Costumes Movie Reviews

If you like southern style stand-up, you will enjoy the standup bits on this DVD. The interview with Andy Griffith goes on a bit too long for my taste. If you are a fan of the Andy Griffith show, there better sources out there (I.E. on TBS). I would have rather seen more stand-up, which is why I bought this DVD.

I can't wait to see a Jose Cura opera performance on DVD. If an Easter concert is this enthralling, just imagine how electrifying his opera performances are.

His performance on this DVD is so focused, so dynamic it is exhilirating to watch. His voice is so powerful yet exquisitely beautiful.

This DVD would have received 5 stars if the audio quality would be better. The recording is in 5.1 dolby digital however, there is an odd microphone buzz evident in some of the quieter moments. Why can't opera and concerts like this have the same excellent audio quality as the One Night Only Bee Gees DTS DVD? However, despite some audio quality qualms, it is a very realistic sounding DVD, it really sounds as if you are in the church audience.

I highly recommend this DVD, Jose Cura is an exceptional artist.

This box set is an awesome orchestral arrangement of DVD's. You can enjoy wonderful tunes everyone remembers growing up to performed by an astounding and talented group of musicians. Having this set in your collection is a must if whether you are an avid musician or a casual listener of classical songs. I suggest watching these DVD's around the end of November in the anticipation of Christmas's arrival. It's hard to determine a favorite among these wonderful masterpieces, but I would have to recommend "Silent Night" Christmas Concert DVD. This I feel is the most moving and awe-inspiring piece among the others.

This DVD is very funny. The comedians featured for the most part are hilarious and will keep you laughing if not crying. The host Jeff Garcia is also very funny and is in the show in between acts.

This is a good solid production of the story of Ulysses return home as stated in the last half of the Odyssey. The orchestra is more or less in the period style as directed by Nicholas Harnoncourt at the Zurich Opera house. Staging is good and the singing is particularly accurate. The cast, led by Vesselina Kasarova (sp?) is uniformly good though with a bit more vibrato than I would like. Some of the intonation is extremely well done and so subtle that it makes you think about Monteverdi's harmonic intentions. While this is not to me an exciting or new story, the plot is easy to follow in spite of the occasional divine interventions and the acting stylized but appropriate. If you have seen the English video of this opera, you will be amazed at how good this production is. I highly recommend this production and only give less than maximum stars because the story and renaissance musical and operatic style will not be to everyone's taste. There is no doubt that this is a first rate production.

Llega en dvd una gran version del 'Rapto en el Serrallo' mozartiano, con un buen reparto encabezado por la soprano italiana EVA MEI, una gran Konstanze en lo vocal, segurisima ante todas sus dificilisimas coloraturas, agudos e intervalos agudo-grave, grave-agudo. Brava!. El tenor RAINER TROST es un Belmonte con la voz algo metálica, aunque mantiene un nivel medio aceptable. Como Osmin, el bajo KURT RYDL hace una soberbia creacion vocal y una divertida creacion escenica. Vocalmente intachable tambien la Blonde de PATRIZIA CIOFFI, de bellisima voz y potentes agudos. El tenor que da vida a Pedrillo cumple, sin mas.
La produccion escenica, del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, es muy bella visualmente, con notables decorados y vestuario, y detalles de muy buen gusto (la llegada del barco, el cocodrilo...)
ZUBIN METHA dirige a la orquesta con suma correccion, lo que termina de cuajar una version muy recomendable de la gran opera mozartiana.

This film covers only defending against a knife attack. There is a separate film from the same instructors that is devoted to attacking (Winning a street knife fight).

The film covers the basics very well, and in detail. All the techniques they instruct are very simple, and you get the impression that that's all that is needed (I haven't been in a knife fight, so I have no experience myself). The instructors (Marc Mac Young and Richard Dodson) explain very well all the techniques, and they also demonstrate why these techniques are good and effective. There is also much humor in the film, making the film enjoyable to watch.

The instruction of the film is very good, but the production is not of the same standard. With better production, this film would be worth 5 stars.

Run time: 59 minutes

DVD extra: Winning a street knife fight (59 minutes). Also available separately on VHS; see separate review.

Hoffman's 'La Vie Parisiene,' here performed by a modern Paris 'opera,' has some very impressive moments. Overall, though, it feels a bit 'stiff', that is to say, some scenes seem to have trouble jump-starting themselves into effective entertainment, art, or action.

But note I have given this DVD 4-stars. If you like Hoffman and modern Paris drama sung in French, this DVD might interest you. The acting and the costumes are intriguing, as is the storyline. You have to give these performers a lot of credit, for the lines they sing are incredibly challenging in terms of syllabic structure, rapidity, and intonation. These are expert thespians and I would love to watch them perform in something more 'rich' than this slightly dry "La Vie Parisienne.'

This can hardly be called an opera, however, for it really is more like a play which is sung. When I think of 'opera', I think of 'Lakme,' 'Madame Butterfly,' or 'Turandot,' not 'La Vie Parisienne.'

Although this operetta is not so wellknown as The Merry Widow or the opera by the composer itself, Le Contes D'Hoffmann, it is not less magnificent and enchanting and we are amazed of the lively and sparkling music that is so beautiful and melodious from beginning to the end. It contains the exotic and specific French accent in the music,and give this operetta an extra-ordinary nuance. It is also sung and performed with such care and excellence, although the singers are not so wellknown outside Europe.
The disappointment only lies in the contemporary costumes which leave us no imagination of the crude and rough gang of bandits, as in here they just look like a bunch of office executives and employees on a union strike rather than a gang of robbers. They were dressed in ties and jacket or pullovers,while the daughter Fiorella and the other ladies were dressed in the contemporary Parisienne's way. Furthermore, the background set consisting of a glass building, fails to describe the sinister hills and woods in which robbers usually live in the old days. When the Duke of Mantua was lost and came crashing down the hill into the valley, he actually came crashing down the ceiling like an ordinary workman, while he misplaced Fiorella as a shepherdess dressed in an elegant formal suitdress. It may be the newest trend to modernized the performance this way, however for this kind of story it would be more fascinating if presented in the original form.
Nevertheless, forget inappropriate costumes or background set, the singing and the music is so delightful and excellent that we enjoy it so much.