Carcinoid Movie Reviews
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The 10th anniversary concert video of the international musical sensation Les Misérables might be the best thing to appease fans until a full-fledged movie comes along. Or it might be even better, with a dream cast of Colm Wilkinson (Valjean), Michael Ball (Marius), Alun Armstrong (Thenardier), Judy Kuhn (Cosette), Lea Salonga (Eponine), Michael Maguire (Enjolras), Ruthie Henshall (Fantine), and Philip Quast (Javert). Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's score vividly captures the passion of Victor Hugo's epic tale of pre-revolutionary France, combining tear-jerking ballads ("I Dreamed a Dream," "Bring Him Home") and rousing anthems ("Do You Hear the People Sing"). The format of the 1995 concert is more like a dramatic cantata than a fully staged production; the singers stand at their microphone stands with an orchestra and chorus behind them, but they do wear costumes and participate in some movement. At certain points, the video switches to action from a stage production. The 147-minute video includes an encore in which 17 actors who have played Valjean around the world each sing a line of "Do You Hear the People Sing?" in his native language, a testament to the enduring power of this show to audiences everywhere. --David Horiuchi
Riverdance: Live from New York City
The Irish hard-shoe sensation Riverdance underwent its second incarnation with Live from New York City, a 1996 performance filmed at Radio City Music Hall. The dazzling choreography and energetic score remain, but Michael Flatley was replaced by less-flamboyant Colin Dunne, a superb technician who works well with Flatley's former co-lead, Jean Butler. About a half-hour longer than the 1995 original, Live from New York City expands upon the second act's theme of the Irish leaving their homeland for other parts of the world. In the most engaging new number, "Trading Taps," a trio of Irish dancers faces off against two urban American tappers. While much of this show will be familiar, it's different enough to be enjoyed on its own terms. It's also more stylishly shot, but that's also its biggest drawback--frenetic editing that allows only brief glimpses of the dancers and leaves the viewer dizzy. --David Horiuchi
Very Poor Sound
Les Miserables at its bestIt celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the show and was done on a stage.
The best parts are the actors reactions at the end of the show and the "Vanjeans from around the world" at the end. To see so many men singing the same song in so many languages was wonderful.
I would recomend this to everyone who loves musicals and especially if you love Les Miserables.
Bestest Best Best Musical
not so good
Paul Gives a BETTER Performance than the Cavern!Paul gives a 5-star performance, but my rating goes down because of the B-52's ..., and the bonus features, which are too disgusting for words. Get the DVD for McCartney, but stay away from the bonus footage.
Two paws up!
Among the more exotic items are an Italian adaptation of a Schubert lullaby titled "Mille cherubini in coro" ("A thousand Cherubim in chorus") and a setting of "Panis Angelicus" attributed to J.S. Bach, who would have had serious theological problems with the text. Most of the time, the performance is essentially operatic, with lush orchestration and lots of vocal vibrato, whether the music happens to be folk, pop, or liturgical. Carreras's fans will be satisfied, as his voice is in good condition and he sounds generally comfortable with the material, particularly in the Spanish and Catalan numbers. --Joe McLellan
Clear picture, mono sound
Pure Pleasure
redundant rock
Winter and Derringer smokeEven on "Hang on Sloppy" he innovates, playing some exciting harmonies on the guitar that make it a whole new song. "I Play Guitar" is great, even the couple mistakes he makes singing only make the song more powerful and authentic. Edgar is extremely talented, showing how much of a master sax playing he really is, but I ,myself, have played guitar in the past and just am in awe of Derringer. The production of the DVD is good with just enough shots of the audience. In closing, I hadn't realized how tall Edgar is, I am wondering exactly how tall he is? Anyway, if you like Edgar or Rick check it out- you will be happy.
8 Songs?
Love Sawyer Brown Music!!
Disappointing
Strauss FrustrationsDespite near-immaculate playing by the orchestra, the rendering of Don Juan is a pedestrian and bloodless performance, where everything seems to be on auto-pilot. In the Hölderlin Hymnen Hass strives valiantly for what tenderness the ruthless setting offers, and admirably surmounts its brutal climaxes. As a singer of Strauss, she is the genuine article.
The specific gravity of the program is centered in Ein Heldenleben, and here Leinsdorf frustrates one looking for depth and breadth of conception that he certainly possessed in spades. Instead one is presented a staggeringly wooden and inexpressive reading. Musical high points and formal seams come and go with no particular merit attached. The Staatskapelle adroitly negotiates the pitfalls and treacherous moments of this tone poem. The solo violin playing of Wolf-Dieter Batzdorf is sure-footed and thoroughly reliable, but his articulation of the hero's tender moments seems constricted by the austerity of his conductor's neutrality. (Leinsdorf strongly evokes visual and conceptual images of Stravinsky conducting his own works.)
