Contrée Movie Reviews

Hiya
This DVD is certainly worth the purchase - the sound and quality is excellent.....what a great band this was....if this doesnt
get you moving, check your pulse!
cheers
-Rob

The "live in berlin" DVD is well worth the price of this 2 DVD set. Hungry, energetic and singing/playing with passion. when is the last time you said that about a pop/rock band. A must have for Big Country fans, a "should have" for everybody else. The other disk "Glasgow Borrowlands", seemed more like a farewell/thank-you concert and wasn't as lively, but was a nice addition.

A HIGHLY recommended DVD! Big Country in concert in 1988 (Germany) & 2000 (Glasgow). Concert one features Big Country at their peak with great energetic versions of many tunes (including Where the Rose Is Sown, The Seer, Just a Shadow, Wonderland, In a Big Country, Fields of Fire...)! This concert is marred (slightly) by the addition of Josh Phillips' poorly mixed keyboards (too loud) but is my favorite to listen-to & watch! The second concert is very pleasing (if not as impassioned). The band does seem a little precise, and the newer material is more poppy/less eclectic. Amusingly, the band are all in kilts for the Glasgow concert! The sound on this concert is flawless (Mark's drums sound especially lovely :P). Included in this show are lovely renditions of Harvest, The Storm (!), Where the Rose Is Sown, Come Back to Me, Dive into Me, Look Away, Lost Patrol, 13 Valleys, Wonderland, Porroh Man, In a Big Country, & Fields of Fire... * The EXTRA's on this DVD are scant but interesting (previews of other DVD concerts ostensibly to be released in the future from BC's official UK site, the band's rider contract for booking, photos, a brief behind the scene clip, and text from the 2000 tour book...) A lovely surprise US release from a sorely missed band!

I WAS VERY UNFAMILIAR WITH JUISE NEWTON BEFORE VIEWING THIS DVD, HOWEVER THIS LADY REALLY CAN SING.
SHE SHINES ON ALL OF THESE SONGS AND IS BACKED BY A VERY IMPRESSIVE BAND. THE SOUND QUALITY OF THE DVD IS VERY GOOD IN 5.1 SURROUND.
NOTE:THERE ARE A FEW EXTRA FEATURES ALSO THAT ADD A BIT EXTRA TO THIS DVD!!
CHECK IT OUT!!

This DVD has to be better than being there. You would never get as close as the camera does. What a well polished show. Excellent band. Ms. Juice is much better than I remembered. The sound is also very good on this disk. Maybe they are finally working the technical bugs out. I'll watch this one again!!

I had the pleasure of being at this fantastic show in LA on 9/10. What an amazing showcase for the talents of Juice Newton. Watching the DVD was almost as good as being there (and I know). As a longtime Juice fan I had never seen her live and was impressed by how beautiful she sounds live. As her partner Otha Young says in the behind the scenes feature, Juice sounds even better live. Her song selection is perfect, great new songs, and beautiful renditions of older hits. I especially was touched by her rendition of "Old Flame". What the dvd doesn't show is how Juice spent so much time and energy on her fans after the show signing autographs and talking. What makes watching this concert bittersweet is how the next morning after such a great night of song our world changed forever with the attacks of 9/11.
My only quibble with the dvd (and cd) are the lame graphics. The cover is bland and could have been much more exciting looking. The picture on the cover isn't even from the show. Oh well, it's the show that counts the most and THAT is excellent. Buy this DVD and enjoy the show!

From the scenes of Shania and her band playing along side one another to Shania going down into the crowd. You won't want to miss one single second. The picture comes in crystal clear as does the sound. All the songs are a must to see performed especially Juanita, men will love the shimmy Shania does while singing this song. This dvd proves without a doubt Shania owns any stage she sets foot on!

With this dvd!
This dvd instantly became my favorite and i'm sure you'll feel the same way. The sound and the look of the video are fabulous. Shania looks so incrediblely happy. If you saw the tv special you'll find by watching the dvd 6 extra songs.No way will any fan be disappointed by adding this to your collection. If you went to the chicago concert you just might see yourself as there are plenty of fans shots.

