably.
Well worth it to buy for any fan of the great Mozart.

This is a very nice DVD. A good chamber orchestra (Picardy Sinfonietta), a competent conductor (Patrick Fournillier), and outstandings programme and soloist: here, we can watch two of Mozart's better symphonies (29 and 40), the 3rd concert for horn (with that soloist, Radovan Vlatkovic), and a extra number, Rossini's overture from opera "Il Signor Bruschino".
Well, the interpretations are very good. The strings have a very clean sound, and the winds are a joy for the listener. Fournillier choiced the right tempi, and controls well his musicians. And Vlatkovic is perfect in his part, like in his CD of Mozart's Horn Concertos with ECO/Tate.
If you like Mozart's instrumental music, this is a DVD to have.

This is a joyful DVD. A great program and a fine performance. Get this one. You'll love it !