The video quality is very sharp, but camera work is unimaginative and sloppy (for example, the lens is consistently directed at the wrong french horn player during the numerous solos for that instrument). The sound offers digital surround and non-compressed tracks, but the climaxes nevertheless seem to have been emasculated. Translations in German and English are provided (the liner notes promise Latin for non-existent choral works). Superimposed analysis for Ein Heldenleben is extensive and helpful, but at times inserted arbitrarily, and ignores important quotations from Guntram and Zarathustra. The English version lacks sufficient proofreading and its initiation overlays applause for the songs. Audience response is subdued.
This recording is chiefly notable for the excellent playing of the Berlin Staatskapelle, the artistry of Sabine Hass, and ultimately, the genius of Richard Strauss. It could so easily have been much more.
A great concert + bonusThis is a wonderful example of how technology can enhance our understanding of the music. If we turn the subtitle on, one could actually trace the various themes and their development while the programme symphonic poems (Don Juan and Ein Heldenleben) unfold. This brings special meaning to the notes you heard and a better understaning of the story the composer is telling.
A pity, however, the subtitles in Ein Heldenleben is slightly out of phase. Fortunately, they are just a bit ahead of the music so it is not too bad!
Big Let Down...Finally, things slowed down to a more reasonable level and we are treated to a brief interview about this project. It is explained that one goal was to give 5.1 listeners the most bang-for-buck by utilizing special mixing techniques to widen the soundstage and give special effects. Now let me say that I have a 52" widescreen with a 5.1 system that "brings down the house" (for me), and I thoroughly enjoy watching concert videos. Well, not in this case. This DVD has the ABSOLUTE WORST sound of any I have heard! We could not understand a single word sung during the music portions - AND we already own the CD!!!
I don't mean to come off hard here, but I do happen to own a recording studio and consider myself a fair judge of what good sound should be (audibly comprehensible would have been nice). Let's just say that if you enjoyed 3D's first concert DVD...well, don't expect the same experience! (The Offerings Experience DVD is excellent BTW). It seems the band should have left well enough alone. (*Note - we tried every combination of sound settings - even stereo only, to no avail! Can't understand a word.)
On to imagery...it seems too many people were hired to "pull off" this DVD project. Almost a hundred cameras were used (from looking at shots of the setup), yet ironically - almost every single shot of the drummer is either pixelated or out of focus! They did a much better job in the first DVD with more limited resources.
Lighting - in the first DVD 3D's lead singer Mac looked almost like a prophet he was so well lit - it was surreal (and very impressive considering this was a live concert shoot!), yet nearly every frame of the "Come Together" disc is poorly lit with excessive blue hues (I actually stopped at one point thinking something was wrong with the set, popped in the "Offerings" disc - and it was again, perfecly lit!), and never once in "Come Together," is Mac seen properly lit. (The guy who shot the first DVD should get a lighting award though - it's amazingly fantastic!).
Extra features: Outtakes on the first DVD were truly authentic and even funny, but the ones on "Come Together" seem gratuitous and contrived. Now, these guys are touring almost daily - and I KNOW some "real" funny stuff has to be going on...why not show some of it? Third Day is truly talented - yet only the "dregs" seem to have made it onto this disc.
Maybe Mac, Tai, and the boys will read this and realize that too many men wearing too many hats were involved "too much" in this project, and perhaps God was pushed aside abit to accomodate the technical niceties. I think it could have been much better with much less (next time throw away a cocktail napkin or two!)
Final Score: This project (Come Together) = 2, the first project "The Offerings Experience" = 5 If, like me - you have to have the latest project available from one of your favorite bands, buy it...but don't expect it to come close to "Offerings" - they're not even in the same league. Maybe "next time."
Better than the first but still not where MWS is
Blessed every time I watch!
Ronstadt is surely appreciated for her short skirt and sweet pop-blues (her "Love Has No Pride" nears epic intensity), and Clark's showmanship works with kitsch like "Orange Blossom Special." But it's Cash's "Sunday Morning Coming Down," Folsom Prison Blues," and famously bloody "Boy Named Sue" that resonate most powerfully with his, uh, captive audience. There's a touch of condescension toward the prisoners in some stage patter and song choices: Sure, Ronstadt had a hit with "Desperado" at the time, but here it sounds like she's wagging her finger at the crowd. --Tom Keogh
WORTHLESS-AVOID AT ANY PRICE
Indeed false advertising
False Advertising
Good concert but a badly produced video of it.In the first song "Drive My Car" which lasts only 2 minutes and 16 seconds,the picture jumps from colour to black and white and back 38 times and shows a car on a highway another 8 times.
And that's just the first song!
Somewere in all this mess Paul is singing.