I purchased the DVD and it is great.If you have never seen Shania live this DVD will make you want to go to a concert.It makes you feel as if you're at the show.
With Christmas UP this will make any Shania fan happy.

From the scenes of Shania and her band playing along side one another to Shania going down into the crowd. You won't want to miss one single second. The picture comes in crystal clear as does the sound. All the songs are a must to see performed especially Juanita, men will love the shimmy Shania does while singing this song. This dvd proves without a doubt Shania owns any stage she sets foot on!

With this dvd!
This dvd instantly became my favorite and i'm sure you'll feel the same way. The sound and the look of the video are fabulous. Shania looks so incrediblely happy. If you saw the tv special you'll find by watching the dvd 6 extra songs.No way will any fan be disappointed by adding this to your collection. If you went to the chicago concert you just might see yourself as there are plenty of fans shots.

I purchased the DVD and it is great.If you have never seen Shania live this DVD will make you want to go to a concert.It makes you feel as if you're at the show.
With Christmas UP this will make any Shania fan happy.

I am in the process of reading the book on which this movie is based. Usually, reading the book leads you to say, "The book is so much better." Not so with this movie. Yes, the book is fantastic. But reading it has increased my appreciation for the movie even more. Particularly the acting by Jones and Harrison. It is impressive how much emotion and meaning they convey without the aid of a narrator or augmented dialogue.

I remember seeing the trailers for "Cry, The Beloved Country," in the theater before it came out, later I realized I missed my chance to see it on the big screen when I saw it in the video store. I can only imagine the impact this movie would have on me if I had seen it on the big screen.

In the opening scenes the audience is treated to absolutely breath-taking images of the hills of South Africa, it is there that you are introduced to the story's protangonist Rev. Kumalo, the pastor of a small country church in South Africa. The role of Kumalo is played brilliantly by James Earl Jones.

In the opening scenes Rev. Kumalo travels to Johannesburg to come to the aid of his sister and to search for his son. While in Johannesburg, the lives of Rev. Kumalo and James Jarvis, a weathly farmer and neighbor of Kumalo played by Richard Harris, are brought together by an event (I will leave it at that) that will profoundly affect the lives of both men. Pay particular attention to the scene where Jones and Harris first meet, it is a wonderful example what is possible when two accomplished actors are put together and given the chance to ply their trades.

"Cry, The Beloved Country," does require some patience from the viewer, director Darrell Roodt builds the story slowly and deliberately, and even this level of dillegence doesn't completely pay off, but when the movie comes to it's climax I can guarantee you will appreciate the time Roodt took to set up the story in the beginning of the movie.

This is really the story of an honest man in dishonest wolrd and the effect individuals can make in the lives of others. This movie should have recieved much more attention when it was in the theaters and Jones should have recieved an Oscar nomination for his preformance.

The final scene of the movie ends much as it starts, in the hills of South Africa. Director Darrel Roodt uses this local as bookends for this wonderous story. This movie is not available on DVD, but look for it on video tape it is well worth the effort.

This movie was based on how a preacher suffered with many family problems and how he kept his faith and held on to his faith and he was rewarded in the end. It was one of the best drama's I have ever seen.

This movie has all it needs to make it worthy of a spot in your video library. Wonderful characterizations by gifted artists, beautiful staging and scenery, a fabulous soundtrack, and a story that made me wonder, "What do I hold so fundamental that I would be willing to risk everything to keep it?" After renting the video, I recommended it to a jazz-music-loving friend, who, in turn, bought me the DVD for my birthday (knowing he can borrow it!). Watching it again motivated me to splurge on tickets to Arturo Sandoval when he came to our area, which was the best night of music I have ever heard. Each time I watch this movie, the story and the music move me. You will not be disappointed.

FOR LOVE OR COUNTRY is based on the true story of Arturo Sandoval who finally cooperates with the Cuban government and even joins the communist party in order to have the freedom to travel internationally. He was living in a country where there was no respect for human rights, let alone freedom of expression in music.

Arturo Sandoval is one of the most brilliant musicians of our time and is known as a protégé of the great Dizzy Gillespie. He was born in Artemisa on November 6, 1949. Artemisa is a small town on the outskirts of Havana, Cuba.

He realized he was a trumpet player when he was eleven. He began studying classical trumpet at the age of twelve. He is now known as one of the world's most acknowledged guardians of jazz trumpet and flugelhorn. As a Professor, Sandoval has lectured internationally.

Filled with a virtuoso capability, he had an intense desire to share his musical gift with those who share the same love for music. Arturo Sandoval appears on the tracks "Moonglow" and "That Old Feeling" in Rod Stewart's release "It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook." His diverse style can be heard on albums like Gloria Estefan's "Into the Light." He also has made a contribution on albums by Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra and Paul Anka.

This movie emphasizes his virtuoso technical ability and his specialty in high notes. He also is shown playing the piano and is known for lyrically improvising a ballad. He also had the privilege of creating and performing the score for this movie. The story of his own life. He explains:

"When the idea for the movie came up, I was happy to be able to tell my story, but even happier to write the film score," he says. "Music for movies has been my life's passion, and this was my first and biggest step in that direction........."

In the movie, Arturo (Cuban-American actor Andy García) is thinking about defecting when he meets Marianela (Mia Maestro). She becomes more important to him than freedom. Their beliefs are on the opposite sides of the political spectrum and yet their love binds them to one another as they try to overlook their political differences.

Marianela represents family loyalty and the way people who live in Cuba really think. It shows how Marianela goes from being completely loyal to a dictator to having her eyes opened to the reality of the situation. She falls completely in love with this talented musician but fears he may leave her like her first husband. Arturo has also been married before and while he is willing to spend his entire life with Marianela, she has her doubts and issues with trust. She has been betrayed by the government she supported.

"What I feel about you. I've never felt it before ... I don't trust it." -Marianela

This movie is at times so romantic. Especially the scene where Marianela and Arturo are dancing and when she wakes him up after he spends the night sleeping on a grave. The scene overlooking the ocean is so pristine.

After performing with the Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music, he was allowed to start a group called Irakere that promoted a combination of Cuban music and jazz. In 1981 he then leaves Irakere to form his own band.

He believes he has a gift to give the world and is fighting a force that threatened to drown his true love, music.

After living with his wife in Cuba and starting a family, he decides it is time to leave. He believes that by defecting to the United States he is rejecting a system that kills confidence and personality. Rejecting a government that controls everything to the point that people lose their desire to achieve.

The government finally tries to control Sandoval's music and his dream for greater artistic expression. While on a European tour, he leaves for a secret meeting at the U.S. Embassy.

Sandoval was granted political asylum in July 1990. Since his defection, Sandoval has increased his classical performances world wide including performances with the National Symphony, L.A. Philharmonic, National Symphony of Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh Symphony.

"This was such a blessing for me. I thank God everyday for being here in this wonderful country and sharing my music. This experience has been very rewarding. I hope that our modest musical contribution here today shows we stand united and strong and that we are America the Beautiful." ~Arturo Sandoval speaking of his opportunity to share his music at the White House

Even Arturo says he would like to go back to visit his homeland, but under a different government.

"Flight to Freedom" was his first recording immediately following his defection.

An emotional movie about the desire to use your God-given talents without repression from those who don't see beauty in the soul. This movie really is about having a dream and finding your true purpose in life. This is a movie about beauty and sadness with a happy ending.

Life is truly a dream for those who are free and yet at times even if you are free, you can feel that you are in a prison of yourself. There are times when a person feels they have so much to give and they can't find an outlet for their gift to the world. In such a case a person can at times risk everything for the freedom of expression and the freedom to grow as a person, as a soul.

If you never follow your dreams, you might not be really free.

A movie about Romance and Freedom everyone should see! Especially romantics and those who love Jazz.

This movie is just brilliant I love it. the scene in the club were he is playing with dizzy gilespy is awsome. Salt penuts Salt penuts!

I have been a bluegrass fan for about one year. I love the music - it just makes me feel good! I was impressed by the great footage on this DVD. The interviews are great and I love the photography. If you know a bluegrass fan, this would make a great gift!