This bad producing goes on all through the twenty two song concert and ruins it for viewers.
The music is good but the video is terrible and producers Stewart J Swartz and James Clark deserve criticism for this video,the worst production job that I have ever seen.
Someone should tell them the old saying "keep it simple stupid".
Sound is great, video truly SUCKS!!!This is DVD is just the opposite. Instead of supporting camera work that emphasizes the performance, we get a "HOW TO" on what not to do. In this DVD we get the "artsy" grainy black and white shots for half the performance along with interdispersed stupid video scenery (This scenery is taken from the large screens from the stage that were played during the concert). As someone who saw this tour live, I can testify that the video cuts of the screen material DOES NOT make one feel closer to the original performance. Worse, the camera almost NEVER focuses on anyone for more than 2 seconds at a time. Occaisionally you will get Paul singing, but NEVER do you get to see the finger-work on any musician including Paul (with the possible exception of the first stanza of "Yesterday").
This is bad, but truly annoying is the extra junk that has been added to "spruce up" songs that just don't need the extras. The worst example of htis was during the Beatles classic, "Paperback Writer." One might think that Paul singing this classic could stand on its own, but no, the movie makers decided during this song, see-through paperback book pages should cover the screen with ever increasing rapidity. If you concentrate hard, you can see Paul through the pages, but if you were like me, you were too pissed to care. Magical Mystery tour also apparently can't stand on its own, needing wierd "acid colors" to dominate the display.
As a final annoying aspect to this DVD, it provides a tribute to Linda at the back that shows lots of home movies of Paul's life, along with Beatles and Wings concert footage. Unfortuately you can only get to it after the end of the credits, and there is no dividing chapters for it.
The ONLY reason I give this 2 stars is because they did not destroy "Live and Let Die." When I saw this tour in DC, that song, with the fireworks and all was awesome, easily the high point of the concert. It provided me with a fond memory of the show.
Another subpar video....Indifference or Ignorance... Paul?A good concert video has great sound, steady camera work, perhaps a few well timed fades, absolutely no interruptions or black & white and gives the viewer the feeling of "being there". What a joy it would be if Paul would re-release the "Back in the US" properly produced.... It would be the DVD of the decade! But, something tells me that he is uninformed or he just doesn't care. Too Bad.
Good concert but a badly produced video of it.In the first song "Drive My Car" which lasts only 2 minutes and 16 seconds,the picture jumps from colour to black and white and back 38 times and shows a car on a highway another 8 times.
And that's just the first song!
Somewere in all this mess Paul is singing.
This bad producing goes on all through the twenty two song concert and ruins it for viewers.
The music is good but the video is terrible and producers Stewart J Swartz and James Clark deserve criticism for this video,the worst production job that I have ever seen.
Someone should tell them the old saying "keep it simple stupid".
Sound is great, video truly SUCKS!!!This is DVD is just the opposite. Instead of supporting camera work that emphasizes the performance, we get a "HOW TO" on what not to do. In this DVD we get the "artsy" grainy black and white shots for half the performance along with interdispersed stupid video scenery (This scenery is taken from the large screens from the stage that were played during the concert). As someone who saw this tour live, I can testify that the video cuts of the screen material DOES NOT make one feel closer to the original performance. Worse, the camera almost NEVER focuses on anyone for more than 2 seconds at a time. Occaisionally you will get Paul singing, but NEVER do you get to see the finger-work on any musician including Paul (with the possible exception of the first stanza of "Yesterday").
This is bad, but truly annoying is the extra junk that has been added to "spruce up" songs that just don't need the extras. The worst example of htis was during the Beatles classic, "Paperback Writer." One might think that Paul singing this classic could stand on its own, but no, the movie makers decided during this song, see-through paperback book pages should cover the screen with ever increasing rapidity. If you concentrate hard, you can see Paul through the pages, but if you were like me, you were too pissed to care. Magical Mystery tour also apparently can't stand on its own, needing wierd "acid colors" to dominate the display.
As a final annoying aspect to this DVD, it provides a tribute to Linda at the back that shows lots of home movies of Paul's life, along with Beatles and Wings concert footage. Unfortuately you can only get to it after the end of the credits, and there is no dividing chapters for it.
The ONLY reason I give this 2 stars is because they did not destroy "Live and Let Die." When I saw this tour in DC, that song, with the fireworks and all was awesome, easily the high point of the concert. It provided me with a fond memory of the show.
Another subpar video....Indifference or Ignorance... Paul?A good concert video has great sound, steady camera work, perhaps a few well timed fades, absolutely no interruptions or black & white and gives the viewer the feeling of "being there". What a joy it would be if Paul would re-release the "Back in the US" properly produced.... It would be the DVD of the decade! But, something tells me that he is uninformed or he just doesn't care. Too Bad.