Breathtaking and the true emotion of Bluegrass music. More than a history. A genuine experience of the roots and people who shared this unique sound with the rest of the humanity. Rachel & Jerome deserve a standing ovation for their work. I have lived it and remember it from the beginning. This film captures the American soul when it was at its apex.

THIS FILM WILL TAKE YOU BACK IN TIME AND MAKE YOU WISH THAT YOU COULD LIVE THROUGH IT ALL. FULL OF INSIGHT AND TENDER REMINISCENCES. A PERFECT COMBINATION OF MUSIC AND DOCUMENTARY. IF YOU LIKE OR LOVE BLUEGRASS THEN YOU MUST HAVE THIS DVD (OR VHS).

I have never been a fan of country music. I may have enjoyed crossover hits, but the real country music I didn't care for. That was until I bought this DVD for wife. She has been a huge fan of George Strait since he started and to be honest, I used to make fun of her and him. I used to work outside of Amarillo and I would sing the chorus to "Amarillo by Morning" everytime I called her. To say the least, I am a huge fan now. I cannot stop listening to his music and everytime I hear a different song it becomes a new favorite. This DVD is great and as Alan Jackson said on this years CMA awards, "George, you are just cool."

I've been a big fan of George Strait since 1983 and this dvd doesn't disappoint. The tracks are terrific. And I think the 5.1 Dolby Digital mix is excellent. If there is too much crowd noise in the surround speakers, just lower the surround level on your receiver! The sound is dynamic and clean. The 2 channel mix is great too. This is a must buy for all Strait fans and for even the casual country music fan. After all, George is the King. After watching this dvd, it's clear that King George still rules the throne!

First off, simply the fact that a George Strait concert is available on DVD is very exciting. I enjoyed every song presented here, and George's performance was excellent. The video quality of the DVD is good, but not excellent. I think it must have been shot on video, not film. The 5.1 audio soundtrack is not very good. It has way too much crowd noise in the soundtrack, and the fronts don't sound very solid. You don't get a good sense of vocals in front of you. They sound a little weak, and lacking in upper range detail. This was remedied by listening to the 2.0 stereo soundtrack, and putting my receiver in stereo mode. Much more solid vocals, more powerful and rich sounding. There is a funny little error with the numbering of the songs on the back. The numbering is correct up to song 5, but after song 5, track 6 is actually President Bush Sr's. presentation, but it is not counted on the back as being a track. This means to get to the song listed as being song 6, you have to punch in 7 to actually get to it. I guess it is song 6, but it is not track 6. Quirky. If you have not seen the 1980s VHS tape of a George Strait New Year's Eve show, I highly recommend it. It is at least as enjoyable as this DVD.

Ray Stevens has been tickling America's funny-bone for over forty years, and I've been a fan almost as long. His gifts are many: skillful and prolific songwriter, brilliant comedian/humorist/satirist, and a pretty darn good singer who can switch gears from silly to soulful on a dime. Ray's extraordinarily well-crafted novelty songs are in a class by themselves: He's the undisputed Master of the genre, as far as I'm concerned.

"Comedy Video Classics" is a tour de force of humor of the lowest brow, and I'm hear to tell you, it is funny. "Help Me Make it Through the Night" starts seriously, but soon turns into a free-for-all of outrageous sight gags and sound effects, with Ray playing about a dozen different parts. In the mildly risque "It's Me Again Margaret," Ray's an obscene phone caller who utters the immortal line "Are ya nekkiiiiiiid!" to his plus-size victim. (The video has an amusing twist ending.) "Santa Claus is Watching You," a rockin' early tune, isn't particularly funny (despite shamelessly exploiting a Little Person for cheap laughs), but it does showcase Ray's agility with witty lyrics. Ray is in very good voice on "Sittin' Up with the Dead" and has a field day making fun of a creepy Southern custom. The catchy "Surfin' U.S.S.R.," a Cold War send-up done Beach Boys style, has the video's best sight gag: Russian sailors holding up pictures of Communist leader Vladimir Lenin while Ray flashes one of John Lennon. Surely aimed at rigid Southern Baptists, "Mississippi Squirrel Revival" has Sister Bertha Better-Than-You and members of the First Self-Righteous Church getting their hilarious comeuppance one fateful Sunday. Ray's hugely popular "The Streak" makes a perfect transition to video, complete with cheesy animation, and gives Ray his best role as a Caterpillar-cap wearing redneck trying to protect his wife Ethel from the evils ("He was a-dribblin'!") of that Seventies fad. Finally, just to prove he has a serious side, Ray does his classic "Everything is Beautiful," a sentiment that's hard to argue with after you've laughed so hard.

While obviously made on the cheap, the videos are smartly directed and edited and the production values are modest but professional. More importantly, the good time being had by cast and crew comes over like a tidal wave. It bears mentioning, too, that the musicianship on all the tunes is absolutely top-notch.

I've owned this video for ten years, and everybody I've ever shared it with has near about rolled on the floor. It's
family-friendly and a sure cure for whatever ails you.

first off, Ray is a great singer and he's a wonderful pianist of all types of music. this home video of music videos is hilarious and properly closes with the serious "Everything Is Beautiful". three of the eight music videos were made prior to 1991/1992: "Sittin' Up With the Dead" and "Help Me Make It Through The Night" were released in 1990 and "Santa Claus is Watching You" goes back to 1987, the song was included on his 1985 album 'I HAVE RETURNED'. the other five music videos are first runs: "The Streak", "Everything Is Beautiful", "It's Me Again, Margaret", "Surfin' USSR", and "Mississippi Squirrel Revival". the novelty of selling music videos on home video made experts laugh and downplay Ray's ideas but as usual he proved the skeptics wrong by selling 2,000,000 copies of the project on his own label, CLYDE Records, over TV. an additional million was sold when it hit the stores in 1993. this home video single handedly revived the home video market for a time during the mid to late '90s. planning ahead, Ray almost abandoned audio for video when sales were so high. his next three home video releases (1993, 1995, and 2000) have all repeated the multi- platinum path the first one set. Ray's niche is novelty songs. novelty means unusual or strange. i'm sick and tired of reading people say that Ray isn't funny or he's too cornball with his humor. Ray is roped in with the country comedians because that's the only market. his songs are NOVELTY and all they have to be is zany and off the wall to please his fans. we don't always have to be pounded over the head with meaningful comedy with hidden messages...that's the job of brilliant satirists like Stan Freberg, Garrison Keillor, or Mark Russell...not NOVELTY artists like Ray Stevens and Spike Jones. there are different forms of comedy styles: satire, topical, parody, novelty, and country comedy...and Ray Stevens has touched them all at one point or another but novelty is his most recorded style. the most elaborate video is "Surfin' USSR". Ray adds on the opening sequence, which isn't part of the 1988 recording, involving a meeting between Reagan and Gorbechev, both voiced by Ray. in the background the two wives get in a fistfight as Reagan points out Gorbechev's red birth mark on his forehead...it's in the form of a country, prompting Gorbechev to exclaim: "ooh, a coincidence only...my mother must have been frightened by a map...". Ray's long-time songwriting partner, Buddy Kalb, appears as the cigar smoking woman from Moscow U. this home video was #1 for nearly a year and Billboard named it 'VIDEO OF THE YEAR' for 1993. get it if you can.

Ray Steven's Comedy Video Classics is the funniest video I've ever seen. The songs are funny in and of itself, but the videos are even funnier. My favorites are "It's Me Again Margaret", and "The Mississippi Squarrell Revival". I recommend this video to whoever needs a laugh.

You can't imagine how wonderfull is for someone living in southern Europe where country music concerts are almost non existent, to watch a DVD with the quality sound and image of this one. I hope many other country music artists can do the same: To record a high quality DVD that brings to your home a concert or concerts you don't have the oportunity to see, specially if you don't live in England, Ireland or Holland. Thanks, Randy!

I wonder why the big push to widescreen for music videos? Is it really that expensive to use the backside of the DVD for full screen? I would have rated it 5 stars if they gave us a choice.
GREAT CONCERT!

I attended the Ft Worth concert he did here in April, 2002 and this DVD is just like the real thing!! Its totally awesome, dont miss it!!